Moisture Grabbers

[sv mintaka]

Being on a mooring buoy in the Pacific Northwest (Vancouver) means no heat in the winter. The result last winter was a great deal of condensation until I put moisture grabbers on the boat. This year I put on the boat before it got cold. The result is that I have had no condensation at all this winter even as it snows outside!
I buy the XL size and put 4 of them on a 30 ft US305. They have absorbed over a litre each so far and I will probably add a couple more in January.
You can buy moisture grabbers at most hardware stores including Home Depot or Canadian Tire. HD is cheaper by a couple of bucks.
If you have moisture problems these are a must.

[JPA Cate]

Thanks, sv mintaka. Cool tip.

Ann

[Jim Cate]

Not familiar with this item. Can you empty or dry them out and re-use, or are they a one time use thing?

Jim

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, mintaka.

Most desiccant* products can be rechardged by heating in an oven. Some CANNOT.
Follow your manufacturers specific instructions.

* silica gel or activated clay/bentonite

[CaptTom]

If we're talking about desiccants (products to remove moisture from the air), the name brand I've seen the most is Damp Rid.

It's basically a plastic bucket or cup with a basket inside to hold calcium chloride pellets, which are also used in driveway ice melt products (the most effective ice melt product, BTW.)

You can buy refills, or just buy the ice-melt in bulk for a lot less $$. You do have to read labels; some ice-melt products contain a mixture of regular salt (sodium chloride) and calcium chloride, which won't work.

I've used Damp Rid and similar products, but there's still condensation on things with a lot of thermal mass like the mains, fuel tanks, even canned food and bottles of liquid. These things cool off more slowly than the hull, and so remain in contact with warmer, moist air longer. So in the long run I haven't found these products very effective for a boat in winter storage. But I also haven't done any meaningful research one way or the other, a I'm not in the PNW where the climate is different.

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by sv mintaka

If you have moisture problems these are a must.

Is the boat sealed up or does it have really good ventilation? were did the 4 litres of water come from, is the bilge wet?

We have a similar soggy climate but ensure there is really good ventilation and the bilge is dusty.

Pete

[sv mintaka]

Boat is sealed up to protect from winter storms. Drip seal so bilge always has a bit of water in it. Condensation from the cold squeezed the moisture out of the air. Cheers