Keeping condensation out from under the cover

[Fireman431]

Re: Keeping condensation out from under the cover

Jay

I think I have this right, others please correct me if I'm worng.

When the boat is covered, lift up the tarp on the lowest/least sunny side of the boat. Let's say this is in the port side aft corner. Drop a piece of white hose (think flexible dryer vent hose) into the lowest portion of the boat. If you have a bilge, open that up and allow the vent to fall into there.

Now, go to the sunniest/highest portion of the boat and lift the tarp. Let's say this is right at the bow, on the nose of the boat. Put in a piece of flexible black hose (think 4" black corrugated drain pipe or bilge vent hose). Leave approximately 1' of this sticking out, so the sun can heat it up.

When the air in the boat and in the pipe become superheated from the sun, air will flow into the lower/cooler white vent and out the higher, hotter black vent. This is natural air flow as heat rises.

Personally, I'm interested in trying it. My car sits semi shaded all day so I'm going to try it with that and see if i get and air flow through the pipes.

 

[Fireman431]

Re: Keeping condensation out from under the cover

Lipp..No Fair! You posted the pic while I was typing that out!

I think your air flow is backwards, though. Maybe I'm wrong?!?

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: Keeping condensation out from under the cover

LOL I Know but it was the least I could do for the poo under the finger nails crack!!! Its actually a cool idea I had never thought of, it wont work for me as my boats in the shade so I am leaning towards the bilge fan idea but still a cool idea, I think you could eliminate the white/dryer hose though, I'm not sure how much pressure will build with the black pipe but its something to play with!

 

[veritas honus]

Re: Keeping condensation out from under the cover

LOL I Know but it was the least I could do for the poo under the finger nails crack!!! Its actually a cool idea I had never thought of, it wont work for me as my boats in the shade so I am leaning towards the bilge fan idea but still a cool idea, I think you could eliminate the white/dryer hose though, I'm not sure how much pressure will build with the black pipe but its something to play with!

Would you rather be on a black tar roof in the hot sun, or a white or silver roof? Ever been there? If not, put a piece of white tarp, house wrap, or plastic on a black rooftop in the sun for an hour, and then go touch the white material. Now touch the black roof. You'll get a good idea of how well this will work.

 

[Lone Duck]

Re: Keeping condensation out from under the cover

Ok Don't laugh its a bit antiquated but heres my take on it,

Is this right?

Yup that is it! The only difference is that the air is pulled from outside through the white hose and out the black hose. Keep the white hose over the gunnel just past the edge of the cover on the out side. The black pipe can be a straight length of ABS or painted steel , aluminum etc: as long as it is black. The hotter that pipe gets the better the circulation.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Keeping condensation out from under the cover

Open a bag of charcoal and leave it on the deck; it will absorb moisture during the winter.

I save those "do not eat" silica packs from electronics and keep them in my tackle box, tool box, etc.

 

[jfw432]

Re: Keeping condensation out from under the cover

I just read somewhere else that a few guys were running a can or two of DampRid during the winter successfully. One guy said he's been using 2 - 4lb buckets of DampRid in his 32ft boat. Before he said he was always cleaning up mildew when winter was over but now he can just pull the cover and go. The stuff isn't that expensive so I'll probably try this and see how it does for a couple weeks and see if anything else needs to be done.