condensation

[AlistairH]

Hi I have a small Dawncraft Dandy and the walls and windows stream with condensation. I have coated the windows with washing up liquid and this has been successful but is there anything I can do about the fibreglass body. Can anyone tell me if there is a aint that can be used to prevent it?

Thanks

[Roger Gunkel]

Hi I have a small Dawncraft Dandy and the walls and windows stream with condensation. I have coated the windows with washing up liquid and this has been successful but is there anything I can do about the fibreglass body. Can anyone tell me if there is a aint that can be used to prevent it?

Thanks

 

Hi Alistair,

 

There are a number of recent threads on condensation on this forum, use the search facility or advanced search, just type in condensation and you should have enough to last you all night.

 

Meanwhile, as regards the fibreglass, it is a cold surface onto which moisture will condense from the warmer air. If you stick cheap cord carpet to all the bare surfaces, it will help to insulate it and reduce the ammount of condensation, though the moisture will still be in the air. The other thing you can do, is to reduce the amount of moisture in the boat, by ventilating thoroughly, keeping the bilges dry, avoid or reduce steam where possible, try not to leave wet towels on the boat etc. If the boat is left unattended for days or weeks, breakfast bowls half full of table salt will absorb moisture from the air, and can be replaced with dry salt regularly.

 

Other things which produce moisture are gas flames, cooker or gas water heater for instance.

 

Hope that helps.

 

Roger

Edited January 21, 2009 by Roger Gunkel

[AlistairH]

Hi Alistair,

 

There are a number of recent threads on condensation on this forum, use the search facility or advanced search, just type in condensation and you should have enough to last you all night.

 

Meanwhile, as regards the fibreglass, it is a cold surface onto which moisture will condense from the warmer air. If you stick cheap cord carpet to all the bare surfaces, it will help to insulate it and reduce the ammount of condensation, though the moisture will still be in the air. The other thing you can do, is to reduce the amount of moisture in the boat, by ventilating thoroughly, keeping the bilges dry, avoid or reduce steam where possible, try not to leave wet towels on the boat etc. If the boat is left unattended for days or weeks, breakfast bowls half full of table salt will absorb moisture from the air, and can be replaced with dry salt regularly.

 

Other things which produce moisture are gas flames, cooker or gas water heater for instance.

 

Hope that helps.

 

Roger

 

 

Hi Roger

Thanks for the prompt reply I value your advice

Alistair

[Gibbo]

The other thing you can do, is to reduce the amount of moisture in the boat, by ventilating thoroughly,

 

Or sending the Mrs home.

 

 

Gibbo

[Roger Gunkel]

Or sending the Mrs home.

 

 

Gibbo

 

Roger

[saltysplash]

Hi I have a small Dawncraft Dandy and the walls and windows stream with condensation. I have coated the windows with washing up liquid and this has been successful but is there anything I can do about the fibreglass body. Can anyone tell me if there is a aint that can be used to prevent it?

Thanks

 

 

 

My old mans Dandy was the same, but we put it down to the gas heater...I think it was was called a Gas catalytic heater? but this does date back to the early 80's what you need is a good dry heat as provided by an oil filled rad or solid fuel stove,

 

the other option is not using the boat during the winter, removing all the soft furnishings and making sure there is plenty of ventilation

 

 

 

Edited to add

 

 

Excellent boat btw

Edited January 22, 2009 by saltysplash

[Naughty Cal]

Good ventilation is the key. We have cut down on the amount of moisture in our tub by leaving the windows slightly open at night (when we are there) we also leave a tube heater in the cabin to provide some heat which keeps her dry (only helps if you have shore power im afraid). We try and keep the cabin door open when cooking or boiling the kettle and dry the towels on the rails after using the shower. Using the diesel heater to heat the cabin also helps keep her dry. We still have to wipe the hatches in the cabin roof but you get used to the daily routine and it could be much worse. We havnt had the walls streaming with moisture yet but as i said we do keep the windows open and the walls are a mixture of fibreglass, wood and vinyl.

[AlistairH]

Good ventilation is the key. We have cut down on the amount of moisture in our tub by leaving the windows slightly open at night (when we are there) we also leave a tube heater in the cabin to provide some heat which keeps her dry (only helps if you have shore power im afraid). We try and keep the cabin door open when cooking or boiling the kettle and dry the towels on the rails after using the shower. Using the diesel heater to heat the cabin also helps keep her dry. We still have to wipe the hatches in the cabin roof but you get used to the daily routine and it could be much worse. We havnt had the walls streaming with moisture yet but as i said we do keep the windows open and the walls are a mixture of fibreglass, wood and vinyl.

 

 

thanks to all who replied. The only heating I use is a halogen heater (small generator on shore) so condensation is when we cook or at night sleeping. We do leave the window open but I will increase the size and number of vents so hopefully that will help to reduce the problem

Thanks again

[arpeeuk]

My uncle had a Dandy back in the '70s and I remember that he found some anti-condensation paint that he used on the sides. The paint worked well as I remember and helped a lot as I remember.

 

The big problem was with the bunks under the cockpit and as I remember it was a right b****r to get in and paint them. So good luck

[AlistairH]

My uncle had a Dandy back in the '70s and I remember that he found some anti-condensation paint that he used on the sides. The paint worked well as I remember and helped a lot as I remember.

 

The big problem was with the bunks under the cockpit and as I remember it was a right b****r to get in and paint them. So good luck

 

Thanks I was hoping there might be a paint for this so will search now. Combination of paint and ventilation should improve the situation Dont think the missus would appreciate getting rid off. She might use my guts to celebrate Burns Night in place of haggis.

Yours Aye

Edited January 25, 2009 by AlistairH

[Greybeard]

I don't know if this'll do the trick http://www.international-paints.co.uk/deta...mp;surfaceid=22

 

I've seen this kind of paint used in an old campervan and it worked up to a point - used to depend on how many people crashed out in there!

 

GB