I'm just reading Sailing Today magazine and on page 54 (Gear on test) is a solar fan kit for adding to the vent lights.

It is simply a self-contained solar powered fan that slots into the existing ventlite.

For £64 it seems like a great way to get permanent ventilation through the hull, particularly over winter....

Website is www.ecs-marine-equipment.co.uk 

Has anyone tried one yet?

Stephen Godber

235/51 "Exodus"

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Hi Stephen.

I did try a solar driven fan on my 275, in the vent over the cooker, for a while, but I didn't think it made much difference. I wanted it to remove steam when cooking as there was no opening window (as on my 325, which does the job much better).

The problem is to be really effective one needs a fan that moves air with some force and for this one needs more power than a small solar panel can give (especially in the winter). Mine is currently in my garage, and under test it's hard to detect much of a breeze from it.

The article you refer to speaks of the need to provide ventilation during the winter and for this a solar driven fan may be OK, however I think a better option is a mains driven, dehumidifier with internal fan, that pumps the water out of the boat.

Regards

Don Harvey

Web Master

Parker 325 'Calypso'

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Do they emit much noise ??? just thinking about early morning when the sun comes up......your head could be a few feet away from the fan on a 235.....???

Paul Burton.

Parker 235/ 40 Lady Penelope...

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Mine is (i.e. was) silent running and, as my previous answer implied, they don't move much air - so next to no wind noise.

Regards

Don Harvey

Web Master

Parker 325 'Calypso'

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Hadn't thought about wind noise - was more interested in winter ventilation really....

The trouble with a mains dehumidifier on the whole time is that if you provide as much natural airflow as you can (ie seacocks open, existing ventlites breathing, etc) then you are just collecting moisture from outside the boat and effectively drawing water in to be dried. I'd be paying to dry Mull!

I'll see what "Sailing Today" report back on their installation...

Maybe the answer for winter is a weather proof cover allowing the hatch to be left open, as with the sprayhood and back panel arrangement......... or alternatively it can't be difficult to make a cheap plywood washboard with vents in it for winter storage.

Stephen Godber

235/51 "Exodus"

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quote:

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Hadn't thought about wind noise - was more interested in winter ventilation really....

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Yes - this was in answer to Paul's query. I realised you were thinking about winter lay-up.

quote:

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The trouble with a mains dehumidifier on the whole time is that if you provide as much natural airflow as you can

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Stephen - Do I gather from your reply that you don't use a dehumidifier in the winter? (I thought you use crystals last year). Whatever - the state you leave the boat (re airflow) is no different; mains dehumidifiers or otherwise.

Actually - I don't leave anything open - the idea is to dry out the air that's in the boat - not the external atmosphere. I also have a heater that switches on at very low temperatures.

My dehumidifier is set up to drain out through the sink. All my sea cocks are kept closed. This is how I have always left my boats and have seen no adverse effects (e.g. mildew).

Regards

Don Harvey

Web Master

Parker 325 'Calypso'

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Hi Don,

Yes, I used an old crystal de-hum last year, but it was only from mid-Jan to end March, and with the boat being new it was bone dry, ie no residual water in taps, toilet or wherever.

I take your point, and I do have a proper dehumidifier - linking the drain out via a sink makes sense. I had sort of thought along the lines of "as much ventilation as possible" but perhaps "closed up and dehumidified" is an alternative. It seems to have worked for you!

By the way (seperate thread?) - do you cover your stored boat? I'm never sure whether a tarpaulin creates more damp and damage than the weathering it prevents?

Stephen Godber

235/51 "Exodus"

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Hi Stephen re.

quote:

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do you cover your stored boat?

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I'm always of two minds on this. I sometimes put a small cover over the cockpit to preserve the teak inlays (though I'm not even sure that's necessary), but it's such a pain having to take it off every time I go down to do some servicing, it usually gets taken home (if it hasn't got torn with the wind by then).

If I had a wooden boat I suspect I'd completely cover it, but am not convinced it's necessary with a fibre glass boat. The spray hood and sails are always removed and the reefing lines puled through to the end of the boom and wrapped in plastic shopping bags. That's about it.

Regards

Don Harvey

Web Master

Parker 325 'Calypso'

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I take the mast and boom off and hoist them up under my carport, rudder, engine and sprayhood also live under cover off the boat. I have a spare pair of washboards to save the nice varnished wood "Summer" set. Solar cell keeps the battery up nicely even in Dec because the boat points south. Dehumidifier runs off mains and does a great job keeping the inside dry and warm.

Geoff Harwood 21/30 Cygnus