Cabin ventilation ???

[Cheechako]

I've found Dorade Vents to be one step above useless. OK for providing some ventilation when the boat is stored or docked, useless for any real ventilation while aboard unless you are beating into the wind. I had two boats with 4 dorades each. Useless most of the time.

Open a hatch at anchor; the boat turns into the wind naturally at anchor, a front hatch open creates a hurricane inside!

If building a new custom boat I would specify no dorades, no clutter, no rope tangling obstructions like dorades. Probably minimal opening portlites too as they seldom catch the wind.

[Tetepare]

Originally Posted by fc59

On a boat with HVAC, you can stop the HVAC and open portlights and hatches if weather allows it.



On bigger boats (say above 45' -50') genset and climate control unit can give correct ventilation whatever the weather. These units are just pricey and need space, but compared to boat size and price, it is negligible.

The issue is only on smaller sailboats.

So my question is still how are vented higher end sailboats in 38'-42' length, without cruisair, dometic or similar, too small to have a genset, and without anything visible on deck ?

Hatches! Already been said. And at anchor a dodger allows the companionway to remain open.

No manufacturer designs to keep a boat breathing while at dock or on the hard.

[silvercreek]

Originally Posted by fc59

It does not seem.

On the current range in production today :

Xc50 and Xc45, remains of older cruising range launched circa 2011 do have dorade vents.

Xp50 and Xp 44, older performance range launched circa 2011 do not have dorade. (or visible vents).


Current range X launched 2016 (x4.0,x4.3,x4.6,x4.9,x5.6) do not have any visible vent on the deck.

And the suppression of visible vents also concern other builders. Solaris yacht, nothing visible on the deck. Nautor Swan also. Grand Soleil too, even what they call the Long Cruise line.

Manufacturer image of bigger Grand Soleil 42LC. Their smallest in the cruising range... , and Solaris 40, their current smallest. The Solaris 37 , image in the first post, has ended production a few years ago.

Coincidentally I own a Grand Soleil 42LC as pictured above. There are no dedicated vents for this purpose, but it does come equipped with a mechanical ventilation system which can be programmed on a daily schedule to push fresh air into the cabins. In addition, with the dodger installed there are two hatches that open which are fully protected from even quite heavy rain/wind. These are what I plan to use, in addition to the mechanical ventilation, for the hot summer months. For winter, the ventilation alone should be sufficient.

[fc59]

Originally Posted by silvercreek

Coincidentally I own a Grand Soleil 42LC as pictured above. There are no dedicated vents for this purpose, but it does come equipped with a mechanical ventilation system which can be programmed on a daily schedule to push fresh air into the cabins.

Thanks for first hand information.

[DDabs]

What exactly is mechanical ventilation? Fans?

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by DDabs

What exactly is mechanical ventilation? Fans?

Yes, fans (ducted or otherwise) or any other means of moving air that isn't natural draft or reliant on outside wind.

[goboatingnow]

Pity us with boats with the British obsession with rear facing opening hatches.

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by fc59

The sailboats on images in first post are not really racing. They are over 18000lbs, for less than 38'. It is about 50% heavier than a j/121, which is 2' longer.

They are new version of cruiser/racer half a century ago. Not really good for racing, not really good for cruising.
But do cruise better than a racing boat.
And do race better than a cruising boat...

Sorry, fc59, you are mistaken. Both the boats pictured (X-yacht and Solaris 37) are absolutely racing boats with big sail areas, moderate weight, and deep draft fin keels. The fact that they are not stripped out, single purpose, sportboats does not mean they are not race boats.

An unfortunate trend in the last few decades is that boy racers seem to prefer to leave the wife and family home and go racing with a bunch of guys on a boat which does nothing else.

The X-yacht and the Solaris may not have dorades but they are meant for coastal crusing, they are suitable for all types of passages, and they can be race extremely successfully against any type of boat.

These are truely modern boats which do most everything well.

You'd have to solve the lack of dorades problem yourself.

[fc59]

Originally Posted by DDabs

What exactly is mechanical ventilation? Fans?

Yes, I think.

I am even wondering if the fresh air mechanical ventilation is not simply the blower of the air heater unit.

[ben2go]

Originally Posted by fc59

Hello,

Does anyone know how ventilation is done on such boats. (X-Yacht x4.0 and Solaris 37).

Both are recent 38 footers, but with strictly NOT a single dorade, NOT a single air extractor visible on the deck. And they do not have aircon.

Do they use mechanical ventilation (Where does the power come from ? Do they need to be permanently plugged at the marina ?) , or they are simply without any ventilation when hatches and portlights are all closed ???

Thanks.

This is what I have read around the interwebs. All of us that have owned boats understand the need for ventilation and air circulation. They don't do passive ventilation because money, or so I've read. They install passive ventilation and the price goes up or the profit margin goes down. Manufacturers and designers know most owners will take their boats out 2 or 3 times a year and then set sealed up the rest of the time. As long as water doesn't enter, and the bilges stay dry, there shouldn't be much of an issue besides condensation which can be handled by a dehumidifier or desicant tubs.



The other theory I heard is that wanna be inexperienced sailors will go out and race these boats, capsize, take on water, and sink due to an open vent. I'm not sure this is a valid argument, but I'll go with semi plausible. Bigger boat can take on a lot of water before they go down, especially with good working bilge pump system.

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by fc59;3490943...So my question is still how are vented higher end sailboats in 38'-42' length, without cruisair, dometic or similar, too small to have a genset, and [B

without anything visible [/B]on deck ?

I gave you an answer, Post #8.

Maybe you are just waiting for someone to get to where you seem to be trying to lead them, "These boats are no good."

[silvercreek]

Originally Posted by DDabs

What exactly is mechanical ventilation? Fans?

Originally Posted by fc59

Yes, I think.

I am even wondering if the fresh air mechanical ventilation is not simply the blower of the air heater unit.

Originally Posted by rslifkin

Yes, fans (ducted or otherwise) or any other means of moving air that isn't natural draft or reliant on outside wind.

Sorry for the confusion. Yes, it's the blower on the Webasto air heater set to bring in outside air. The unit calls this mode "ventilation." It pushes the fresh air into all cabins, and can be set to move quite a bit of air. rslifkin is right.

[HeinSdL]

I'm OK with no dorades on my X. I think it would look a bit silly anyway. Every cabin on board has 12V and USB outlets and every cabin has a 12V fan installed, works OK, although in 30+ degC the aft cabins become a bit stuffy. But with hatches open and fans running and the occasional swim/cold shower it's all fairly manageable. It's all part of the fun of not sitting in a 5* hotel.

[Seabeau]

My Presto 36, designed in 1884 by Floridian Ralph Middleton Munroe and built in Florida in 1984, has far more natural ventilation than the vast majority of sailboats built since the 60"s. From a foredeck/veeberth hatch that ventilates even when closed and two other large ventilating salon hatches to eight Wiley Ports that ventilate even in the pouring rain and still not allow for water to ingress and then the Wiley Ports open and close themselves using gravity upon each tack. Stupid simple design. I leave all eight Wiley Ports open all spring and summer long. "Fans"? I don't need no stinking fans. Just kidding. Two 5" solar exhaust vents. In head and hanging locker.

[Mauruuru]

my current boat has two dorades one to port the other stbd and pointed in opposite directions. This gives me natural airflow. The boat has no musty smell like other boats I have had, even though she is now 10 years old. My prior boats I used solar powered exhaust fans mounted in the forward hatch lid but they only lasted a couple of years before replac3ements were needed.
Dorades need no maintenance!