Hi

What is the best thing to do about a very drippy Seal 28?

I have a few dehumidifyer pots and a small electric one. Mains is not possible but I have a 60w solar panel, battery and inverter 1000w.

Just fed up with this wet boat!

Thanks

Justin

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Hi Justin,

Dealing with damp is a subject that comes up a lot on the Practical Boat Owner forum. There are two warring camps:

• Those strongly in favour of dehumidifiers
  
• Those strongly in favour of ventilation

Your options are either to find a way to increase ventilation or run a dehumidifier. The preferred dehumidifier type is the mains powered desiccant style as they work better in cold weather. Many have a built-in timer so they come on for a specified period each day. Given your dependence on solar power and an inverter this timed approach might work for you. I’m not aware of anyone running such a dehumidifier on an inverter and recommend you ask about this on the PBO Reader To Reader forum. Good luck - you have my sympathy as my woodwork went very off colour last winter.

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It sounds like you are staying on the boat a lot or you have serious leaks. I have 4 Kontrol crystal pots and they keep my Seal 28 dry. They also tend to soak up the old boat smell that seems to accumulate - but then I'm only on board one day a week.
As Ken says above , your choice is opening all the hatches and letting the wind blow through or, a possibility that I learned on an earlier boat, fit a stove with a flue. That will keep you dry and warm. I had a solid fuel stove, but you can get ones that burn diesel, too.

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I've installed two solar powered vents and a small dehumidifier. Seems to work.

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