Tackled those dorades.

[Ed Schenck]

Finally did it. I took off the teak tops to the dorade boxes to see what you guys have been writing about. Sure enough, rotted plywood in there. The drain holes on the back of the boxes are too small and get clogged I guess. So, like the rest of you, I epoxied the inside while trying not to plug the holes or mess up the drainage. I took the tops home to varnish along with the horns. Did someone say they were able to paint the cowl vents? I would like to replace the vents with Nicro solar vents which would do away with water in the dorade box. Someday.While I was there all day Saturday I also removed the staysail traveler and teak mount. The end screws were not holding any more. I drilled all the holes to 3/8" and filled with an epoxy mix. I'll also varnish the traveler mount. Amazing how good that teak looks on a 1979 boat.Woouldn't you know that Saturday was one of the best sailing days of the year.

 

[Terry Arnold]

Nicro solar vents

Ed, I installed two of the 4" day and night Nicro solar vents on my H33 about 3 years ago and experience with them is mixed. Replaced the original passive ventilators forward port side near the mast and starboard aft on the cabin in the head. Hadn't had them three months before a jib sheet picked up the forward one and catapulted it 20 feet right in the bay. They are just friction fitted in place. Also, the only way to positively? exclude water with one of those things is to take it out and put in the included snap in! deck plate, not the most secure closure in the world. I ended up putting the modern equivalent of the original H33 passive vent mfg now by Beckson for that vent which does have a postive closure accessible from below while keeping the more sheltered vent in the head. on the positive side, they do a great job keeping mildew down while the boat is moored in the hot Florida sun. Longevity may also be a factor. Mine about 4 years old now are yellowing on the solar collector portion though it still runs continuously through the night most of the time.

 

[Ed Schenck]

Reduced mildew.

Reduced mildew sounds like a real advantage Terry. Surely there is a way to secure those. The H37C is a little different in that we don't have a jib flying over the vents on every tack.I noticed while working below how much light the dorade lets in with the tops off. Almost like one of those tube lights they install in homes. On the H37C they are both forward of the mast, one in the head and the other over the vanity. I think I would mount the solar vents on heavy lexan instead of on the teak.

 

[Jim]

more on vents

What type of vent is recommended for an absent owner, that will help prevent mildew but will withstand heavy rainstorms?

 

[Scott Wilson]

Ed, the best compliment I can give you is

was to press "print" after reading your post, and put it into my "To Do" file. Replacing the dorade tops with lexan is a must. I too noticed all the light streaming in with the teak tops off, but never went through the "what if . . ?" thought process, just put them back on. Keep on thinking and I will keep on printing.

 

[Ed Schenck]

Thanks Scott, and Jim. . .

asked about which vent? Terry is having good results with the Nicro solar vent, kind of expensive initially but not over time. That would be my option. But mainly to get rid of the cowl vents, air circulation on my boat is not a problem with eleven opening ports and five deck hatches.For a couple of years I had a small 110v fan from some old computer equipment mounted on the hatchboard. This was on a timer for a couple of hours a day and blew out through one of those stainless vents. A very cheap solution if you are on shorepower or an inverter. But I removed it after I installed A/C. Scott, like you I print so much from HOW. My folder must be two inches thick. But I have not found the link to more time and money.