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Old 09-01-2012, 15:27   #1
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How to Prevent Mildew in Sail Locker

Hi guys,

I am starting to plan for a modification of my anchor locker which is quite roomy and where I'd like to subdivide it by glassing a wall and making a sail locker with the fwd part. That locker would be accessed by a Lewmar hatch which is already bought. So this would be in the very peak of the boat and completly sealed off.

We would like to store the genneker in there. We are using a ATN sock. So far we have been using a bag but I'm tired of digging this big bag in and out of a lazarette. Last summer it was left in a unused cabin, but then again, it's up and down the stairs and to the bow.

So my worry is about humidity and possible mildew on the sail if store in a closed and rather small compartement like that. Has anybody any comment or suggestions?

Thanks in advance,

Michel
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Old 09-01-2012, 15:50   #2
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Re: How to prevent mildew in sail locker?

You would need to find a way to keep the sails off the hull to provide circulation all around them and prevent condensation on the hull. Then maybe one or two of those solar powered mushroom fans. Would probably do the trick.
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Old 09-01-2012, 16:07   #3
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Re: How to prevent mildew in sail locker?

I think you're asking for trouble. To begin with, I really don't like the idea of a Lewmar hatch that far forward in the boat, especially in a non-draining locker. How will you keep from damaging it while raising and lowering chain? How will you insure that it's never going to be a possibility to keep it from flooding when you take green water over the bow? What structural impact will the hatch have in a collision?

Were I in the used boat market, an owner customization such as that would instantly cause me to walk away from a boat in which I was otherwise interested.

I think that mildew will be the least of your troubles.
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Old 09-01-2012, 16:31   #4
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Re: How to prevent mildew in sail locker?

Thanks for ideas and comments guys,

I probably did not expressed myself clearly. The hatch would not be placed on deck, but on the subdividing wall in more or less vertical position. I was also thinking of making the floor of that locker with a lower point and fitting a drain plug in case I would like to rinse/wash the inside.

minaret-I like the idea of keeping off the wall. Solar vent wouldn't do bc it wouldn't see the light. Maybe an electric dehumidifier???

bash- I see your point, but my only concern is ease of sailing and what's practical. We are retiring in 18 months and taking off cruising. This boat is my last, and couldn't care less for resale value.
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Old 09-01-2012, 16:45   #5
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Re: How to prevent mildew in sail locker?

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Originally Posted by siroismi View Post
Thanks for ideas and comments guys,

I probably did not expressed myself clearly. The hatch would not be placed on deck, but on the subdividing wall in more or less vertical position. I was also thinking of making the floor of that locker with a lower point and fitting a drain plug in case I would like to rinse/wash the inside.

minaret-I like the idea of keeping off the wall. Solar vent wouldn't do bc it wouldn't see the light. Maybe an electric dehumidifier???

bash- I see your point, but my only concern is ease of sailing and what's
practical. We are retiring in 18 months and taking off cruising. This
boat is my last, and couldn't care less for resale value.
I can see why you wouldn't want to do a solar vent in the deckhead, it would need to be installed on a little dorade box to prevent defeating the purpose in rough weather, which would be a toe stubber on your foredeck. An electric dehumidifer will be difficult to find in 12V and would probably pull too much juice anyway. Many people use computer fans, many of which do run on 12V unmodified, are very quiet, and pull very little juice. They're relatively cheap and hardy too. Make sure you do intakes and outtakes, and try to make the air path circulate around the sail. Is the compartment big enough to hang the sail bag on the partition to keep it off the hull, or is it going to be a tight fit?
I'd like pics of your process, I may do this myself. As far as drainage, just limber hole it into the bilge. And I would just tab in a coosa board partition instead of ply. That way it'll never rot in the wet anchor locker.

http://www.coosacomposites.com/
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Old 09-01-2012, 16:55   #6
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Re: How to prevent mildew in sail locker?

Definitely not enough space to hang the sail, but I can make it a little roomier and prevent contact to hull and provide air circulation around it.

Just need to figure a way to vent in and out without letting water in.
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Old 09-01-2012, 17:02   #7
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Re: How to prevent mildew in sail locker?

Use one fan or fan bank to intake fresh dry air in to the compartment from the aft bulkhead, therefore from inside the boat where it will benifit from any heater effects. Vent with a fanbank in to the chain locker, it's gonna be wet in their anyway. You could put in a flapper so if you ever turn the fans off moisture wont travel the other way. Just thinking aloud.
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Old 09-01-2012, 17:17   #8
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Re: How to prevent mildew in sail locker?

Good ideas..

What exactly do you mean by fanbank on the vent side??

Thanks again
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Old 09-01-2012, 17:29   #9
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Re: How to prevent mildew in sail locker?

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Good ideas..

What exactly do you mean by fanbank on the vent side??

Thanks again

Just meant more than one fan side-by-side. They really don't pull much, need to do more research and check CFM ratings for these fans. I'm guessing you'd want to just leave them on permanently, unless you have the chute up. Many people on this forum use them, there should be lots of threads about it.
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Old 09-01-2012, 17:31   #10
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Re: How to prevent mildew in sail locker?

For what its worth, we never bring the kite bag on deck. We also have a sock. We hoist through port or starboard deck hatch forward of the mast and return the sock encased sail down the hatch later.
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Old 09-01-2012, 17:39   #11
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Re: How to prevent mildew in sail locker?

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For what its worth, we never bring the kite bag on deck. We also have a sock. We hoist through port or starboard deck hatch forward of the mast and return the sock encased sail down the hatch later.

I do the same, but out of the foredeck hatch instead of a dedicated compartment. This means I have to take all the cushions off the v-berth and drag the sail out from underneath it every time I want to launch it, and re-stow when I'm done. PITA. A dedicated compartment in the chain locker, which is much bigger than it needs to be, would be much easier for me.
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