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October 4, 2008 at 9:36 pm #6190Anonymous
Hi Good People,
Looking for some advice on the best type of dehumidifer to purchase for our Bavaria 44 that we are leaving in the water over the winter months.
Thanks
Fiona
October 5, 2008 at 9:31 am #7598AnonymousI’ve had good results using a Ebac 2400E, if that’s of any help.
Regards
Ian Culley
Another FantasyOctober 5, 2008 at 9:37 am #7599Anonymous@Trumble Too wrote:
Hi Good People,
Looking for some advice on the best type of dehumidifer to purchase for our Bavaria 44 that we are leaving in the water over the winter months.
Thanks
Fiona
Hi
I left mine in the water all last winter and only ran the dehumidifier when I was staying on board at night. Most times there wasn’t a problem. Mind you I was on the boat most weekends and it got regular ventilation. The only real problem I had was when I left wet gear below and I learned not to do that π
There was only one in the local chandlers. when I went to buy one. The XM Dehumidifier. It works ok but seems to eat electricity. I believe B&Q do one for around Β£70 and it gets a good write up but I don’t know for sure…anyone???
Simon
October 6, 2008 at 6:50 am #7600AnonymousWe have always used the disposable type available from the supermarket or diy shops, or the ones which have a sack of crystals on a tray over a catcher. Just stand it in the sink in case it over flows or falls over. We find they are easy and effective.
Jane
October 12, 2008 at 9:03 pm #7601Anonymous@Choupette wrote:
We have always used the disposable type available from the supermarket or diy shops, or the ones which have a sack of crystals on a tray over a catcher. Just stand it in the sink in case it over flows or falls over. We find they are easy and effective.
Jane
We have decided to try this option too, although Mr Trumble Too wanted immediate evidence that it was working !! π― π π― π
Thanks for all your helpful advice
Fiona
October 25, 2008 at 10:57 am #7604AnonymousWe have kept our B34 on the water in Liverpool marina, during the winter, since 2002. We bought our dehumidifier from Argos and it has a control knob for how much moisture it will remove and a seperate switch for the two speed fan.
After the summer season, when the boat is kept cruising or on her mooring, without the use of a dehumidifier, the top draw at the aft end of the table just starts to catch, a sure sign that the boat is getting a bit on the damp side. Charts and bedding also take on a damp cold feel.
I start the winter by setting the dehumidifier on maximum and the fan on high. The container fills up in about a week and when full it automatically switches the unit off. This process is repeated and the amount of water gathered in a week reduces after about 6 weeks. At this stage i put the fan onto low and turn down the unit to about 60% of maximum capacity.
The unit does not work when the temperature is too low, but i have found that there are very few occasions on which this happens so i would not bother paying a lot of money for a unit that can operate at low temperature.
If you cannot visit the boat on a weekly basis you will need to connect the water outlet into the sink.
We make sure that all cabin doors are lashed open and we stand cushions on their edges and make sure all vents are closed.
We leave all bedding, charts etc on board throughout the winter, even some sailing clothes and to date the only problem we have had is that a few items of heavy cotton sailing gear have developed mould spots. For some reason the same items just do not dry, yet items immediatly next to them are as dry as a bone.
The dehumidifier has been the most important single item in keeping our boat in as new condition and we would not dream of leaving her without one during the winter. We have never bothered with the heating system other than to keep us warm, whilst working on the boat in very cold conditions.
It is possible to dry the boat out too much and the sign to watch for is unvarnished timber appearing at the edge of inset panels in the joinery or any position where the interior furniture is likely to move.
I have also tried using two small 12 volt units during wet summer cruises, and whilst these worked to some extent, they did not do as good a job as the heating system combined with good ventilation. I also tried them during the winter with one in each of the sleeping cabins whilst the main dehumidifier was in use in the saloon. The result was that the 12 volt units collected next to nothing whilst the mains unit did its normal job.
October 29, 2008 at 11:34 am #7605AnonymousMany thanks Alan / Sheila.
Conditions have been miserable over last couple of weeks and most of Scotland feels permanently wet, never mind inside TT π
Boat has effectively been a floating caravan for us at the weekends so still plenty of eberspacher and ventilation on the go for now.
December 29, 2008 at 8:58 am #7622AnonymousWe have run a bog-standard B&Q mains dehumidifier on April Folly and our previous Bavaria Meridian for a number of years now and it keeps the boat bone dry. It drains directly into the sink. Works better if no extension lead is used – we found that tended to blow fuses whereas with direct plug in to a wired-in shore power socket the fuse has remained intact for three winters.
December 30, 2008 at 10:41 am #7625AnonymousHi Folks,
We are the new kids on the block (Time Off – B 44), and this subject is one which has been significant for us.
The yacht has just been lifted ashore at Hayling Island having the hull strengthened because Bavaria yachts do not use enough laminate in the keel area, at least in some of the boats.
The yacht will be ashore for 4 months or so, with all the kit on board, and we asked the repairers if we could put a dehumidifier on board. They were a little reluctant because of the safety aspect, having heard of failures which resulted in fires and damage to other yachts. Their advice / requirement was for a good quality unit, such as an EBAC, but they came up with an acceptable alternative – a tube heater (which some of the chandlers have in stock), supplied by them. Of course we all know that the principle is different, but the yard experience was that the tube heaters are very effective in providing background heating through the Winter and thus keeping the interior dry.
On previous yachts which I always kept ashore for 6 months during the Winter, and in one of the dampest areas of UK (S. Devon), I used an EBAC, draining directly to the sink, and this kept the yachts dry and without damage. In fact dry enough to varnish the interior.I would seriously consider my Insurance terms before using a dehumidifier!
I hope the above may be of some use.
Michael Harvey
December 31, 2008 at 2:43 pm #7626AnonymousDevon damp?? You should try the West of Scotland this autumn and winter!! I’m sure there is extra skin growing between my toes.
We use a 150W tube heater on Electra 2. I chose this becuse it is safe, economical (we have to use meter cards ashore at Sandpoint), no hassle with overflowing etc, and it seems to work well. The boat is always dry when I visit in the winter. I open all the lockers, under-seat and under-bunk storage, and engine access covers to make sure the heat gets everywhere.
I know someone who uses a low power fan heater on a timer which runs it for regular short periods each day. He claims that the fan has the advantage of circulating the air inside the boat better. I didn’t go for this because of the safety aspects, and because I was unsure whether the constant temperature cycling might actually cause more damp.
Here’s hoping for a drier Spring.
Alastair
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