Dry Heat

[Patric]

After having some problems with damp interior (see other thread)
I decided to run a little test yesterday. I normally use two parrafin lamps for illumination. Nothing fancy really, just the simple hurricane lamps as they're quite economical and give of sufficient light. Instead I used a simple torch yesterday and guess what: the condensation was hardly worth mentioning. It was a tad colder too but absolutely dry throughout the entire boat! And I haden't even gotten started with the Tilley pressure lamp! Of course I knew that an unvented open flame will result in some amount of humidity but this really surprised me. Guess I'll have to resort to electric light for the winter, hmm...

[P.I. Stazzer-Newt]

They used to say that a gallon of kerosene(paraffin) made a gallon of water.

[Patric]

Good bye romance, eh?

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[Nordicthug]

I think you're trying too hard. You're fishing for a problem where one likely doesn't exist.

Your boat needs ventilation. Air needs to come in, and go out constantly. A bit of warmth inside will help immeasurably by keeping the air inside stirred up and moving. When moored, a canvas cover will add a valuable layer of insulation, diminishing the amount of heat lost by radiation and helping to keep wind, rain, and snow at bay.

Your breath is part water, as is persperation. Both of these are being exuded constantly If you've got decent ventilation and circulation, neither is a problem. If your hurricane lamps, (we call 'em kerosene lanterns here in the Colonies) give enough light, use them. If you'd like something a little more sophisticated get "proper" marine grade kersosene lamps with or without gimbals, but with smoke bells. Any source of wamth will assist ventilation. Just moving around in a small area like a boat's cabin will move air, too.

I'd be very, very nervous about having lighted lamps and especially candles just sitting unsecured on counter tops. A fire in your boat can ruin an entire evening.

Gerry

[Patric]

Just a short note on the lamps: I considered "proper" marine lamps but found most weren't really worth it. The cheaper ones are mere decoration whereas the better ones, e.g. Den Haan, Trawler Light, Gipsy Moth and Fastnet lamp all cost a fair bit. They aren't that much brighter though, even the 14''' Kosmos burner specimens, than the 'cold blast' Hurricane lamps. Given that they can be had for a fiver, no exotic wick needed etc I decided to stick with them. Even though they don't have the looks, freely admit it! Would love to use an Aladdine lamp but unfortunately not suitable for boats.
Agree with you however that I should be more carefull! Normally I secure them and don't use candels.

Still got to think about that canvas cover, they're very very expensive to have one made. Perhaps that's why nobody seems to use one here in the marina, otherwise I'd have thought of it earlier. I'm sure that someone will now tell me that they're quite straightforward to DIY but I'm not so sure. Plus don't have a sewing machine. Storage might also pose a problem. Hmm food for thought there.

[P.I. Stazzer-Newt]

You get more light per pint from a tilley or a Vapalux ..

And they go Hisssssssss - which is the third warmest noise known to man.

[katiedobe]

There are a lot of battery powered LED style lamps out there. I found a gooseneck, six LED, magnetic base/c-clamp base unit designed for the backyard gas barbeque market that I use as a portable lamp everywhere I need some light. I take it traveling as a reading light in hotels, used two in my Pickup truck camper, the magnetic base works for my bandsaw, mortiser, and drill press in the shop as focus light. Great stuff out there with LED. Last forever with AAA batteries.

I too have a nice parafin lamp that I use for Mood lighting, but only for a while. For longer use I use the LED's.

[ssor]

I collect kerosene lanterns and table lamps and the amount of light that you get without pressure or a mantle is directly related to the width of the wick. I have some little lanterns with a 3/8 inch wick and they are as good as about 3 candles. I have a big old Embry lantern with an 1 1/4 wick and it is almost as bright as a 60 watt electric light. It also makes a lot of heat. I use a Fuerhand lantern with a 1/2 inch wick for my anchor light. I use two brass Dietz lantern with 5/8 wicks for my cabin lights but for reading I turn on an electric. The nice thing about lanterns is they all come with a built in dimmer.

[LeeG]

The light from yellow/soft white LEDs is getting better. I wonder how much the reduction of condensation is also a reduction in heat. A couple strategically placed amber LED strips out of view would probably give as much light as a couple candles using 1/4 watt.

[Patric]

Yes, LEDs. Experimented with them a bit. OSRAM dot-it and cheap knock offs. Found them too dim and didn't stand up well to bit of abuse. Surprisingly not much of a difference between OSRAM and copies qualitywise. I've been told however, the cheaper ones (Poundworld) use inferior LEDs. None survived long enough for me to verify this claim. At the moment however I found a much better one: came with goose neck hanger and magnet (a feature that I really missed on the dot it's, sticky tape just doesn't cut ice). Rubber housing, proper on/off switch and 25 LEDs! Let's see how long the batteries last though.

I really like the Feuerhand, Dietz cold blast lanterns, as they give of a much brighter (whiter actually) light than other wick lamps. And for ruggedness they're second to none. They'll run on the cheapest fuel if necessary but normally I only use high quality paraffin as it'd clog up my Origo stove. Also have a vintage Tilley guardsman but I need to exchange a few parts first...

[ssor]

I just bought a couple of LED flash lights at home depot by Husky brand. run on 3 AAA cells and are very bright. I think they are excellent for just 5 bucks. Christmas promotional of course.

[TimH]

You get more light per pint from a tilley or a Vapalux ..

And they go Hisssssssss - which is the third warmest noise known to man.

Third warmest?

[Bob Cleek]

Alladin lamps are fantastic, and they do make them for boats, or used to. They are a bit large for a small boat, though. Also, they put out a whole lot of heat. They can cook you right out of the cabin.

Hey, it's worth mentioning... PLEASE make sure you have a LOT of ventillation going when you are burning kerosene lamps, or burning anything else for that matter. Burning petroleum products produce carbon monoxide, which is insidiously deadly and heavier than air. You can axphixiate yourself really easily. A few years back, I lost a friend and his wife down at the harbor. Big storm and the power went out. They started up their generator under the covered berths with the aft hatch open. The wind blew the exhaust into the cabin and they never woke up. Found them the next morning sitting on the counch with the TV still on....

[P.I. Stazzer-Newt]

nd they go Hisssssssss - which is the third warmest noise known to man.
Third warmest?

Second would be the stuttering roar from a Svea123 after a day on the hill.

Top place is a snuffling sound of a sleeping wife.

[Nordicthug]

Second would be the stuttering roar from a Svea123 after a day on the hill.

Top place is a snuffling sound of a sleeping wife.

Every man should have a wife. Take mine, for instance, please.

Ta Da Booom

[ssor]

Joshua Slocum was given a large lamp or lantern that he said he contrived to use for cooking.
I make a baffle for one of my Dietz lanterns last nightthat seems to have improved that wind resistance of it. on the bottom flange that supports the globe there is a series of holes the admit fresh air to the flame. In a strong breeze the wind blows the flame and smokes up the globe. I cut out a washer,(like a big donut) the size of the base of the globe and wide enough to cover the holes, from aluminum flashing. Then to get it to lay flat I made radial cuts from the inside about a half inch apart all about the inside to within about 3/16 of the edge. I laid this over the holes and put the globe back in and lighted the wick. When I held the lantern in front of a fan the flame was steady.

[Paul Stohlman]

What do you use for heat?

As mentioned previously, there are many sources of condensation in a boat, not just the lights.

I have found that a solid fuel stove or heater is wonderful for removing moisture.

[ssor]

Any vented heater will draw in cold outside air to replace the combustion air so the result is better ventilation. During the civil war the union forces dug a long tunnel under the confederate line in Petersburg,VA in order to plant explosives and breech the line. They ventilated the tunnel by extending a board walk platform from the tunnel entrance the the work face the space under the platform was used to supply combustion air to a fire and as a result pulled fresh air into the tunnel .

[Patric]

Found them the next morning sitting on the counch with the TV still on....

Bob, that's a very scary story and thanks for bringing it up! I have fitted two CO alarms and a smoke detector but one can never be careful enough!

Enough on boats for the moment though: been in hospital for the last couple of days due to bowel infection so I decided to spend the rest of the year at home.

[ssor]

Patric, You have my sympathy. Did that last January with a ruptured Diverticula. Surgeon removed 26 cm of colon. No complications and no further problems. Recovery was routine. I got 6 weeks off working and shoveling snow.