Damp V-berth

[klingerswall]

We have a 1987 Catalina 36 and are having trouble this winter keeping the V-berth dry. The boat is in San Diego so it is not really cold. By morning the V-berth is very damp with the ceiling covered in dew, sometimes actually developing drips. We already have a West Marine Turbo dryer running and I bought a second one to put in the V-berth. We are still having problems. Any ideas?

Dan and Linda - klingerswall@gmail.com

 

[LuzSD]

Hi, we are in SD also, and for the first time since we've owned our boat we had a damp V berth too. I do know that this winter so far has been a tremendous amount of rain......not just over days but the most intense rain per hour that I have ever experience. So, I guess if ever there was water to get in it would be this year.

Our dampness came from a forward hatch that should have been repaired before the rains hit. .. we thought we did the job but turned out not. So, besides that being issues, here are some suggestions based on the fact that we NORMALLY have had an exceptionally dry boat.

I don't know what the turbo dryer you mentioned is maybe it is the same as we have!) But what works really well for us is the dehumidifier similar to this: http://www.westmarine.com/1/1/16922--air-dryer-dehumidifier.html.
We also have a heat wand attached behind the stairs and between the 2 we never have any problems with moisture inside.

Do you open hatches and ports when you are inside sleeping? If not, that would be a good place to start. The "dew on the ceiling" sounds like condensation and that happens to us when we close everything up !We may have things open less in the winter but we always have ventilation by keeping the hatch at the mast open all the way and a couple ports open too. We always open the forward hatch if not only a couple inches.......usually lots more.

Friends of ours have carpet down and it gets wet much more often than I would have thought. Once the least bit damp, everything feels damp. We have no carpet but we have good coverage with some throw rugs and yet being so dry everything is warm and cozy.

Does this help? Can you be any more specific? Wher in SD are you?

 

[klingerswall]

Thanks for your response. I agree that this has been a very wet winter, but lately it has been dry, although cold at night. The dehumidifier you have is exactly the same as the two (now!) that I have. Like you, we have spent time on our boat other winters and never had dampness that the dehumidifier couldn't control. We have had our boat in San Diego for 8 years. The one thing that you mentioned that may be part of the problem (thank you very much) is that I close everything up at night - every single hatch - in order to stay warm and also (I thought) to control the dampness. We have wood floors so no carpet, a fact of which I am glad. So, I will try opening a few hatches at night and see what happens. I do open everything up during the day and it is dry so I think you are right. It just seems so damp outside at night that I didn't want to open things up for fear of letting the "damp" in. Again, thanks so much for the information.

 

[Stu Jackson]

As a C36 owner, I suggest getting familiar with the great skippers on the C36IA Forum. There was a question just like yours the other day. You need to sign up (free, like this board) and open yourself up to a wealth of C36 specific info: http://www.c36ia.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1029

 

[LuzSD]

ah ha!, yes if you are closing everything up, you have likely found your problem, funny how that works! Good luck and btw, I just love those dehumidifiers with their very low heat.

 

[shipwreck66]

Wierd, same problem in the Dallas area, top of V-berth was dripping condensation. And you are right, had the boat sealed up tight, gotta leave breathing room, my bad.