insulation? Daft with a Draft

[QuickMick]

It has been unseasonable cold down here in North Texas (last night 19 deg!), which caused me to notice something. If im buttoned up in the vee berth, w/ceramic heater and door closed im toasty warm... but in the cabin w/same heater i couldnt seem to get it over 52ish... i noticed a slight draft, part of which im sure is coming from the drop in slats, but it seemed that some of it was coming from under the cockpit through the engine compartment.

have any of you put any kind of insulation between cabin/cockpit to address a similar issue, or have any other suggestions. whatever i do, i would also like to help keep the cool from the ac in in summertime...

thanks
Quinn

[Faster]

You may very well be getting draft from the lazarette/cockpit area - often times those aft "bulkeads" don't extend fully up into the coamings and can be sources of cold air in winter. Crawl around the quarterberth and look into the engine compartment looking for such pathways.

Closed cell foam such as that used for sleeping pads for campers (eg 'Ensolite') is a good way to block these types of leaks, and can also be used as an insualation material for the inside surfaces of the hull (ceilings) and overhead. Being closed cell it will not hold moisture.

[arf145]

Don't know your boat specifically, but I can say that I was amazed at the number of ways air could get between the cockpit locker and the interior on our Pearson, mainly in the aft cabin. I wasn't trying to stop cold, just locker odors, but in our case the cabin liner wasn't designed for an airtight fit. I'd look for that kind of stuff, and as far as your engine compartment goes, there's usually an air duct from above so the engine can breathe. At 19 deg that might be felt.

[motovationcycles]

Take a towel and drape it over the dropboards. Then slide the hatch closed. It will seal along the top better and stop the drafts between them.

[Architeuthis]

And of course always be aware of condensation. That dang mold will take advantage of every opportunity.

The drafts always remind me that monohulls without air tight sections are only a pinhole leak away from Davy Jones.