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  1. #1
    Member
    Join Date
    May 2019
    Location
    Laplace, Louisiana
    Posts
    26

    Keep compartments dry??

    How on earth do y’all keep the compartments dry? I have a cover on most of the time but where I live (Louisiana) condensation is very strong. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
    2019 Tracker Pro Team 190 TX
    Mercury PRO XS 115 4
    Mercury Spitfire X7 12.7 x 19
    Minn Kota Ultrex 80#
    PowerPole Sportsman 8'
    Simrad Go9 XSE
    Lowerance HDS 9 & 7

  2. Member Bill Reynolds's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Location
    The Diamond State
    Posts
    3,848
    #2
    I have been dealing with this problem for 6 years and after making incremental improvements, recently came up with a final solution.

    The first thing I did was put insulation under the deck lids. This helped a lot but the air trapped inside the compartments still had a high moisture content and as it cooled inside the compartment, it condensed on the tackle boxes and reels.

    I tried several desiccants including the rechargeable type and they too helped but I could not keep up with the replacement schedule.

    Finally, I vented the lockers adjacent to the bulkhead, and cross vented from the center locker to the ones on either side —— This worked.

    My original plan was to add a fan to the passive ventilation if needed. I had about decided I did not need it, until I fished all day in the rain and some of my tackle got wet. At that point I realized that I needed airflow to remove that much moisture.

    I ran a 16-3 insulated cable from the 115 volt connection for my internal battery charger and routed it from the bilge into the port side locker. I attached a muffin fan inside the locker that exhausts through the previously installed vent. Now, any time my battery charger is hooked up, the fan is running.

    This finally solved the problem.

    I will add that my friend has a 2008 Tracker 190 that he keeps under a cover and has the same problem as you. I vented his compartments and it helped a bunch but he still has some condensate. He does not have the insulation under the lid so that may be the difference but I am planning to install a fan in his locker this weekend. Hopefully that will solve the problem so we don’t have to insulate the lids.
    My recommendation is that you start with the passive vents and add the fan if needed, but in all probability you will need the fan.

    This is how my compartment ventilation is set up. The airflow path is from the outside through the Starboard side locker and center locker, into the port locker and exhausts back through the bulkhead vent.


    Last edited by Bill Reynolds; 06-28-2019 at 12:19 PM.

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