Dealing with Condensation - Page 3

Solitude · 04-11-2009, 13:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maine Sail

Dry your bilge and add some ventilation. Having a wet bilge is basically like a small scale indoor pool.

Our bilge is always bone dry, we have solar vents and a dorade, and even in Maine during the early and late seasons we don't get any condensation.

Oh and don't try and heat your vessel with non-sealed combustion LP as it gives off copious amounts of moisture as part of combustion.

Drying out the bilge and installing a solar vent are the things that worked wonders for me. The solar vents help with not just the mosture but any Head or Diesel smells.

For winter I put 6 DryZair containers in. Dry as a bone all winter!

GordMay · 05-11-2009, 06:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by Solitude

... For winter I put 6 DryZair containers in. Dry as a bone all winter!

Dri-Z-Air is just calcium chloride (CaCl2). A calcium chloride sidewalk/driveway de-icer* is generally sold at a fraction of the cost of dri-z-air.

Note that CaCl2 may form hydrogen chloride (possibly fatal) in presence of sulfuric or phosphoric acids.

* ➥ Snow Magazine Online :: SB-Snow & Ice Control Buyers’ Guide: De-icer Manufacturers and Products

cal40john · 05-11-2009, 07:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by GordMay

Dri-Z-Air is just calcium chloride (CaCl2). A calcium chloride sidewalk/driveway de-icer* is generally sold at a fraction of the cost of dri-z-air.

Note that CaCl2 may form hydrogen chloride (possibly fatal) in presence of sulfuric or phosphoric acids.

* ➥ Snow Magazine Online :: SB-Snow & Ice Control Buyers’ Guide: De-icer Manufacturers and Products

I stopped using driveway de-icer two years ago because the labeling changed on the ones I could find in my area. I assumed at the time that it was because the formulation had changed. Now I'm wondering if maybe only the requirements for the label have changed. Before the label said contains Calcium Chloride, now gives the complete list with Calcium Chloride usually being below 50% IIRC. Dri-Z-air packets are 90% CaCl2. Driveway deicers are formulated to melt/remove ice, not necessarily adsorb the most water. I also assume that there is much more competition in the driveway de-icing field, so I believe that the chances of formulations that are cheaper that might not work as well are greater.

Has anybody noticed a difference between using Dri-Z-Air packets and driveway de-icer?

Maybe I'll have to do an experiment this winter.

John

Solitude · 05-11-2009, 10:16

I would love to find something cheaper. Currently I buy a refill bag of a similar product at Rona (Canadian hardware store). So if I can use the driveway salt great!

However.. I don't use any heater or electric dehumidifier (sp) on the boat. It’s in all winter and seldom drops below 0c in the cabin. It stays dry as a bone in there. Just go down once and a while and pour out the water. I do winterize the plumbing and the engine.

zeehag · 05-11-2009, 10:27

in my ericson i havent had the problem since i now keep open hatches ----even in the rain--my hatch covers have oversized canvas covers so i can do this without the problem of incoming rain...works great--formosa doesnt get condensation problems at all.......

schoonerdog · 11-11-2009, 21:54

VENTILATION VENTILATION VENTILATION

Even in rain or snow or the dead of winter, we keep some hatches just barely cracked. The tongue of the hatch just resting on the lip or sitting between. That makes ALL the difference. Add some roll out thin foam insulation to your outboard locker walls and you should be set. Also some stiff foam insulation under the mattress.

We found that dehumidifiers did nothing.

It's all about air flow and evening out that temperature differential.

Or go south

(schoonerdog's wife Cindy)

knotstudying · 16-11-2009, 14:55

How come nobody has said anything about desiccants? I use Damprid buckets and bags throughout my boat. The buckets are basically salt(calcium chloride) in top strainer which takes moisture out of the air and falls into the bottom of the bucket in solution. The buckets are a lot cheaper to use than the bags, although there are places that the buckets just won't work e.g. in lockers.

In order to still be able to sail my boat, I just cut fairly large holes in the lids of the desiccant buckets (which you are supposed to remove completely) to prevent spills when my boat is heeled over.

Despite the fact that desiccants are somewhat expensive (probably $20-30 to outfit all the important lockers and cabinets in the boat), you'd spend far more on electricity to run a humidifier for a winter. Additionally, before I had the desiccants, I threw away maybe $200-300 worth of clothes that became terminally moldy! The buckets are reusable but the bags are not.

One warning however: don't let the buckets spill. It makes a terrible mess of slime that is nearly impossible to wipe off.

bstreep · 16-11-2009, 16:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by knotstudying

I use Damprid buckets and bags throughout my boat. The buckets are basically salt(calcium chloride)

While calcium chloride is A salt, it isn't "salt". "salt" is mostly sodium chloride. Calcium chloride is commonly found as an ice melting agent.

Trekka · 19-11-2009, 01:30

I use Damp-Rid, too. Buy the hanging bags at Walmart, box of 3 for just under $9. Sometimes they have 3+1 boxes for the same price. Couple years ago found a WM that had racks of the 3+1's on clearance, about $4 each - bought a dozen! Now down to my last box. I also use the bucket versions as they are a lot cheaper to refill. Great product.

On average conditions a bag lasts a month. If there is prolonged rain, that can drop to a couple weeks. When it is really wet outside for long periods I use mostly the buckets, as they soak up dampness quickly (and more cheaply than the bags).

re: sidewalk deicer
I bought a big container of the de-icer, sodium chloride ganules, but find it does not work as well for refilling D-R buckets. The granules are larger than the thin flakes of D-R refill and absorb water making a hard disk rather than dripping through the screen to the bcket below. Inside the hard disk will be almost half the granules, dry. So not very efficient. I'm trying now some granules I put in a thick bag and hammered with a rubber mallet. We'll see how that works out.

05-11-2009, 10:16	#34
Solitude Registered User Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: West Coast, BC , Canada Boat: Cascade Posts: 374	I would love to find something cheaper. Currently I buy a refill bag of a similar product at Rona (Canadian hardware store). So if I can use the driveway salt great! However.. I don't use any heater or electric dehumidifier (sp) on the boat. It’s in all winter and seldom drops below 0c in the cabin. It stays dry as a bone in there. Just go down once and a while and pour out the water. I do winterize the plumbing and the engine. __________________ Go outside and PLAY!

05-11-2009, 10:27	#35
zeehag Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: san diego under a bridge--or wherever i might be cruising ...lol... Boat: formosa yankee clipper 41 Posts: 491	in my ericson i havent had the problem since i now keep open hatches ----even in the rain--my hatch covers have oversized canvas covers so i can do this without the problem of incoming rain...works great--formosa doesnt get condensation problems at all....... __________________ a woman must have....a set of screwdrivers,.....wrench,....anda black lace bra......

11-11-2009, 21:54	#36
schoonerdog Registered User Join Date: May 2004 Location: annapolis Boat: st francis 44 mk II catamaran Posts: 926	VENTILATION VENTILATION VENTILATION Even in rain or snow or the dead of winter, we keep some hatches just barely cracked. The tongue of the hatch just resting on the lip or sitting between. That makes ALL the difference. Add some roll out thin foam insulation to your outboard locker walls and you should be set. Also some stiff foam insulation under the mattress. We found that dehumidifiers did nothing. It's all about air flow and evening out that temperature differential. Or go south (schoonerdog's wife Cindy) __________________ http://www.zachaboard.blogspot.com

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16-11-2009, 14:55	#37
knotstudying Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: San Francisco Bay Area Boat: 1980 Hunter 33 Posts: 2	How come nobody has said anything about desiccants? I use Damprid buckets and bags throughout my boat. The buckets are basically salt(calcium chloride) in top strainer which takes moisture out of the air and falls into the bottom of the bucket in solution. The buckets are a lot cheaper to use than the bags, although there are places that the buckets just won't work e.g. in lockers. In order to still be able to sail my boat, I just cut fairly large holes in the lids of the desiccant buckets (which you are supposed to remove completely) to prevent spills when my boat is heeled over. Despite the fact that desiccants are somewhat expensive (probably $20-30 to outfit all the important lockers and cabinets in the boat), you'd spend far more on electricity to run a humidifier for a winter. Additionally, before I had the desiccants, I threw away maybe $200-300 worth of clothes that became terminally moldy! The buckets are reusable but the bags are not. One warning however: don't let the buckets spill. It makes a terrible mess of slime that is nearly impossible to wipe off.

19-11-2009, 01:30	#39
Trekka Registered User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Chesapeake Bay Boat: CSY33 Posts: 118	I use Damp-Rid, too. Buy the hanging bags at Walmart, box of 3 for just under $9. Sometimes they have 3+1 boxes for the same price. Couple years ago found a WM that had racks of the 3+1's on clearance, about $4 each - bought a dozen! Now down to my last box. I also use the bucket versions as they are a lot cheaper to refill. Great product. On average conditions a bag lasts a month. If there is prolonged rain, that can drop to a couple weeks. When it is really wet outside for long periods I use mostly the buckets, as they soak up dampness quickly (and more cheaply than the bags). re: sidewalk deicer I bought a big container of the de-icer, sodium chloride ganules, but find it does not work as well for refilling D-R buckets. The granules are larger than the thin flakes of D-R refill and absorb water making a hard disk rather than dripping through the screen to the bcket below. Inside the hard disk will be almost half the granules, dry. So not very efficient. I'm trying now some granules I put in a thick bag and hammered with a rubber mallet. We'll see how that works out.