I'm looking for suggestions on the best way to prevent my boat's cabin from becoming a home for the mold and musties. I have a solar vent, and scuppers. I open the boat as much as possible. However there are sometimes a few weeks that go by when I can't get down there (and it can be hot 95+). So tell me, has anyone found a product that effectively keeps the humidity under control/prevents mold? Thanks in advance Nick
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Ionizer?
Nick: You may try looking into ionizers. They are suppose to kill the mildews and take the musties out of the air. They are a little pricey but may be worth while taking a look at.
Nick: You may try looking into ionizers. They are suppose to kill the mildews and take the musties out of the air. They are a little pricey but may be worth while taking a look at.
Mold, Musties, and Hot in Milwaukee?
Shirley you jest! (JUST KIDDING) In the very hot, humid, grows-everything, greenhouse of the Texas Gulf Coast, many of the boats use carefully placed 100 Watt light bulbs on timers. Biggest problem is temperature change in mornings and evenings so that's when the lights come on. The heat from the bulbs dries the cabin. This may also be a good time to convince the Admiral to get air conditioning. Most new units have a Humidifier/Anti-Humidifier mode. The unit comes on every four hours, reduces the temperature by a couple of degrees while drying the air, then monitors for "musties". Works great.
Shirley you jest! (JUST KIDDING) In the very hot, humid, grows-everything, greenhouse of the Texas Gulf Coast, many of the boats use carefully placed 100 Watt light bulbs on timers. Biggest problem is temperature change in mornings and evenings so that's when the lights come on. The heat from the bulbs dries the cabin. This may also be a good time to convince the Admiral to get air conditioning. Most new units have a Humidifier/Anti-Humidifier mode. The unit comes on every four hours, reduces the temperature by a couple of degrees while drying the air, then monitors for "musties". Works great.
I am using the circular heater from West Marine
The main cabin has had a considerably drier "feel" to it since! I also have an exhaust day/night solar vent over the head area, and placed a 6" screw-in deck plate (with removable clear insert) into the top companion hatch board which I leave open year round as it is protected from any rain by the dodger. There are two clamshell vents at the stern. Additionally, I leave the front hatch open 1" over the v-berth area. This setup allows for full cross-ventilation in every major section of the boat. I have installed locker vent grilles on the sides of the hanging locker under the chart table, and louvered doors on the bulkhead in front of the holding tank area under the v-berth and under the vanity sink. All locker doors, drawers, anchor well interior access door, and under seat storage covers are left propped open while I'm away to promote air circulation in these areas as well as the bilge. Proper ventilation in a boat is like galvanic corrosion control, it has to be attacked methodically and thoroughly resulting in a mildew free (and odor free!) boat. (I'm certain a $230.00-400.00 ozone generator could not possibly hurt, but that's a bit rich for my blood...)
The main cabin has had a considerably drier "feel" to it since! I also have an exhaust day/night solar vent over the head area, and placed a 6" screw-in deck plate (with removable clear insert) into the top companion hatch board which I leave open year round as it is protected from any rain by the dodger. There are two clamshell vents at the stern. Additionally, I leave the front hatch open 1" over the v-berth area. This setup allows for full cross-ventilation in every major section of the boat. I have installed locker vent grilles on the sides of the hanging locker under the chart table, and louvered doors on the bulkhead in front of the holding tank area under the v-berth and under the vanity sink. All locker doors, drawers, anchor well interior access door, and under seat storage covers are left propped open while I'm away to promote air circulation in these areas as well as the bilge. Proper ventilation in a boat is like galvanic corrosion control, it has to be attacked methodically and thoroughly resulting in a mildew free (and odor free!) boat. (I'm certain a $230.00-400.00 ozone generator could not possibly hurt, but that's a bit rich for my blood...)
Dear Jay...
You're half right. 6 months out of the year I'm trying to keep all the liquids from freesing solid, but july and august can be killers. Thanks for the advice. Nick
You're half right. 6 months out of the year I'm trying to keep all the liquids from freesing solid, but july and august can be killers. Thanks for the advice. Nick
No shore power.
I obviously failed to mention that I am on a mooring and do not have shore power. Although I like the light bulb idea if I ever do spring for a slip. Nick
I obviously failed to mention that I am on a mooring and do not have shore power. Although I like the light bulb idea if I ever do spring for a slip. Nick
Dehumidifier, plumbed to drain overboard
Don't go for an ozone generator...ozone degrades rubber, neoprene, and flexible pvc, which puts all your hoses and every valve and seal on your boat at risk. Besides, it doesn't kill the mildew, it just removes the odor of it from the air.
Don't go for an ozone generator...ozone degrades rubber, neoprene, and flexible pvc, which puts all your hoses and every valve and seal on your boat at risk. Besides, it doesn't kill the mildew, it just removes the odor of it from the air.
No Power? Hmmmm...
...I'd install about a dozen solar powered overhead fans in the cabin. Might get enough air flow to keep things...uh....dry? (I bet not.) Just one of the challenges of a morring, no?
...I'd install about a dozen solar powered overhead fans in the cabin. Might get enough air flow to keep things...uh....dry? (I bet not.) Just one of the challenges of a morring, no?
No Damp
I use a product called No Damp. Basically its calcium chloride in a little basket that sets into a dish. The dish catches the moisture that drips through. You can buy it at West Marine, Boat US, or even some dept. stores in houswares. Its cheap, and it does work, and in your case, with no shorepower, would work even better.
I use a product called No Damp. Basically its calcium chloride in a little basket that sets into a dish. The dish catches the moisture that drips through. You can buy it at West Marine, Boat US, or even some dept. stores in houswares. Its cheap, and it does work, and in your case, with no shorepower, would work even better.
How about this?
Has anyone thought of this? trays, possibly three, of regular cat litter, with a layer of calcium on top? Calcium to attract the moisture, cat litter to hold it until you visit the boat and change it? Possibly dish pans, that way they can be used for something else if this doesn't work.
Has anyone thought of this? trays, possibly three, of regular cat litter, with a layer of calcium on top? Calcium to attract the moisture, cat litter to hold it until you visit the boat and change it? Possibly dish pans, that way they can be used for something else if this doesn't work.
Only one problem I can think of, John...
When the cat litter becomes saturated, where can the moisture go except back into the air in the cabin?
When the cat litter becomes saturated, where can the moisture go except back into the air in the cabin?
No Damp in Mpls
Nick I use no damp in on the river in lake city, mn on our 34 hunter. My wife thinks it's gross along with a few other people so I figure I must be on the cutting edge of technology with this product. It does work and I regularily add pellets and throw out the water collected. I buy it the cheapest at home depot. Our boats and us are the happiest when dry. Good luck.
Nick I use no damp in on the river in lake city, mn on our 34 hunter. My wife thinks it's gross along with a few other people so I figure I must be on the cutting edge of technology with this product. It does work and I regularily add pellets and throw out the water collected. I buy it the cheapest at home depot. Our boats and us are the happiest when dry. Good luck.
Damp-Rid
I have a H30 in Florida. We get a little dampness here. I use Damp-Rid. It comes in a couple of different ways. One is the little container someone mentioned no damp came in. You add pellets after they crystalize and collect the water. I prefer the bags. they come with a built in plastic hanger hook. You just take the bag out of the box, get it out of its protective plastic cover and hang it up. It will last as long as the crystals are in the top portion. The bottom half of the bag collects the water. I hang one in the V berth, one in the head and one in the quarter berth. They work great. Home depot sells them for a little less than $3 a bag. No fuss, no mess, when full just throw it in the trash and put another one up.
I have a H30 in Florida. We get a little dampness here. I use Damp-Rid. It comes in a couple of different ways. One is the little container someone mentioned no damp came in. You add pellets after they crystalize and collect the water. I prefer the bags. they come with a built in plastic hanger hook. You just take the bag out of the box, get it out of its protective plastic cover and hang it up. It will last as long as the crystals are in the top portion. The bottom half of the bag collects the water. I hang one in the V berth, one in the head and one in the quarter berth. They work great. Home depot sells them for a little less than $3 a bag. No fuss, no mess, when full just throw it in the trash and put another one up.
same thing
No-Damp and Damp-Rid are the same thing, just different trade names. I found a place where I can buy bulk replacement granules for about $3 for a 1/2 gal. waxed paper milk container full. And it does get a little nasty looking, but the fact that I have to empty out about a pint of water every weekend tells me that the stuff works. I just put it away in a locker for the weekend so my crew doesn't have to look at it, then set it out when I leave.
No-Damp and Damp-Rid are the same thing, just different trade names. I found a place where I can buy bulk replacement granules for about $3 for a 1/2 gal. waxed paper milk container full. And it does get a little nasty looking, but the fact that I have to empty out about a pint of water every weekend tells me that the stuff works. I just put it away in a locker for the weekend so my crew doesn't have to look at it, then set it out when I leave.
Dessicants in Plastic Buckets
I came up with what (I thought to be) a nearly brilliant solution.I put holes in the bucket (hang on it does make sense) and then place the buckedt in the sink. The water that is collected drains through the bucket and out of the boat through the sink drain. Down here in Mississippi I do not think there is any way to keep the humidity and resultant mildew out of the boat. Seems though the more often I use the boat and the clener I keep it the less of a problem it becomes.
I came up with what (I thought to be) a nearly brilliant solution.I put holes in the bucket (hang on it does make sense) and then place the buckedt in the sink. The water that is collected drains through the bucket and out of the boat through the sink drain. Down here in Mississippi I do not think there is any way to keep the humidity and resultant mildew out of the boat. Seems though the more often I use the boat and the clener I keep it the less of a problem it becomes.
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