Steel Pontoons

[manouche]

Can anyone help.
Been to view a houseboat constructed on a steel pontoon.
The pontoon contains lighting wiring and plumbing which I was OK with.
It also contained a dehumidifier and fan to ciculate the air and a battery operated pump to dispose of water collected by the dehumidifier.
Having lived on wooden hull houseboats in the past I am very aware of the need of bilge pumps but steel pontoons are a mystery to me!
So my question is are dehumidifiers,fan and pumps the norm in a steel pontoon.
Thank you.

[gonzo]

I don't understand what you mean by lighting wiring. Metal hulls usually get condensation which is why they installed the dehumidifier. Pumps are the norm in all boats.

[manouche]

I'm probably being a bit girly and inexperienced about steel pontoons but this is how it was stated on the details.
Note. There is a 'cellar' with lighting under the whole of the floor space of the boat to allow acess to wiring and plumbing. It contains a dehumidifier and fan to circulate the air and a battery operated pump to dispose of water collected by the dehumidifier.
All the steel is sprayed with foam.
This houseboat was built and launched in May 2005.
Just don't have any experience of steel pontoons sorry Gonzo.
Thanks for your reply.

[gonzo]

Sprayed with foam may be a problem if it collects water in between.

Gonzo
all the famous Dutch yards sprayed foam on their megamillion steel hulls until the 90ies and they did survive. Although i never was a advocat of that stuff I think here we have a well thought out pontoon. The builder was aware of the sweating hull and installed both, a fan and a dehum. device. I think manouche must not fear the steel hull will rust away soon.
Checking the foam for water ingress should be done at least once a year though.

Enjoy your boat manouche! Thousands of commercial vessels are underway, built with much less care taken.

Regards
Richard

[Ad Hoc]

Agree with Apex1.
Get a survey done of the hull, if she is ok, then that is the main concern gone.
You can't escape the humidity aspect, hence you need good ventilation. If the boat has poor ventilation then it is not surprising that dehumidifiers are required. Depends upon the design, but this sounds like a case of bolting the gate after the horse has gone.....if designed properly, ie good ventilation, it shouldn't be a problem. May be a little redesign work/modification is in order, to address the excess moisture present in the 'voids'.

[gonzo]

If it is well done, foam works well. Poorly adhered foam over bare steel creates a lot of corrosion

[manouche]

Thank you all for your comments which have been helpful and I'm sure a survey is very good advice.
As I said the steel pontoon is a new ballgame for me having lived for many years on two wonderful Motor Torpedo Boats and also an RAF Rescue launch.
I was a lot younger then and the upkeep wasn't a problem in fact a real joy at times.
I've now had many years of bricks and mortar and a mud house in France which was a fun renovation but unfortunately had to return to the UK.
Now in my early sixties I am looking for somewhere "watery" to live and this houseboat is quite special in a very modern way and in a beautiful setting and comes with a garden.
So no wartime history on the wall but a beautiful retirement home.
Thanks all once again for taking the time to answer my question it has been much appreciated.
I wish you all well.