On 3/22/2016 1:20 PM, Antonio Martinez wrote: Hi Gang, We had the same problem on our big boat. It was an early fiberglass boat with no insulation in the cabin roof or under the decks. With four people sleeping on board on cool / cold / spring or fall nights, we had the same problems; condensation on the inside surfaces, and cold droplets falling on your face. Not very conducive to a good night's sleep. My solution was to use 5 mm sheet balsa and cover the interior surfaces; then cover the balsa with a fiberglass layer and repaint the interior. The problem was solved, and e slept blissfully for years to come under all climatic conditions. This was a lot of work. Let me offer some thoughts: - Has anyone tried putting an emergency thermal blanket over the cabin top to act as an insulator? They fold up into a very small package, and are sold in camping stores. - How about trying something like a mover's blanket, that they wrap furniture in to protect it, and drape it over the cabin top as insulation? You'll have to devise some means of tying it in place to keep it from blowing away; but it might do the job. ....of course if it rains, then you'll need some plastic over the blanket to keep it from becoming soaked. - Remember, sailor's have to contemplate their navels, and then scheme....! Connie
Message: 1 Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2016 21:44:58 -0700 From: Jazzy <jazzydaze@gmail.com> To: For and about Montgomery Sailboats <montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Subject: M_Boats: Condensation... Message-ID: <CAHJ-33G2WCvxAKBSPP5oAZLkp+dabxM4Cdq1E_C= VUBfcmSvdw@mail.gmail.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
Hi all boat camped for two days with the little man! What a hoot! Temp was high 40s, so a bit chilly...the condensation was ridiculous, what do you guys know? And Tom, you didn't sneak the lack of porthole picture link by me! Hahaha
Jazz
Hi Jazz,
On bigger boats, you'd have some insulation, headliners, paneling or something else to mitigate the cold fiberglass. On a pocket cruiser, I do as in tent camping - ventilate. It seems counter intuitive to 'open a window' when it's cold, but you need to get the moisture out. Otherwise it WILL condense on cold hull. Fine tuning that ventilation is can be an art.
Alternatives which I've used when winter camping are to keep a small poly 'backpacking towel' handy and just wipe down occasionally. I've also used a small UCO type candle lantern to heat the interior a little. Of course if you do that, you still need ventilation (CO and CO2 etc) and it's potentially a fire hazard, so don't do what I do :-}
Cheers, a *La Totumita* M15