Condensation in the V-berth

[ki1025]

hello all,

My mom just bought an E27 1974 and we are in the process of making some updates to it. This is a liveaboard boat. We had an A/C/heat unit installed under the vberth and it works great. Always keeps the boats temperature around 72. We live in Louisiana and the temps lately have been 50's/60's in the day 30's/40's at night.

On of the issues we are having is the area in Vberth storage uptop. We removed the liner that was for sure original (yuk) mildewed and old to find that the stanchion bases were leaking. We re-caulked the bases and will properly rebed them in the next month. So those dont leak anymore but there is condensation that drips down from the the very most top outward side of the storage area. Its like a little hollow hump that protrudes on the deck but doesnt have any insulation.

We were thinking of maybe stuffing that voided hump with fiberglass then fiberglassing over the opening to the hump. followed by indoor/outdoor carpet. has anyone ever dealt with this area? your advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks so much:nerd:

ki1025
New Orleans, LA
1974 E27

 

[Lucky Dog]

Have you thought about a solar power muffin fan to more the air and moisture. I have been looking on mini dehumidifies.

ml

 

[Greg Ross]

Condensation issues

You're on the right track, adding insulation will eliminate the cool surface, at least that particular one where condensation can form.
I spent a weekend on a friends' Catilina a couple of years ago in November time of year, Gulf Islands, BC Canada. The weather had been stellar leading up to that weekend and we were planning on a bunch of sailing. Temperatures plunged and the modest heater he had aboard just didn't cut it in sub-zero weather. I was in the v-berth, woke thru the night half saturated beneath a dripping hatch, all condensation!
He has an Espar now and with the companionway cracked to give a bit of air exchange those moisture problems have evaporated. (pun intended!)
We did sail to South Pender that weekend anyway, doing the return leg we had 6" of snow on deck. Brrrrrrr.

 

[ki1025]

Never good to be woken up in the middle of the night being half soaked! This is a liveaboard boat so condensation in the Vberth or anywhere for that matter needs to be minimized.

I think we are going to fill the toe rail void with epoxy and fiberglass. hopefully that will knock that issue out, then the vberth storage area can be painted, then we'll put carpet right there. I'll post pictures of the process when we do it in a few weeks.