Help please

[GrahamIOM]

Hi all. Help please.

I have a Aquador 28c which I thought had a water leak as the dehumidifier is taking on about a pint of water some days. However I’ve stripped the interior down to the bilges and there was only a tiny bit of water in them. I dried the bilges out thoroughly with paper towels so it is bone dry and put the hose over the whole boat for about 10 minutes. No water at all seems to be leaking into the boat and after the 10 minute soaking all the bilges were still dry.

My questions are..

Are the bilges the lowest part of the hull ? ie would all water ingress eventually end up in the bilges ?

Could it just be condensation and is it normal for a dehumidifier to take about a pint of water out a day ?

Many thanks if anyone can help.

Graham

[Kello]

Howdy, dehumidifiers remove water from the air, not the bilge. You have no worries.
HOWEVER, assuming your dehumidifier isn't a huge household-type unit, removing a pint of water a day is impressive performance, I want what you have! What dehumidifier are you using?

[GrahamIOM]

Thanks. It is a standard household dehumidifier set at 60%. Maybe I have it set too high.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by GrahamIOM

Thanks. It is a standard household dehumidifier set at 60%. Maybe I have it set too high.

60% is fine. Remember that air that is drier than the air outside, will attract moisture from outside unless you hermetically seal the boat, which is bad as you need some ventilation.

So you’re good. Use the little hose instead of emptying the reservoir.

[jzk]

Originally Posted by GrahamIOM

Thanks. It is a standard household dehumidifier set at 60%. Maybe I have it set too high.

The best thing I ever did for my boat was purchase two giant household dehumidifiers. I have them draining through a drain in the floor into the ocean, so I don't really know what they pull out per day, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was a liter plus each.

In Florida, and seeing 31% humidity on my meter inside the boat. I no longer get mold growth on the head liner. It used to creep up and require a vinegar cleaning once per month. I leave the AC set at 80F. The dehumidifiers pull much more water out of the air than the AC does.

[hlev00]

The other question you had was if all water ends up in the bilge. Well, it depends. A lot of water from a leak in the deck would, but small amounts are likely to be trapped en route to the bilge. This could be up high in a head liner, part way down behind some furniture, or in poorly draining places under the floor boards, eg a plugged lumber hole.

I don’t mean to say that you have a problem just noting that water is a tricky thing. Poke around where you can to look for signs of water but only as part of a maintenance plan. No need to obsess over it unless you find evidence of water.

[GrahamIOM]

Thank you

[Pete7]

Graham,

Given the weather we have had this winter, I am not surprised. We are doing the same with our dehumidifer once a week. You should see the volume start to drop when you have lowered the RH in the boat. This can take a while because there will be air pockets behind panels and inside cushions.

Hopefully the weather will break shortly and you won't need to worry about this.

Pete

[GrahamIOM]

Thank you