Removing condensation aboard
Mate, In my experience condensation occurs aboard primarily as a result of lack of air movement. While improving air circulation in lockers etc. aboard is one component of ending your problem, moving air thru the boat will eliminate it. If you are living aboard, your breathing is constantly adding moisture to the air in the boat. The burning of any propane aboard (such as cooking on a propane stove) adds even more moisture as water is a big component of the waste gases of its combustion. If you are heating your boat consider plumbing an outside source of air to the furnace/heater. The forced addition of heated air to your cabin will eliminate any drafts aboard as a result of the positive pressure(warm air seeping out, not cold seeping in) . Any leaks (around the companionway slider etc. will be the escape route for your moisture laden cabin air. In my previous boat I installed a Webasto air heater in the engine compartment. I took the air for heating from inside one of my cockpit lockers thru a 4 inch PVC duct to the heater. In my current boat I added a bilge blower fan on a timer to the factory thru transom vents. Every day at 3 o'clock in the afternoon it runs for 15 minutes. This addition of a massive volume of fresh air eliminates my moisture problem as I do not live aboard. A pair of solar powered vents such as those from Nicro will do the trick too, but they don't move nearly as much air as a bilge blower can. With the success that I've had previously, I plan to plumb an outside source of air to at least one of my "Red dot" heat exchangers in my current water heat system to effect the same positive pressure solution when I am having an extended time aboard. It works amazingly well. No condensation at all, even when there are four aboard constantly. No more wet toweling windows! Happy Sailing! Ron Hughes, S/V "Best Revenge" H 40.5
