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Venting the Dumpster

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redeye
Master Marine Consultant

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3476 Posts

Initially Posted - 05/31/2011 : 09:28:12

I keep getting moisture, mold, and corrosion in the dumpster and wanted to vent it. So I was thinking ( It could happen )...

How about a solar operated fan in the forward bulkhead of the port jib sheet locker ( the openings on the side of the cockpit )

? computer fan with solar panel ? I'm gonna start looking at designs.

WhatdayathinK?

Ray in Atlanta, Ga.
"Lee Key" '84 Catalina 25
Standard Rig / Fin Keel

Edited by - on

OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3460 Posts

Response Posted - 05/31/2011 : 09:40:23

Ray,

Having a solar vent for the cabin, etc area is a good idea but my thought is that is you have mildew, etc issues with the dumpster, then you may want to first try and seek out the root cause of the moisture issue. My boat is more or less bone dry. Occassionally, after a big rain, I may get some water in the bilge but this is not a frequent occurrence. My dumpster area is shiny...no moisture issues ever in it. My thought is that you must have some fitting that needs to be rebeeded or some other source of leakage into the boat that is causing your issue and probably better to devote some time to knocking out any of these sources first.

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Davy J
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1511 Posts

Response Posted - 05/31/2011 : 10:19:48

My dumpster had water entering as well. The problem turned out to be three places. The pulpit mounting forward of the stern cleat was leaking, the hinges on the dumpster lid, and the hinges on the fuel locker were leaking also.

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redeye
Master Marine Consultant

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3476 Posts

Response Posted - 05/31/2011 : 11:00:14

Good point on the hinges, a good start... Never have tightened up those hinge bolts. I still want some "outgoing" air pulling from that dumpster, which would also pull air out the liner and areas under the settee.

Added nicro vent to the cabin area.

Thank You.

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dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 05/31/2011 : 13:26:02

A good source for water in the dumpster on my boat was the port air vent which during heavy rains, or when washing the boat, would channel water down the vent hose and into the dumpster. To prevent water from entering so easily, I fabricated a dam out of stainless steel to block the bottom inch of the air vent opening.

I've been planning a ventilation project for a while now that consists of using a 4" 110V fan to pull air from the bilge then force it into the dumpster which will vent through the exising vents. The initial idea was to ventilate the living spaces of excess heat while it was closed up. Air would be drawn in from the hatchboard slots, go forward to the door below the V-berth, then circulate under the floor back to the dumpster and out the vents. I even purchased a line voltage thermostat (cooling) to kick the fan on at a certain temperature, but since I get free electricity at the slip, I'd probably leave it on all the time.

Edited by - dlucier on 05/31/2011 13:49:27

DanM
Captain

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USA
256 Posts

Response Posted - 06/02/2011 : 06:45:36

Don, it appears the vent opening faces forward, into the weather while on a mooring. Would reversing it work better?

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dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 06/02/2011 : 18:13:24

On the older boats with the gas tank platform in the "dumpster" locker, 2 clam shell vents are utilized; one facing forward for air intake, and one facing aft for the exhaust. The exhaust vent has a flexible hose attached which extends down to the lowest part of the compartment, which is where gas fumes would accumulate first.

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Lee Panza
Captain

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USA
465 Posts

Response Posted - 06/03/2011 : 21:24:22

As David pointed out, one of those cowls faces forward and the other aft. In a motor boat, or when we're beating or lying in a breezy anchorage, the one facing forward is the intake, but when the apparent wind is from abaft the beam they work the other way around. The vent duct to the bilges in a motor boat removes gas fumes, which are heavier than air, but in ours it primarily gets air past the quarter berth to ventilate the space beneath it. There's a relatively small hole between that space and the dumpster, so these two cowls really don't provide much cross-ventilation. I turned my forward-looking cowl around so they both point aft, partly to reduce the rainwater coming in, as Don pointed out (BTW, Don, you did an excellent job), and partly to run the fuel line and power cable from my outboard into the dumpster. Whichever way they point, the cowls aid ventilation whenever there's air moving around the boat; a clamshell cowl facing downwind draws air out by venturi effect. But when there isn't much wind they don't function actively. If mildew or mold - or even corrosion - is a problem, Ray, then prompt removal of rainwater intrusion and active ventilation are unavoidable.

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Tomas Kruska
Admiral

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Czech Republic
522 Posts

Response Posted - 06/05/2011 : 12:31:53

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Davy J
 The pulpit mounting forward of the stern cleat was leaking
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Repair all this leaks as soon as possible. It takes just one or two winter season with the wet plywood core and its totally rot.
When I bought mine, one of the stern pulpit legs was a little torn out of the deck, just a millimeter. I haven't noticed during survey, but then it turned out, I get around half litter per rain in the bilge.
The plywood core was tottaly damaged, had to remove 30cm wide piece from inside of the dumpster and put a new one.
Resealed all hardware with butyl tape and now its bone dry :)

I have no pictures of the progress, but the same situation was in the anchor locker which I have documented. Will try to post it soon.

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The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.