Solar Vent Installation

barfwinkle · Post by **barfwinkle** » Apr 6th, '10, 19:20

Okay, I am about to take the plunge and cut a hole in a perfectly good boat. When I am done, I'll have a solar vent installed that I have had for 4 or 5 years.

My question is: after clearing the appropriate amount of the coring, what do I use to seal the void/coring? I have a fresh can of Interlux 2 part Epoxy Filler. Will that do the trick?

Fair Winds

Bruce Ebling · Post by **Bruce Ebling** » Apr 6th, '10, 20:43

Bill: I am about to do the same installation. I just removed the dorade box and have purchased a solar vent. How about some photos of your installation. That way you can make the mistakes and I can avoid the same mistakes...ha ha
Bruce Ebling
25D Selah

easug1 · Post by **easug1** » Apr 6th, '10, 21:26

I did a multi-step process. First, I brushed plain epoxy with slow hardener onto the fiberglass (especially to seal the fiber ends) and balsa, and let it soak in and gel up a bit. I then mixed up some more epoxy with a roughly 50/50 mix of West 403 and 404 to a peanut butter consistency, filled the void, and faired the surface as best I could. After the epoxy set a few days, I sanded a bit to remove any ridges, and installed the Nicro vent. The thickened mixture should have made a nice primary bond with the neat epoxy that was soaked into the existing core. The setup will probably outlast the rest of the boat.

Allen

Maine Sail · Post by **Maine Sail** » Apr 6th, '10, 23:29

Have you considered mounting it in the hatch? A Hatch lens is far eaiser to replace..

As for the deck core I use epoxy thickened with cabosil and milled fibers.. Before you mash in the thickened filler wet out the core with un-thickened resin and a chip brush. This will ensure a better bond than just slapping in peanut butter consistency thickened resin.

Please be sure to invest in a good hole saw and ALWAYS start the blade in reverse to get through the gelcoat without chipping it. Once through the gelcoat flip the drill back to forward. Once you hit the bottom skin go inside and cut up, using reverse again. This will guarantee a clean hole through the cabin..

I really prefer Lenox hole saws..

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Steve Laume · Post by **Steve Laume** » Apr 7th, '10, 06:35

I'll second the forward hatch location.

When I went to add a solar vent to Raven I searched for a suitable location and looked at a bunch of other boats to help with the process. The hatch seemed like the best option as the V berth was the area that most needed the extra air flow. I was concerned about reducing the amount of light from the hatch but it doesn't seem to make a significant difference.

The hatch is easy to drill with no core issues.

I would not replace any cowl vents with a solar vent as the cowl creates far more air flow in most conditions. After all you are trying to increase ventilation, Steve.

barfwinkle · Post by **barfwinkle** » Apr 7th, '10, 06:54

I agree with the forward hatch as well, However, my 25D's hatch has a bar that bisects the hatch port to starb'd. The vent will not fit without leaving a two or three inch overlap into thin air thus creating one hell of a hazard for the barefooted sailor and the vent itself if a sheet should get caught under that overlap.

Mainesail: Thanks for the hint of using the saw in reverse to cut the gelcoat. I looks like its this weekend. Damn I hate cutting holes in perfectly good boats!!!!

Fair Winds

Oh will my interlux stuff work. I am a long way from a marine supply place and I have the interlux on hand.

bs

Bob Ohler · Post by **Bob Ohler** » Apr 7th, '10, 07:53

OK, I am considering the same project. My foredeck hatch has the same reinforcing bars that Barfwinkle refers to on his 25D. I do however have a center cabin hatch that might work as a suitable location and this hatch does not have these same bars.

What are these hatches made from... Lexan, etc? How does the hole saw work on these hatches?

Thanks,
Bob O.
CD30 #335
sv Aloha Spirit

Steve Laume · Post by **Steve Laume** » Apr 7th, '10, 09:10

If you have the larger forward hatch with two bars running across the opening the solar vent will fit between them.

That V berth gets mighty stuffy with the boat closed up, Steve.

Bob Ohler · Post by **Bob Ohler** » Apr 7th, '10, 09:15

Steve, as we have the CD30 "B", we need the ventilation most in the "center" cabin. Do you know what the overhead hatches are made from? Lexan... etc? I think the hole saw will do a nice job cutting the Lexan. Do you remember what size hole I need for the Nicro vents?

Thanks,

Bob O.

Cathy Monaghan · Post by **Cathy Monaghan** » Apr 7th, '10, 12:16

barfwinkle wrote:Okay, I am about to take the plunge and cut a hole in a perfectly good boat. When I am done, I'll have a solar vent installed that I have had for 4 or 5 years.

My question is: after clearing the appropriate amount of the coring, what do I use to seal the void/coring? I have a fresh can of Interlux 2 part Epoxy Filler. Will that do the trick?

Fair Winds

Hi Bill,

I used MarineTex to fill in around the new opening when I installed the solar vent on Realization. It mixes up to a nice thick putty-like consistency so it's not runny. The Interlux product should be fine I guess, I've never used it. Whatever you use, you don't want it to be too runny -- gravity will make a mess of it.

If your solar vent has been sitting around for 4 or 5 years, the battery is probably dead. You may want to test it first; hopefully it didn't corrode inside the vent. Anyway, they're not difficult to replace.

<a href="http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c349/ ... 211931.jpg" target="_blank"><img width="600" src="http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c349/ ... 1.jpg"></a>

<a href="http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c349/ ... 211932.jpg" target="_blank"><img width="600" src="http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c349/ ... 2.jpg"></a>

Cathy
CD32 Realization, #3
Rahway, NJ
Raritan Bay

Bob Ohler · Post by **Bob Ohler** » Apr 7th, '10, 12:20

Cathy,

What made you decide to use the "deck mount" method rather than in one of your overhead hatches?

Thanks!

Bob O.

Cathy Monaghan · Post by **Cathy Monaghan** » Apr 7th, '10, 12:28

Hi Bob,

I believe that drilling a hole of that size in a Lexan hatch will only weaken the Lexan. (I installed the 4" vent which requires a 4 3/4" cutout.) It's one of the compromises that you have to make when deciding where to mount a vent -- or anything else for that matter. On a hot summer day, those hatches are open anyway negating the vent. With the vent on the coachroof, the vent works 24 hours a day, rain or shine, with all the other ports and hatches open or closed. It's well sealed on the roof and doesn't leak either. The installation of that vent was one of the best things we ever did.

Cathy
CD32 Realization, #3
Rahway, NJ
Raritan Bay

barfwinkle · Post by **barfwinkle** » Apr 7th, '10, 12:47

If I can get stuff lined up, I'll take care of this over the weekend.

Bob Ohler · Post by **Bob Ohler** » Apr 7th, '10, 12:50

Bill, take plenty of photos and perhaps make this a "Yard Talk" article for the Masthead Newsletter!

Thanks,

Bob O.

JWSutcliffe · Post by **JWSutcliffe** » Apr 7th, '10, 13:13

I agree with Cathy. We have 2 of these mounted in the hatches - not by my choice, but a previous owner's. While I appreciate having the vents, they are of no use when we have the hatches open, and with the hatches closed the vents are in the way, blocking light and looking plain ugly. Given a choice I would have mine in the cabin top instead.

The Cape Dory Board

Solar Vent Installation

Solar Vent Installation

Solar Vent

Sealing Coring for Vent

Thanks

Drilling the hatch?

I need the ventilation in the center cabin

Re: Solar Vent Installation

Question for Cathy

Thanks to all

Bill... take photos!