Starbrite (or other) chemical dehumidifier

From previous posts you'll know I'm working on drying out my 1972 Sunfish. I installed two ventilation deck ports, each with vent holes/plugs. On their own, and with the crack repairs I've completed, I still think it would take months/years to dry out to a desired weight.

However, I came across an ad for Starbrite "No Damp" Dehumidifier - it is a cage lined plastic bucket filled with moisture soaking material - they also sell refill material for when (one assumes) the material is full of water. Assuming I can get one of the buckets (they come in various sizes) inside the hull through the ports (or make a container that will fit through) I think this might speed things up.

Has anyone used this product for this purpose?

I don't know that it will help any more than if you established airflow through the boat. Desiccants absorb moisture, but they don't extract it from things, such as foam blocks. The moisture would have to have been discharged from the foam for the desiccant to absorb it. Airflow through the hull would encourage the blocks to dry out, while the airflow flushes the moisture out of the hull.

That is my theory. I am not an expert in desiccants, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

BB

I've thinking about this since I will be getting hull that is about 250 lb. Has anyone tried a Dehumidifier? I was thinking of installing 2 access ports and attaching a tube from the input and out put of the dehumidifier and put a tube in each hole. The add a drain tube to the dehumidifier so I don't have to worry about emptying a tank. This would pull moist air out and blow dry are in. Now to keep the air dry I was thinking of making a 2x4 frame around the hull and wrapping it plastic to create a booth. I realize it may sound like a lot of over kill but but I think it would work and work quickly.

My other thought was attaching tube to the cloths dryer vent. This would give you warm air at a good volume and most of use do laundry weekly Just would need to add a filter so you don't get lint in the hull.

Any issue or comments on these approaches?

Water weights about 8 pounds per gallon.....so you'd have to use a LOT of desiccant to remove 10-15 gallons....you could do it, but it would be very expensive.....

A dehumidifier would only help if you put the exhaust air into the boat.......the exhaust air would be fairly dry and would extract more water from the foam.......but the exhaust air is hard to channel on (at least my) dehumidifier. But it would be fairly dry air....I wouldn't recycle it.......I'd use the dehumidifier to create "dry" air and channel that into the boat.....then just let it exhaust to the room. Use "new" air as the dehumidifier input....it's probably drier to start out with.

Using the air off the dryer vent would be counter-productive. That air is already pretty wet as it is moving water from the clothes to outside....it is saturated.......It would be almost useless in the boat as it has very little excess "carrying capacity" left. All it would do is warm up the boat!

Mike

Waterdowg said:

I've thinking about this since I will be getting hull that is about 250 lb. Has anyone tried a Dehumidifier? I was thinking of installing 2 access ports and attaching a tube from the input and out put of the dehumidifier and put a tube in each hole. The add a drain tube to the dehumidifier so I don't have to worry about emptying a tank. This would pull moist air out and blow dry are in. Now to keep the air dry I was thinking of making a 2x4 frame around the hull and wrapping it plastic to create a booth. I realize it may sound like a lot of over kill but but I think it would work and work quickly.

My other thought was attaching tube to the cloths dryer vent. This would give you warm air at a good volume and most of use do laundry weekly Just would need to add a filter so you don't get lint in the hull.

Any issue or comments on these approaches?

Click to expand...

I didn't think about the dryer being moist air. As for the dehumidifier. Once I get the boat in place I can try I will let you all know how it goes.

Good points above about the utility and potential volume/cost of the chemical dehumidifier. I like Waterdowg's dehumidifier idea - we have one that includes a standard garden hose attachment which bypasses the reservoir - you could avoid drilling a hole in it that way and use it for the basement too. The dry exhaust from our dehumidifier is also warm, which adds extra benefit.

Warm dry-ish air flow seems the way to go. I may still try a bit of the chemical dehumidifier to see how much water it picks up, but will also come up with a way to attach a fan on one of the ports to pull air out and encourage through-flow and evaporation from the foam blocks and foam adhesive.

I saw this fan for $79. seems a little high for a Radio Shack fan. The Radio Shack fan number is 273-242. Its a120v fan.
http://www.intensitysails.com/hudrexfanfor.html

Keep in mind that one's local weather will affect the dry-out. Two of my Sunfish get an annual drying during New Hampshire's harsh—but dry—wintry blasts. Both boats are secured inverted where they receive a passive airflow with the (one) port open. A third is resting inverted on a trailer in direct Florida sun—port cover off—and is also in a breezy location.

Removing 120 pounds of water is a daunting task.

I'd install two ports, and spring for a three- or four-inch diameter "muffin fan". Muffin fans of household current are typically used to cool large items like Xerox copiers. They are long-lived, draw little current, and are often routinely replaced upon a rebuild. (But "used" is good ).

If your Sunfish is stored in a garage, you could operate one or two fans 24-hours. Stored outdoors, cool night air often carries a great deal of moisture—which condenses inside the Sunfish—and is absorbed by foam/adhesives. I'd still run them 24-hours, mindful of keeping wire connections out of any watery contact. Muffin fans are also available in "direct current" models, but most are usually too weak for this Sunfish application.

Now I'm wondering why Radio Shack's muffin fan is attached to a 5-inch "Viking" port. A 6"x6" piece of hardware cloth would hold the fan just fine.

A couple of years ago, I bought an RV refrigerator boost fan. It is solar powered, and fits right in a 4" inspection hole. I got it on sale somewhere, and paid about $25. I can leave it in the boat at the club with the solar panel outside. During the summer, the fan runs at least 14 hours per day....I can even get 8 or so during the winter. I put the solar panel in a zip lock bag to protect it from the weather, and just tape it to the boat. It's not permanently attached to the boat, so I can move it, use it elsewhere, etc.... It's lasted me three years, so I figure I got my moneys worth.

Can't remember where I bought it, but here is a similar one (but for a lot more $$ than I paid for it....wait for it to go on sale!).

Mike

I used an extra inspection port lid to mount a used fan from an old PC. I had to find a DC/AC converter, and found an old cell phone charger one that I could splice to the fan wiring. I cut a hole in the port lid, and glued a piece of window screen to the back of the lid (to keep bugs/critters out of the boat innards).
http://my2fish.wordpress.com/2012/05/22/sunfish-inspection-port-hull-drying-fan/




If I started all over, I'd probably just buy this one pre-wired to plug into a standard outlet. I like Intensity Sails, but there is no reason to pay $80 for something you can throw together for $20 to $25.

My first post, flamesuit on; How about putting a 40 watt light bulb through the inspection port(s) and heating up the inside a little to help dry it out?

jimcameron said:

My first post, flamesuit on; How about putting a 40 watt light bulb through the inspection port(s) and heating up the inside a little to help dry it out?

Click to expand...

I believe some folks have done that, I tried it for a few days using a shop light in a safety cage. Quickly abandoned the idea and split the pre 1988 hull, removed wet expanding foam and resecured blocks with new expanding foam. I was also able to address a few backer block issues while inside the hull. Dropped 40 pounds off the boat in a week, luckily the foam blocks were not saturated.

PS
If anyone out there is scrapping a Sunfish, consider harvesting those foam blocks for parts and putting them in a dry corner. That foam is very expensive to buy in small quantities, if you can find it.

FMI: http://sailingforums.com/threads/sunfish-pickin-columbus-ga-hoops-and-yoyo.30476/

Kent

Hello there!

I am having issues with my dehumidifier so I am trying to rule out a few parts before accusing the compressor. The light and fan comes on however the compressor does not kick in.