El nino in your boat

[jleblanc31]

Unfortunately I cant stay on my boat yet and it has its own El nino going on inside wile im gone . it sweats and the perspiration slides down the walls and drips from the celling. I just ordered two solar vents and I have dried the bilge all the way so water is not evaporating and getting trapped than raining down again . Im getting ready to redo all the wood and don't want my efforts to be ruined by the perspiration. also I put those cushions in there and don't want them to start to mildew. any advice is appreciated. So what can I do to stop the moisture in the boat?

 

[JohnVTX]

Small ceramic heater set to 55-60

 

[Justin_NSA]

If you don't have power to the boat there are several desiccant/dryer options out there. We have a solar vent on the forward hatch but we still collect moisture with the desiccant. We have nothing like the humidity you have down there.

 

[Benny17441]

If you have access to shorepower get an electric dehumidifier. Some heaters may just encourage condensation. For boats on moorings there are silica bags but they are not really cost effective in a very damp environment. Ventilation is always good but is only as effective as the dryness of the outside air.

 

[Rick D]

I think you have made an important first step. The next is perhaps a dehumidifier. Locals probably have a better handle in the issue; it's pretty dry in SoCal although I had a Columbia 28 that was super damp just as you describe. Good luck! That Ranger is a nice boat.

 

[Justin_NSA]

Practical Sailor did an article on the subject a few years back. For your conditions they recommend a portable dehumidifier. Specifically the EvaDry2200. It captures water in a container but I would imaging it would fill quickly. PS placed the unit on the stove for fire safety and ran a drain line to the sink. YMMV

 

[JamesG161]

any advice is appreciated. So what can I do to stop the moisture in the boat?

You can't stop moisture in our area, but you can control condensation.
Twice a year near the Gulf at our Latitudes, we experience wild swings in the...
Dew Point Temperature.

Usually those swing are at in morning and evening. Warm Days, cool nights. As you noted, the boat surface is where you get condensate, because AIR temperatures are easily changed and the boat temps are much slower to change.

Small ceramic heater set to 55-60

Will work if you can maintain your AIR at that range of Temps for our area. It may take a few heaters.

My suggestion...
Keep the interior AIR higher temperature than the Dew Point and CONFINE that air to prevent major swings in Interior Humidity.
You would need a heater(s) with a big circulation fan and controlled by something like this....
https://www.amazon.com/Dayton-1UHG3...79308648&sr=8-12&keywords=humidity+controller

I have seen a smaller and cheaper controller, but didn't have time to search for it again.

If you confine the AIR, the controller switching on/off the heater(s) would be very limited. It is the interior AIR temperatures controlled above IT's Dew Point that is the key.
Jim...

PS: Since we are neighbors, feel free to Private message me to help more.

 

[rgranger]

Something that has not come up on this tread is insulation. An adhesive spray foam insulation on the surfaces that are causing you the most problem would work (probably look real bad). I once read an article in Good Old Boat where a guy glued thin furring strips to the hull about 6" apart. Then laid some insulation sheets between the strips and then ran cedar strips perpendicular across the furring strips. Gave the interior of the boat this beautiful cedar strip wain's coat and insulated his hull at the same time. In the article I read, the guy put about a centimeter gap between the cedar strips and they made a point of remembering to pain the insulation sheets brown so the pink does not show through the gaps. I think a nice adhesive spray foam insulation between the furring strips would also work.

I found a pic on the web of something similar. The screws in the longitudinal strips would go into the furring strips glued to the hull and the insulation would be underneath between the furring strips. It would look great and help you control the temperature in your boat.

 

[markwbird]

I have dealt with is issue as well. I tried the dehumidifier, the dessicant, etc. No good. What has worked is a small electric heater and the Nicro solar vent. Warming up the cabin keeps the relative humidity down so that it does not condense and the vent keeps the air flowing through. Works great. No more mildew.

 

[Benny17441]

Have used the EVA-Dry in an RV and it does a fair job but tried it in a boat in the Gulf of Mexico and it seemed that humidity crept in faster than the small unit could condense it.

 

[Ken Cross]

Practical Sailor did an article on the subject a few years back. For your conditions they recommend a portable dehumidifier. Specifically the EvaDry2200. It captures water in a container but I would imaging it would fill quickly. PS placed the unit on the stove for fire safety and ran a drain line to the sink. YMMV

I use one of these, I drilled a small hole in the reservoir and pushed a small tube into it. Now I let it drip into the head sink which drains above the waterline. Otherwise, it needs emptying regularly.

 

[jleblanc31]

Just talked to my neighbor at the slip and he said he keeps his A/C on 24 7

So now I have
Dehumidifiers
A/C
Heater
and desiccant/dryer
Which way do I go George Which way do I go .

 

[JohnVTX]

I run a/c in summer and heater in the winter in Austin, TX

 

[Benny17441]

What may work in inland lakes and other parts of the country may not work in New Orleans. A/C is good but unless the boat is used almost every day the cost of wear and tear on the unit might not be warranted. I guess you could use a window unit. A dehumidifier allows you to set a humidity percentage as too dry is not good either. As far as the heaters and desiccant dryers they would be my last choices.