Topic moved from "Sedan Duck #1 Umiak IS HERE"

Don McIntyre said

quote:

interested in comments re condensation....on ICE we fitted heated glass in the three forward Pilothouse windows...read VERY expensive!!...and on all the other windows we will make simple clear acrylic inner windows that will fit the outside of the teak frames like the insect screens of the deck hatches...( there will be a couple of inches of air between them....they don't have to be air tight and we will only fit them in the arctic/antarctic or areas of extreme cold when Condensation is a problem...Quick & easy to fit , easy to store,you still get all the light and you will get no condensation on the glass and virtually none on the acrylic...it works well on all the Antarctic yachts.

That is a great suggestion. Since the acrylic panels are interior and don't need any strength, velcro ought to be sufficient to hold them to the window frames. You could add foam weather seal material to the acrylic to enhance the air seal between the panel and the window frame (a poor man's double pane).

Our intent is to live aboard our Sedan and in the PNW, as Hugh discovered, the cooler seasons are a bit humid (i.e., it rains a lot). Reducing condensation on the windows would be a help.

I would think the panels would also save money by keeping the boat warmer and reducing furnace run time.

Do others have ideas/experiences for keeping onboard humidity from causing problems?

I would be tempted to try the shrink plastic covers first before the acrylic. If you don't eliminate the gap you will get condensation behind it and then it is hard to see through or wipe clean. Plus if you are happy with it, the cost is a lot lower.

Insulated covers on the metal hatches worked very well.

I agree with Jerie that outside covers are an interesting idea. I think with a little creativity you could put a seal around the inside of an acrylic sheet and attach it to the bolt holes for the storm covers. This would give you an air seal and good insulation as well.

Hugh

Standard Stuff From Ace

Magnetic Window Covers

We have not had a problem with condensation in the forward cabin. We have bunks. Our forward cabin does not have a heating vent so we needed to keep the door open. One cold night we had closed the door and the fresh water line to the deck wash froze and had to be abandoned. Now we have no water line there so we can close the door. We have the hatch insulated, portholes insulated and no condensation.

Jerie -

Those are all great suggestions. While Seattle winter temps can't match New England, its Northern latitude is comparable so retaining light through the windows is desireable.

How has the condensation on interior wood surfaces been? Hugh reported condensation in his forward stateroom above the V-berths in his sedan.

This is our third New England winter aboard the Peking. The first winter which was mild, we bought a dehumidifier for the pilot house. This was the area where we had the most problem with condensation. I noticed that we had a little water damage around the windows that we treated with a wood preservative/ hardener that I picked up at a boat show. We also put the cheap plastic windows(home depot) on the inside and the outside of the windows. They worked pretty well but it was a pain getting the glue off from the tape in the Spring. As far as the hatches we covered them and installed the interior windows( plastic) Seemed to work well. We also put styrofoam on the windows between the plastic window the second year. This year is our last year in the NorthEast and it has been a very cold winter. With all the styrofoam, plastic etc.I have lost a lot of light and the windows are still covered with ice. (7º) If I had to do it all over again,I would have bought the outside storms that could also be used as storm windows.
I also made a covering (similar to Randal's) for between the pilot house and the stairs to the salon. It really keeps the heat where we are mostly.
Also, we replaced our Webasto heater this year. It was underpowered for the size of our boat. It had 450 hours on it due to constant running(2 winters) We replaced it with the same size unit due to the fact that we are leaving in June for the Islands.

Prior to the advent of double and triple pane windows, those from frozen climes will be familiar with the practice of fitting external storm windoes to ones home every fall.

Lexan for the front 5 PH windows will serve double duty as "storm windows" in the true sense of the word. Lexan is expensive stuff, so plywood is my route for the side windows, but not so great if you want to see outside in winter.