Solar vents in the Pacific Northwest
- Thread starter matts997
- Start date
I will be attempting to retrofit my Lewmar hatches with a similar ventilator product that I haven't seen anyone review on here. Reasonably priced - even at West Marine. It involves cutting a hole in your lexan hatch (yeesh), but same concept as the "Vent-o-Mate, and looks nice too:Plan B:
Reduce the general complexity by putting in a really good aeolian ventilator.
I installed a couple of Beckson "Vent-o-mate" ventilators with their SS cover piece, about 20 years ago. Vastly reduced moisture and odors inside, year around.
No fan motors to make squeaky bearing noises and no batteries or solar panels to worry about. In pretty much any... breeze at all they really remove air, 24/7.
beckson vent-o-mate ventilator - Google Shopping
www.google.com
LEWMAR Cabin Hatch/Vent & Trim Kit | West Marine
Has anyone else installed one?
Just gotta ask.... since Lewmar hatches have had lock-able vent position since the 80's, is this add-on really needed?
Of course, a well designed little aeolian vent will block spray lots better, that would be a decent reason for the install.
When hosing off our decks or driving our boat to windward off shore we Must (!) securely close/latch the forward hatch.
Of course, a well designed little aeolian vent will block spray lots better, that would be a decent reason for the install.
When hosing off our decks or driving our boat to windward off shore we Must (!) securely close/latch the forward hatch.
I need it primarily for when I'm away from the boat and need air exchange to keep it fresh down there. Believe me, when I'm on the boat, if the spray's not flyin' the hatches and companionway are gulping air. The factory "dorade" is functionally useless on my 2009 H36 - the merest modern nod to an actual non-poser proper dorade. They shouldn't have bothered.Just gotta ask.... since Lewmar hatches have had lock-able vent position since the 80's, is this add-on really needed?
Of course, a well designed little aeolian vent will block spray lots better, that would be a decent reason for the install.
When hosing off our decks or driving our boat to windward off shore we Must (!) securely close/latch the forward hatch.
jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 22,825
TFox, What if you set up a low speed fan near the dorade. Say a computer fan. Set the fan to blow the air out of the dorade.
This will set up an air pressure change and you will get air flowing into the boat from any opening and maybe every opening available. These boats are not air tight. You just need to change the air pressure inside the boat.
That's an interesting idea JSSAILEM. I'm not sure the throughput would be all that much (though better than zero), and running power to the dorade to run the fan would be a project i'm not keen to tackle. I'd prefer something passive. but good thought.
You're spot on FastOlson. Without air exchange below in the hot/humid summers we get here, it gets that "boat smell" pretty quickly. I don't mind it so much, and it dissipates pretty quickly when I open the boat up and get air moving thru it. But it'd be nice not to have the wife make a face when we first open the boat up.
Not arguing that a computer fan works well in certain circumstances, the power draw is miniscule, and would run for a long long time on the house battery capacity. They're amazing little things - and the good ones are VERY silent. Agree with all that. But in my case the draw through the Hunter "dorade" is so little that it wouldn't make any noticeable difference, so its definitely not worth the trouble to warrant pulling out my ceiling to wire it somewhere into the battery system. YMMV.
Also a PNW sailor, I'd like to replace my cowl vents with low profile marine ventilators. Was first thinking of the solar fan-vent, but after some research and then this thread, I'm going with the Beckson ventilator/stainless. Thanks, Matt for the query and FastOlsen for a simple solution--for me, anyway
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