Sweating!!!

[muskie hunter]

It has rained here in central ohio for the past 3 days, and not likely to let up soon. I winterized my boat (Wellcraft 26 Excel SE) put 2 fans in it, (one blowing on the motor with the hatch up and the other in the aft cabin blowing in the mid bilge area. The engine was sprayed w/wd-40. The boat has the snap on cockpit cover on which has been waterproofed. I covered the boat and trailer w/an RV cover. The cover is a cloth like material and seams waterfroof but yet breathable.
I checked on the boat today: The engine is sweating profusely even with a fan on it. I also have sweat running down the door leading into the bathroom.I have left the door from the deck to down below open to aid in air circulation. I would have thought that two circulation fans running constantly inside the boat would have prevented this. Is it going to hurt anything? Is there anything I can do to help this situation? Do I need a space heater in the cabin? I am probably parinoid, but I just bought the boat and I want to do all I can to ensure longevity and an uneventful spring launch.

Thanks Steve

 

[rndn]

Re: Sweating!!!

Are you sure it's sweat and not just rain getting in?. I stored boats outside in the winter with no fan and never had an issue. The only thing I did was buy a disposable damp rid container for the cuddy cabin.

 

[jddenham]

Re: Sweating!!!

Maybe a 60 watt bulb in place of the fans would work better?

 

[Drowned Rat]

Re: Sweating!!!

Maybe a 60 watt bulb in place of the fans would work better?

Agreed. Heat is the fix, not air movement. The dew point doesn't change just because air is circulating.

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Sweating!!!

Good posts by JD & DR! You can also "google" the word "dehumidifiers" and come up with lots of hits for small, home type units. If you put one in the boat, under the tarp, it will probably do the trick.

 

[seabuddy]

Re: Sweating!!!

The covers are too tight for enough air exchange for the temperatures you now have. Dampness = mildew. Get rid of the dampness for less mildew issues down the road.

You might have to open the two ends of the cover(s) to get the daily air exchange you need for your current temperatures. You can close them back up once it gets colder and then re-open them when it gets warmer again. Some covered boats are opened up almost daily for a time as the spring rolls around.

 

[204 Escape]

Re: Sweating!!!

For $59.99, I believe on the Overtons web site is a unit called a Air Dryer, that is supposed to be good.

I'm considering the pellets in a plastic tub.

I was also told, that charcoal in a cotton cloth, over a 5 gallon bucket.

I'm not sure about that.

Also was told to put Kitty Litter in a cloth over a 5 gallon bucket.

Then drain the bucket as needed.

BUT was told to use a fan all the time.

I myself am undecided !!!!!!!!

 

[muskie hunter]

Re: Sweating!!!

The covers are too tight for enough air exchange for the temperatures you now have. Dampness = mildew. Get rid of the dampness for less mildew issues down the road.

You might have to open the two ends of the cover(s) to get the daily air exchange you need for your current temperatures. You can close them back up once it gets colder and then re-open them when it gets warmer again. Some covered boats are opened up almost daily for a time as the spring rolls around.

Whats funny is that my motorcycle is in my garage, uncovered, and the 16'x8' door open most of the time. the fairing and chrome had condensation running off of them also yesterday.

 

[reelfishin]

Re: Sweating!!!

Whats funny is that my motorcycle is in my garage, uncovered, and the 16'x8' door open most of the time. the fairing and chrome had condensation running off of them also yesterday.

I get the same thing here in my garage. I have two buildings, one with a concrete floor, the other with a wood floor, the one with concrete is always damp, but the things kept in the wood floor building stay dry and don't get wet. I think it had to do with the concrete both absorbing moisture and also holding ground heat. The outside temp is 35 degrees, yet even when it's below freezing outside, the building never gets below about 50 degrees inside. When the humidity is high, everything sweats and the floor looks wet. I've tried sealing the floor with no change. The only fix is lots of heat and all the time along with two large dehumidifiers and pumps to remove the resulting water collected. I plan to build a new garage soon, I will most likely build it using a wood floor and up off the ground.

The suggestion of using a 60 watt bulb is a good one, I've done that with nearly all of my boats for years, it helps keep up some degree of dry heat in a closed area. I used to keep one lit in the cabin and below deck and engine compartment on my old inboard boat, it kept the mildew and corrosion at bay.

 

[h2oboy]

Re: Sweating!!!

Out east we have have the same issues, and although you have circulation with the fans you need to exchange the air as mentioned. I use 2 4" flexable plastic pipe tucked under the cover. Being able to exchange the air is important, and I have not had to empty a bucket yet.

 

[steelespike]

Re: Sweating!!!

The air needs to be the same temp under the cover as surrounding air.should work with sort of fan like a bathroom exhaust fan moving the air.then a fan or fans under the cover to circulate the air so the motor and other things change temperature to match the surrounding air as quickly as possible.While its possible the air is so humid it can't contain the moisture usually condensation needs a temp difference between the item and the air.

 

[reelfishin]

Re: Sweating!!!

I have the most problems here when its damp or foggy, or raining outside, but it takes days to dry out afterwards. Exchanging the air won't help if the air outside is as humid as the air under the cover or in the building. Heat seems to be the only answer for me. I do run a pair of huge dehumidifiers in the garage but they never seem to keep up.

The last post is right, normally you do need a temp difference to form condensation. Part of my problem is that I don't wish to make the inside of my garage match the outside temp. I have one boat outside, I have it tarped over and awaiting my time, I have one end open so the air can get in, it's not sealed up and the bow is jacked up high so rain can't get in. That boat stays totally dry inside no matter what. I would never seal one up completely, it just creates a hothouse effect.

 

[johnbo]

Re: Sweating!!!

My boat is stored outside, but under one of those metal carport covers, that is pretty rain proof. The first year, a couple of weeks after winterizing it, I saw the beginnings of mold. I too had several covers installed. My solution was to add a fan.

On my boat there are matching bilge vents on both sides of the boat. Only the port side is used. The starboard side has all of the holes cut, but nothing to attach them too.

I dug around and found a old computer muffin fan (from older computers) that ran on 110V and was rated for continuous duty. This is not one of these crappy little high speed fans that the PCs use today. It was about 6" square.

Through a little experimentation, I found that I could force a piece of galvanized HVAC pipe around the fan with a nice fit. This was an adapter that went from 3" to 6(?)". A length of 3" aluminum dryer vent hose was attached to that. To attach to the fitting in the boat, I found a tin can with both ends cut out, snapped right into one of the holes in the event. The dryer vent slipped over the other end and stayed without needing a clamp.

The fan is set up off the floor by a couple of inches, with some long stainless machine screws acting as feet.

The fan runs continuously and pulls air into the boat and exhausts it via the tube.

The last two years have been mold free.

I suspect that the sweating is going to happen, the trick is to keep the inside of the boat from becoming a very humid greenhouse. The sweating will happen any time that the engine is colder than the air.

No light bulb is going to be able to keep a 400 pound chunk of steel much above ambient on its best day. By getting a free exchange of air, it will minimize the amount of moisture that will be captured in the boat.

Later,

johnbo

 

[DJ]

Re: Sweating!!!

Agreed. Heat is the fix, not air movement. The dew point doesn't change just because air is circulating.

Correct. Temperature differential, with high humidity, causes the sweating. You have to change one or the other.

 

[m&m252]

Re: Sweating!!!

i use damp rid down here in the keys due to the humidity...

 

[oops!]

Re: Sweating!!!

yup. need heat.

a small ceramic heater foward should do the trick.
mold can be a nasty thing.
a lightbulb will work....but not as effective