Nicro-type ventilator

[Rachel]

I plan to empty out the Meridian while I'm here, and then scrub out the who-knows-how-long's worth of black mold. What a relief that'll be!

After that I'll be heading back home to Wisconsin, and the boat'll be on its own for awhile. I'd like to provide for more ventilation, and perhaps not come back to the same amount of mold...

All there is now is a couple of those ~3" x 6" slatted grates in one of the main hatch drop-boards, and a cowl on the foredeck. Since the main hatch is in deplorable shape, I plan to put a boom tarp over that area - but I won't trust it enough to leave the companionway open - plus I'd like to be able to lock it.

Yesterday I spent some time at the store looking at Nicro vents, thinking that perhaps I'd put one in the forehatch, which is solid fiberglass (and I don't think it's too cambered). I couldn't quite bring myself to spend ~$130 on one of the solar powered ones, but the "Nicro Vent 2000" caught my eye, for $29. It looks similar to the solar powered ones but is a "passive" design. Still, it claims to move nearly 1,000 cubic feet of air per hour in a 15 knot breeze. Unlike the more expensive ones, it doesn't have a deck plate or anything like that, but it *does* fit into a 3.5" diameter hole, which is the same size, so I could change it later if I wanted to (the similar Beckson took a 4" hole).

The Nicro 2000 is exhaust only (if I understood it correctly), but I'm thinking that could work, and that it could draw air in from the cowl and/or main drop boards.

In the end, I think it would be nicer to have a deadlight there and perhaps take care of ventilation some other way. But for now....

So, has anyone tried one of these? How do they work? Or am I being stupidly cheap by not getting a solar-powered one? (Although with the passive one I'd have no worries about the batteries failing or other problems that would have me cursing the expensive one).

And, am I overlooking some better way to ventilate while I'm gone?

Thanks --- Rachel

PS I guess it's been a while since I've been on a smaller boat - it *moves* so much when I'm hopping on and off :-)

[Jason K]

This is a link to Don Casey's discussion of ventilation:

http://www.boatus.com/boattech/Casey/31.htm

It may help a little bit, though this is something of an oversimplification (as is some of his work).

In my own experience, I have a small solar-powered fan mounted on the centerline between the head and the hanging locker. It is reasonably effective, I suppose, but I wouldn't want to rely solely on that for ventilation over a several month period. I'd have even less confidence in a passive fan - particularly if you plan to tarp the boat.

[Rachel]

Hi Jason,

Thanks for your input. Just to clarify, I don't plan to tarp the boat - just to put a small boom tent over it to cover the companionway sliding hatch, which is wooden and in bad shape. I'll just use a cheapie tarp and tie it over the boom and down to the stanchion bases, all aft of the mast.

In fact, I may not even do the boom tent if it doesn't seem to work out well; I don't want to immediately annoy my marina neighbors with a rustling, failing tarp. My alternative is just to tie something over the hatch top, but in that case I worried about the wood beneath heating up and getting steamy and deteriorating more - so the boom tent is my first choice. One of those cases where I'll just have to play it by ear as I do it.

But in either case I don't think it'll shield the boat from much wind/ventilation.

--- Rachel

[Rachel]

PS I just noticed that you're in New Orleans. Now *that* must be a climate that requires attention to ventilation -- I don't even want to think about what this boat would look like if it'd been there all these years!

Still, it sounds like a neat place to live.

--- Rachel

[grampianman]

Hello Rachel,
If I have read it right, you are looking very seriously at the Meridian. Cool.
With regards to ventilation, my 23 footer stays quite dry on the interior here in Southwest Florida with just my forehatch cracked about 1 inch and no other hatches or openings. I'm sure I get some spray from those summer thundershowers, but nothing huge. I do plan to add more ventilation, as in a grate on my drop boards, but that will be about it.

Cheers,
Ian

[Rachel]

Thanks Ian,

Your reply is timely, as I plan to leave sometime today, and I was thinking that maybe I'd just crack the forehatch an inch or two...

Basically, I've put a bit of work into the Meridian getting it cleaned up, and have paid $300 for slip rental which will hold it until July. Now I'm going to head back home to take care of some school work.

At this point, I'm going to keep my eyes open for something else, boat-wise, but if nothing comes along within a month or so, well, I'll probably just go Meridian. It is a cute little boat, and looks well made. Perhaps having one boat will make others come along on the "when it rains it pours" theory :-)

I would, however, like to publicly curse the use of latex paint inside boats. I know, I know, some folks love it, but this is my second negative experience when it comes time to deal with it "later." Arghh, the stuff is just so rubbery and un-sandable. (Oops, slipped a rant in - I guess you're supposed to start your own rant - I mean *ramble* thread for this sort of thing... ;-)

--- Rachel

[jhenson]

Rachel,

I would, however, like to publicly curse the use of latex paint inside boats.

I feel you pain! I ground it off for four months!

Joe

[Figment]

I have a nicro solar day/night vent in my foredeck hatch. The rest of my ventilation system consists of a few circular saw plunge-cuts in the companionway boards. I've never had a problem. It runs like the engergizer bunny.

[Rachel]

I feel you pain! I ground it off for four months!

Joe,

Please tell me that was only working 5 minutes per day... (why do I think that won't be true).

Was yours on woven roving? I'm wondering how I'll sand that without "breaking through" the high points on the roving and ending up with a million tiny fibres sticking out.

--- Rachel

(and Figment, thanks for the Nicro report)

[bcooke]

I would, however, like to publicly curse the use of latex paint inside boats

Hmmm... well I was, actually, thinking about laying on some cheap white paint to brighten my interior and cover the wood grained formica. Just for the season you understand. The real interior work starts next fall. Now you are scaring me. Enamel perhaps?

-Britton

[Rachel]

Britton,

Just my opinion, you understand, but let me beg you not to use latex on your interior. In my experience it turns into a huge pain later because it's kind of soft and rubbery (like ... latex!). It's just gummy when you want to sand it, and, although I don't know what the official policy is, I'd be loathe to put anything non-latex over it.

For one example, even if the overall job is good, but there's a thick dribble or sag... You can't said it down like you could a non-latex. It either stays like it is or peels off entirely.

I've been on boat with Brightsides (albeit inside lockers) and that was tough as nails, and sandable, should you need to.

I guess if I were lucky enough to have a boat interior that was ready for painting, I'd choose something like Interlux's Premium Yacht Enamel or maybe Toplac. Not sure if I'd keep it glossy or not - I guess it'd depend on the boat and its overall look.

Again, maybe I've just been unlucky with latex, but... what say others?

--- Rachel

[Tim]

Hmmm... well I was, actually, thinking about laying on some cheap white paint to brighten my interior and cover the wood grained formica. Just for the season you understand. The real interior work starts next fall. Now you are scaring me. Enamel perhaps?

I think a nice oil-based enamel would be a much better choice. I know there are some authors who like to recommend latex house paint for your interiors and lockers, but puh-lease. I wouldn't use it on a bet.

Probably a quality oil-based enamel meant for shoreside use would be OK, if you want to save a few bucks for your temporary job. But anywhere that you might not end up removing again, I would recommend using a paint that you will be happy with in the long run, rather than some junk that you might want to remove--or worse, junk that might remove itself.

[bcooke]

Thanks. I just want to cover up the fine wood grained formica surfaces. They will all be removed or covered next winter. An entire summer staring at them could be torturous and I think with some white paint and a good oiling of the teak trim it might not look half bad down there. It will get me through the summer anyways.

-Britton