SKIPPERS’ TIPS
Insulation solution • Lobster pot defence • Skin fittings
Like most modern boats, mine manages to keep the water where it belongs — on the outside. So I was puzzled over the course of the winter that there was a damp feeling, especially in the forecabin despite running a passive heater during the colder months to keep the air dry and prevent condensation gathering on the inside of the forehatch.
By coincidence, I had been planning to line the hull with some sort of insulation prior to an Arctic cruise this season and as work progressed the damp atmosphere seemed to disappear. I removed the side linings of the forecabin and lined the hull with 1in (25mm) thick Kingspan foam insulation. This proved simple enough, strips cut and bonded to the hull with a silicone adhesive before replacing the linings. The next stage was to do something similar in the lockers to port and starboard beneath the bunks, a fiddly job as it required working upside down.
I didn’t like the aluminium foil finish on the foam; it was too glaring and in any case would tear easily if anything hard brushed against it. The problem was easily solved. I went to my local home supplies supermarket and bought a couple of packs of adhesive 6in (15cm) wide simulated wood plastic strips, cut them to shape and bonded them in place.
The result looks good and is a definite improvement. The cabin is now snug even without any additional heat and the condensation seems to have gone. I checked all this with a yacht surveyor I know and he foresaw no downside, suggesting that yoga mat material or something similar might be easier to work, possibly applying it in double layers. My next step is to install a solar-powered extractor vent in the overhead hatch to encourage the circulation of air. All in all, the result is a more comfortable cabin at minimum outlay.
Brian Black