Dorade vent ideas

[beenthere101]

I managed to rip the two small vents off the foredeck last weekend. The Genoa sheets did a really great job [emoji38] now looking for ideas for a new design that won’t catch the sheets. Anyone have a great DIY design that worked?

[coopec43]

You are not Robinson Crusoe!
What about Dorade protectors?
https://www.ahoycaptain.com/dorade_main.html

[beenthere101]

That’s an option I hadn’t thought of... thanks

[TeddyDiver]

Originally Posted by beenthere101

I managed to rip the two small vents off the foredeck last weekend. The Genoa sheets did a really great job [emoji38] now looking for ideas for a new design that won’t catch the sheets. Anyone have a great DIY design that worked?
Attachment 212422

Not a clear picture to see the surroundings but there are two hatches so I'd consider a guard rail long enough to go aside both hatches as well to double as dorade protector and a grab rail for the hatches..

[tkeithlu]

Do you need ram air from the bow? Consider turning them backwards. Otherwise, consider a box like Coopec43 has in his photo, and cut a larger hole in the back, or cut bigger vents at the bottom of the box.

Go2Marine and lots of other internet sources sell them:

https://www.go2marine.com/Sea-Teak-W...hoC8D4QAvD_BwE

[Rucksta]

Get rid of the dorades and install a dehumidifier.

[coopec43]

Originally Posted by Rucksta

Get rid of the dorades and install a dehumidifier.

Maybe? But surely they have different purposes? If you are in the sub-tropics do you want a dehumidifier or dorades?

Here is a thread from last year.
PNW Boat: Heat, dehumidifier or both?
https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...th-224640.html

Why ventilate your boat?
https://www.boatus.com/boattech/arti...entilation.asp

Reduce indoor humidity without a dehumidifier

https://www.andatechdistribution.com...t-dehumidifier

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by Rucksta

Get rid of the dorades and install a dehumidifier.

How are these two even related?

[Rucksta]

Originally Posted by coopec43

Maybe? But surely they have different purposes?

Absolutely

Dorades
- Circulate moist air.
- Leak water.
- Create rot & mold conditions.
- Foul running rigging.
- Look like sewer vents.

Dehumidifiers.
- Circulate filtered dry air at chosen temperature. (chilled option)

I'm in the sub tropics.
Wet season has just finished and no mould, damp cushions or boat smell.

Once upon a time the dorade would have been cutting edge tech.

So were the astrolabe and lodestone.

[Bill O]

Originally Posted by coopec43

What about Dorade protectors?

+1 for a dorade guard. It appears you already have a well draining f/g dorade box. You don't have room for a 4 or 3 footed guard in your spot, but a simple single tube (side to side) over the middle of your vents should be plenty to stop the sheets from ripping them out.
On a previous boat I was successful in bending 7/8" SS tubing for some dorade guards, but it isn't easy w/out the proper bender (and packing the tubing w/sand). For our current boat, we used these fabricators to make our guards to our specifications. They were reasonably priced, a quick turn around and exactly what we wanted.
We like our dorade set up on our boat and think it offers good ventilation, especially when you can't have your hatches open. The guards are needed though for the fore deck dorades to save them from being ripped out by the sheets. A minor trade off for good ventilation.

[TeddyDiver]

Originally Posted by Rucksta

Get rid of the dorades and install a dehumidifier.

Have dorades and a dehumidifier! They are both usefull. During long passages can't run dehumidifier much due juice or weather nor leaving boat for longer periods in all marinas or storage on the hard. Besides wind for ventilation is free..

[maine50]

If your main problem is loss of dorades, an inexpensive solution is to attach a small (1/8?) line thru a hole in the dorade attached to an eye strap on deck.
The line could be 2' long and would keep the dorade attached to boat when genoa sheet catches the dorade

[Don C L]

Probably no off the shelf arch available but a local fabricator could make you a simple low curved, arch to go over the box and scoops to deflect the sheets.

[coopec43]

Originally Posted by Sailmonkey

How are these two even related?

Absolutely!

[AndyEss]

Originally Posted by Rucksta

Absolutely

Dehumidifiers.
- Circulate filtered dry air at chosen temperature. (chilled option)
:

Any mechanical device generates heat. To get cooling out of an AC unit - or chilled dehumidifier (which is an AC unit) you have to dump the heat somewhere.

You may dry the air with your dehumidifier (good) but it will heat up the inside of the boat (bad).