While desiccants are nothing new—small silica gel packets are often found packaged with consumer electronics—H2Out Systems is now packaging its drying media in ways that are particularly relevant to the sailboat owner. The company’s SD (space dryer), AVD (fuel air vent dryer) and HD (hydraulic dryer) products all have perforated metallic housings that allow for efficient air ventilation and easy visual inspection. When the dryer media, which is infinitely reusable, changes from blue to pink it’s time to dry it out again. The SD units range from small canisters suitable for a toolbox up to sizes capable of drying out large interior spaces. SAIL contributing editor Nigel Calder, for example, uses an SD to keep his boat’s freezer from icing up (see page TK for the complete story). The AVDs feature a transparent cylinder with end caps for connecting to a fuel tank’s vent plumbing. With modern fuels increasingly subject to water contamination, an AVD can help ensure a clean fuel supply. The HD unit is a more complex and expensive device that stops water vapor from entering a hydraulic systems fluid reservoir. From $19. H2out Systems, h2out.com
