Buoy oh Buoy, BirchSorb is Great for Boats!
Elsewhere on this blog we’ve detailed the benefits of using BirchSorb as the main moisture solution in your motorhome or caravan. We’ve briefly also mentioned how it’s not just for your on-the-road life, and that it can be deployed in a variety of leisure vehicles in different scenarios.
In this edition we’re going to drop anchor for a while and talk about BirchSorb on boats. We’ll give you an answer to your query “How do I stop damp in my boat?” – but before we begin, another important question: Does it seem a little counter-intuitive, the thought of using a moisture control solution on a boat? After all, boats go in the sea and rivers so naturally have a relationship with large quantities of water... If you’re thinking that, we do understand where you’re coming from – but bear with us, here, and we’ll explain…
How is moisture created on a boat?
Boats are designed to be used in the ultimate wet environment - but it’s not just the sea, spray and serious splashes that cause moisture issues. The very air around us, too, contains moisture which needs to be dealt with, and we cannot help but generate some of this through our daily activities. You’ll almost certainly already know this from your home – condensation on windows etc can be problematic (or at the very least, inconvenient to have to deal with).
Moisture in boats can lead to deeper problems which cause all sorts of issues – including damaging your luxury interior and, in the worst possible case scenario, affecting the structural integrity of your vessel.
Atmospheric moisture is partly caused by something as simple but unavoidable as us breathing! On average, each of us produces around 400ml per day in our breath, with another 400ml per day in perspiration. That’s around two bottles of beer in volume per 24 hours! Of course, the chances are that you won’t be out on your boat for 24 hours, unless it’s a yacht that you’re living or holidaying in, or a barge on the canals.
Having wet sailing clothes drying out in the boat could also generate around 200ml. Add in cooking on the boat. The simple act of using butane gas will generate moisture, perhaps as much as 155ml per 100g of butane, and boiling up a pan of (say) pasta could produce another 300ml. Individually, these scenarios offer something that needs addressing, but with all of these things combined you’re looking at a lot of moisture and potential problems.
Ways to prevent moisture on boats
Your boat will never be completely moisture free. That’s the simple truth of it. But there are behavioural steps you can take to try and limit moisture and, therefore, mitigate against the effects of it.
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Washing
Not drying clothes onboard is a way to limit condensation within the cabin of your boat. Moisture from wet or damp sailing gear will end up in the internal environment, so drying them outside in the sun (if possible) is the best way to go.
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Cooking
Cooking generates a lot of moisture anyway, but on a boat it can be highly problematic. Solutions to minimising impact include turning the hob to a light simmer, and making sure pans have lids. Opening windows in the cabin and switching on the extractor fan (if there is one) or opening the kitchen air vents are also going to benefit you, as cooking moisture will be drawn out through them.
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Showering
Okay, so a modest boat isn’t going to have shower facilities, but on yachts and narrowboats there will definitely be a bathroom. Using the shower will cause a lot of moisture in the atmosphere, so keep the window open so that steam can escape outside. Keep the bathroom door closed, too, to contain it as best you can.
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Heating
Using a heater, whether electric or gas powered, is a way to ‘dry out’ a boat – but it’s expensive to use this method. Running a heater may reduce the number of cool surfaces on which are prone to condensation.
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Cleaning
After any time out at sea or on the river wipe down walls and surfaces of your boat to offset any activity which has generated moisture - cooking, showering, drying washing, and anything else. Taking this step will also mean you are likely to detect serious damp problems earlier.
There is, of course, a further step you can take – and it’s a highly effective one whether you’re out on the water or laying up your boat for the off-season. BirchSorb.
What is BirchSorb and is it for boats?
BirchSorb is an exclusive hyperdesiccant - but what does that mean? It’s a carefully developed multi-component dry formula based on a molecule, discovered during lime production, which has extremely high absorption properties. It is extremely effective at protecting against mould, mildew, wood rot and metal rusting.
BirchSorb is around ten times as effective as any silica gel alternatives, and much more effective than the ‘word of mouth’ absorbers you may have heard of on forums or amongst other boat enthusiasts, such as, cat litter, salt and wash powder. They do have absorption properties, but they have a whole host of attendant problems too – inconvenience, mess, leakage and re-release of moisture chief amongst them.
BirchSorb sails right past them in the top quality stakes. It ‘locks in’ the moisture it removes from the atmosphere and sets it into a solid form, so because there is no leakage and no re-evaporation, there’s also no re-release of humidity into the atmosphere. With a controlled absorption rate it can handle at least twice its own weight and lasts for eight weeks minimum. It’s perfect for year-round use, so whatever season, and whether your boat is out on the sea, moored up somewhere or safely in storage.
It's tastefully packaged (contained within a stylish cardboard carton) and is easy to install. The cartons can be affixed to cupboard interiors by using tape.
BirchSorb gives you the opportunity to protect your boat – both as a leisure vehicle, and as a resale investment. Once again, we say: BirchSorb is an effective frontline fighter against costly issues, one of the very best damp solutions for boats.