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[dserrell]

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[HideAway]

HideAway is one of the oldest Compacs still sailing.   It has six round ports with wire screens.  Ventilation here in Florida is a big concern but so is cutting new holes in the boat or adding more electrical stuff.   

What has worked for HideAway over the years is simple.  Let me see if I can describe it.   I use small buckets - You can get them at Home Depot in their paint department.   I attach a small line to a clothes pin and tie the other end it to the buckets bail.   The clothes pin is pinned to the bottom bolt with the wing nut used to close the port.  I stick the pin out 90 degrees to hold the port open and hang the bucket from the clothes pin.  When it rains the water collects in the bucket.  Since the ports have screens bugs are no problem.   Its not uncommon during our summer rains to have the two quart buckets half full of water.
If there is a threat of a tropical storm or worse I close all the ports as part of our hurricane preparation plan.

Because of the mud dabbers I have a cloth that  I stuff around the hatch boards to keep these wasps from building their mud nests inside the boat.

I don't have any photos of this system but if you are interested I'll take a few next time I'm at the boat -  Matt

[Craig Weis]

I button up the boat when I leave it, and have no vents nor problems. No clutter below decks I believe helps keep fresh air moving where it is suppose to be. But then again by mid day the weather is usually pretty dry humidity wise.  skip.

[LConrad]

I am very happy with my solar vent. It has been very reliable and the interior always seems fresh and dry.

[HideAway]

A Ha - Found it.   I lost this email train -  Anyway take a look at our utube site below for our solution to this problem - Its worked well for us over the years M

http://www.youtube.com/user/SVHideAway

[mikew]

I cut a small 3x5" or so rectangular hole in the middle of the companion way hatch and screwed a stainless steel louvered vent over the hole. (The louvers pointed down). I used screws and lock nuts 
to avoid tampering and a screen sandwiched in for bugs. This vent combined with the forward cowl vent,
help to keep my CP-16 mildew free in Florida weather.

Mike

[Steve Ullrich]

That's a pretty good idea Mike. It is a pretty good trick to keep a boat dry in Florida in the summer. Should work in Minnesota too.  I don't have a cowl vent up front though... kind of wish I did now. 

I cut a small 3x5" or so rectangular hole in the middle of the companion way hatch and screwed a stainless steel louvered vent over the hole. (The louvers pointed down). I used screws and lock nuts 
to avoid tampering and a screen sandwiched in for bugs. This vent combined with the forward cowl vent,
help to keep my CP-16 mildew free in Florida weather.

Mike

[HideAway]

I see those louvered things a lot down here but they seem so small I don't know if they work all that well without other ventilation.   We do have one of those cowl vents cut into the foredeck but all it does is turn black and leak - not to mention getting in the way of things.  I put the plate back in to cover the hole and keep a bucket under it.  It only leaks in heavy rain and I think where the dock lines lay plays a role.   

When it rains it pours around here this time of year. My utube video shows me pouring water out of one the porthole buckets was actually what was in it after two thunderstorms - no props!  Matt

[brackish]

My boat came with one of those cowl vents on the foredeck  The flexible cowl was split and the plastic base was crumbling.  took it out yesterday and installed a Nicro minivent 1000 solar with a polished stainless cover.  looks better, much less intrusive in that it only protrudes 1-3/4" and is smooth.  Had to fill the hole with something, didn't want another cowl vent.

As far as the intake side, I kind of measured the gap between the top companionway hatch board and the sliding cover.  Good or bad, plenty of intake area without adding any type of formal vent.

The mosquito is the state bird where I live.  Going to be hard to make a screen to deal with that intake gap.

Frank

[Steve Ullrich]

You think you have mosquitoes? Visit Minnesota some time. As for the gap between the hatch boards and the companionway hatch: Make a quick trip to Menards and buy some pipe insulation.  Soft foam "noodles" split on one side... I've use them to cap the drop boards on my last two boats and pack that gap.  Works very well.

My boat came with one of those cowl vents on the foredeck The flexible cowl was split and the plastic base was crumbling.  took it out yesterday and installed a Nicro minivent 1000 solar with a polished stainless cover.  looks better, much less intrusive in that it only protrudes 1-3/4" and is smooth.  Had to fill the hole with something, didn't want another cowl vent.

As far as the intake side, I kind of measured the gap between the top companionway hatch board and the sliding cover.  Good or bad, plenty of intake area without adding any type of formal vent.

The mosquito is the state bird where I live.  Going to be hard to make a screen to deal with that intake gap.

Frank

[HideAway]

Steve thats a great idea.  We have problems with mud daubers- a wasp that builds mud nests and they like sail boats.   I've been using a rag but your ideas sounds much better.   Thanks Matt