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Solar Vent

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Alan Clark
Captain

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406 Posts

Initially Posted - 10/20/2004 : 11:03:35

My Winter /Spring project is going to be putting a solar vent on "Leprechaun". Anyone have any thoughts or recommendations as to where to put it or which one to buy, or where to purchase? I am looking at the Nicro Solar Vents. I only want to cut ONE

hole in our boat ...and am nervous about that .. SO any help will be appreciated. My thought also is to put it on the coach roof on the starboard side of the mast, as my VHF plug/lights plug is on the port side but I dont want to clutter things up too much. Has anyone else cut through the coach roof and installed one of these? Is it safe to do so? Thanks for all your help. Alan & Eileen

Alan & Eileen
2001 Catalina 310 Hull #155
"Anam Cara"
ex-1987 C25 TR/SK #5612
"LEPRECHAUN"
Troy Ohio USA / Lake Erie-Catawba Island
ASA 101 103 104

"The clink of an anchor - chain, the 'Yo-Ho!' of a well time crew, the flapping of huge sails - I love all these sounds."

John 'Rob Roy' MacGregor

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 10/20/2004 : 11:37:41

The C25 next to me at the marina has a round solar vent installed in the center of the forward hatch and it looks like a good spot. If I were to install a vent, I would likely choose the same location because it would be somewhat out of the way since one usually doesn't step on the sloped hatch.

Additionally, for me, cutting a hole in the hatch would be less traumatic than cutting through the cored deck.

Edited by - on

KTwomey
1st Mate

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USA
43 Posts

Response Posted - 10/20/2004 : 13:09:43

Alan,

I installed the Stainless Steel Nicro Solar Vent on the starboard cabin top fairly close to the mast. It works great. I bought it at West Marine, although I'm sure you can find it cheaper on the net. Find it on the net, print it out and West Marine will match the price. (Plus tax and what the shipping would be)

The unit can run straight off the solar panel or off the small battery which is charged by the panel. If you install the battery the panel will keep it charged and it will run 24 hours a day, which is how I use it.

Also keep in mind that you can hear it run. It is not very loud but still you can hear it humming away. So if you mount it on the hatch cover it will be humming away just inches from your head if you sleep in the v-berth.

Edited by - on

TRogers
1st Mate

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USA
90 Posts

Response Posted - 10/20/2004 : 14:12:38

I have one of the solar vents installed about half-way between the bow and the foreward hatch. As it was there when I bought the boat I have not moved it.

In my humble opinion, the biggest issue is to keep it out of the way so you are not tripping on it (or in my 9 year old son's case not getting a toe caught in the ventilation holes - that was a little bloody

).

The disadvantage of my location is it tends to get in the way while anchoring or moving about on the foredeck. I'm always concerned about accidentally smashing it with the anchor or chain as I pull it out of the anchor locker.

Seems to me that installing it in the hatch would solve all of my problems. Unfortunately, I've already got a hole there and I don't really want to cut another.

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 10/20/2004 : 15:17:32

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by TRogers
 
Seems to me that installing it in the hatch would solve all of my problems. Unfortunately, I've already got a hole there and I don't really want to cut another.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

There are items called deck prisms.

here are some. http://www.sailboatstuff.com/cb_fixport.html
you can move your vent and improve the deck where it was.

Edited by - on

Scooter
Navigator

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USA
228 Posts

Response Posted - 10/20/2004 : 17:33:20

We were just thinking about this too for a winter project. Anybody know if mounting on a slant (hatch) affects splash resistance? Haven't looked in depth yet at the design of those things.

For instance (not that I would or even want to but) could you mount in on the cabin side?

Will water get in if you use a garden hose? etc... (or "hose pipe" here in NC)

Edited by - on

TRogers
1st Mate

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USA
90 Posts

Response Posted - 10/20/2004 : 18:46:38

Seems like I remember something in the installation instructions about the curve of the deck, but I don't recall if there was anything about the vertical/horizontal alignment.

The design is kind of like a large inverted bowl being place over a smaller upright bowl. The lower bowl provides a lip that the water has to get over, thus keeping water running accross the deck from draining down into the boat. The upper protects from water splashing directly from above into the lower bowl.

___upper___
/___________
/ \__lower___/

I would think that at the angle the hatch is it wouldn't overcome the protection unless you had an extreme amount of water running over the deck in which case I don't think I would want to be on the water anyway.

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 10/20/2004 : 21:35:24

At least half the Nicro solar vents I've seen were mounted in a hatch--usually an angled hatch on the front of the cabin. That's where mine will go--to keep it from being under foot and to avoid making a big hole in a permanent part of the boat. Either the location works fine, or there are a lot of disappointed sailors out there.

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 10/20/2004 : 21:49:43

... and they close.

Edited by - on

Mark Loyacano
Navigator

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USA
247 Posts

Response Posted - 10/21/2004 : 07:48:22

The Nicro solar vent on our boat has reliably run for 5+ years, day and night, on the same battery. The vent is on the deck about midway between the foreward hatch and the anchor locker access. If it were on my hatch and the boat wasn't positioned properly, direct exposure to the sun would be somewhat limited. The curve of the deck is easy to compensate for - just bed the ring sufficiently and allow to cure before finishing the installation. Leaks are non-existent even when the deck has been awash (a rare occurence on our lake) or when directly sprayed with a hose or powerwasher.
You can choose to push air through your boat or pull it through and exhaust it - depending on how you install the fan blade. Our boat exhausts it (pulls air into and through at 900 CF/hr). It stays fresh, mildew and odor free year round. My previous boat had the plastic cover and the current boat the stainless cover ... stainless is my choice as the UV deterioration of the plastic is significant.

Edited by - on

Alan Clark
Captain

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406 Posts

Response Posted - 10/21/2004 : 09:09:33

Thanks for all your responses, I am NOW considering putting it on the forward hatch cover. I appreciate the information about it not leaking as this, as we all know is over the vee berth and We DO NOT LIKE WET BEDS! My friend has a Catalina 30 with one in over the head and it is relatively quiet. Now I have still the question of plastic or stainless steel cover. Does the stainless get hot? do your sheets ever catch on it? On Leprechaun We have hank on sails.
I like the idea of pulling air in or pushing it out. Scooter, I would NOT want it EVER on a cabin side. Ken, I am probably going to use Sailnet through our Link to get the association some of the extra change and also for me its tax free as west marine has a store in Ohio. Scooter, Bring your boat up to Ohio and we can do the project together and have a couple of cold ones..wait winter is almost here..we will have something WARM! Thanks .. Alan & Eileen

Edited by - on

lcharlot
Master Marine Consultant

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Antigua and Barbuda
1301 Posts

Response Posted - 10/22/2004 : 11:37:58

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by dlucier
 
Additionally, for me, cutting a hole in the hatch would be less traumatic than cutting through the cored deck.

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Amen! I don't think I have the cojones to saw such a huge hole in the deck of my own boat. When I installed my GPS/Sounder last year, I went with a transom-mount transducer instead of a thru-hull because I just plain couldn't bring myself to punch another 2" hole in the bottom of the boat. I know, the transom mount isn't located in an ideal position for a sailboat, but it works well enough for me and it's easily replaceable if it ever gets damaged or quits working. As for mounting a solar fan in the foredeck hatch, my boat has the Bomar see-through Lexan hatch common an many Mk. III's and all Mk. IV's. Could a fan be mounted there? I would NEVER step on that plastic hatch if I could possibly avoid it, so it seems like a perfect place to put a Nicro fan. I imagine a 4" hole saw could make the requisite hole for the fan without too much difficulty if one were careful to not use a lot of pressure. I just worry that the Lexan is 16 years old and likely brittle from UV exposure. Would it look ridiculous to have a fan mounted that way?

Edited by - on

Buzz Maring
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1772 Posts

Response Posted - 10/22/2004 : 12:32:36

Would it look ridiculous to have a fan mounted that way? - Larry

Hi Larry,

I really wish I had one of those sexy Lexan hatches on my boat's foredeck, but they're too expensive for me. I don't know if it would look "ridiculous," but I sure do think it would detract from the way the hatch looks.

Hey ... we could swap hatches! That's the ticket! I'll trade you my hatch, and I can even cut a hole in it if you want!

I have a feeling you won't take me up on my offer, so I'm not getting my hopes up too high.

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 10/22/2004 : 15:08:56

Larry: I've seen any number of vents mounted in Lexan hatches, and they look no better or worse than mounted in any other hatch. Of course, it'll reduce the light you get from the hatch...

My unit requires a 4-3/4" hole, which is an unusual size for a hole saw--the only ones I've found are something like $70 (plus a chuck if you don't have the right one). A hole saw is probably as good as anything for cutting Lexan, as long as you can run it at very low speed, and even intermittently, to avoid melting. I want to use one for the fiberglass hatch in order to get a clean, vertical cut through the curved surface--tough to do with a sabre saw, for example. I'll run the hole saw from both sides.

Edited by - Dave Bristle on 10/22/2004 20:18:07

Alan Clark
Captain

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406 Posts

Response Posted - 10/22/2004 : 15:36:47

Larry, I was thinking on the 3" hole as that allegedly pulls/pushes as much air as the 4". Smaller hole is better,less cutting,less chance for leakage! My hatch cover is the fiberglass,not the lexan window. But I AM with you YOU CAN HAVE TOO MANY HOLES IN YOUR BOAT!. Well we are sailing our last sail for the season tomorrow and pulling "Leprechaun" for the season on sunday :(. So another great season down. Sad times. I intend to do the solar vent this season by taking the hatch cover off and drilling,putting the vent on and than re-installing the hatch cover. I will keep you updated. Thanks again for all your Wisdom. Alan & Eileen

Edited by - on

mmac
Navigator

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USA
168 Posts

Response Posted - 10/24/2004 : 02:35:26

I put one on the forward hatch about 20 years ago and have never had any problems. If I recall, I put some sealant around the ring that went into the deck. I've never had leaks, tripped on it, or had any thing hang up on it.

Edited by - on

existentialsailor
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1180 Posts

Response Posted - 10/24/2004 : 09:36:52

Here's a picture of the Day & Night 2000 black mounted on a lexan hatch for those who want an idea of how it would look.

http://www.marinco2.com/showProduct.asp?p=N20504BRS

Edited by - existentialsailor on 10/24/2004 09:37:47

Mark Loyacano
Navigator

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USA
247 Posts

Response Posted - 10/24/2004 : 10:26:16

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by existentialsailor
 Here's a picture of the Day & Night 2000 black mounted on a lexan hatch for those who want an idea of how it would look.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

The black covers eventually fade. The plastic covers get chalky and, like the black covers, look dull. The stainless always looks as you would expect ... shiny. Stepping on a solar vent is a rare occurance. They just don't look inviting to our feet.

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 10/24/2004 : 18:35:24

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Mark Loyacano
 ...The plastic covers get chalky and, like the black covers, look dull...
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Poliglow!

Edited by - on

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