Boat Smells more......

[98blackbell]

My 2nd post.

We have had the boat S/V Dream Catcher soon to be S/V Belle (2004 Catalina 42 MK II) for 2 months. Docked at our marina for 3 weeks now.

Surveyor (Tom Eve) suggested to replace the head waste hoses. Issue was smells and as he explained the crystaline silver look on the top of hoses was off gasing.

There was the sewer smell, and smells coming from toilet (raw water from sea cock). There was another smell that i can only explain as rubber hose/ metally smell. Fyi we have 2 toilets.

We have replaced the hoses from the pump out openings to macertor to the tanks to the toilets. Also plumbed in a control valve with freash water to the toilet so we can flush with potable clean smelling water. This went well and eliminated all head, hose and water smells.

We have proceeded to clean the boat from top to bottom with diluted bleach water, sprayed Pure AYRE on all mattresses, settees and in the air. Cleaned the bilge thoroughly. Then wiped all surfaces with tea tree oil top to bottom. Engine room is clean and as we can tell odor free even of diesel smells.

The strange metally/rubber hose smell is still there. I know this is odd and kinda have to be there to sense it. The odor is stronge when you enter the boat. As you stay on boat you dont notice. When we leave the boat to head home you can smell it on our clothes.

The initial linens and dishes had these smells. We have removed those and put new on the boat. These obtain the odor and have to be double washed with all the odor killing chemicals available.

We run 2 a/c units for humidity control, i have done extensive smell test but cannot determine if smell is from them.

Help appreciated! Ideas wanted! Critiques cared for!

Just dont want to be asphixiated from unknown VOCoW (volatile organic compounds of Wife).

Thanks,

Mel & Michelle making memories, just dont want the smell any more.....

[a64pilot]

Boats smell, especially if left closed up, even with the AC running, the smell has all week to accumulate.
We mostly weekend too, what I do is open up the boat and air it out while the wife goes and gets shrimp, she loves shrimp and by the time she gets back from her shrimp run, 99% of the smell has dissipated, that is the little trick I play
If used frequently as in lived in, the smell will almost completely go away as the boat is continually aired out, almost.
In my experience there is no such thing as a completely odor free boat, you can cover it up pretty easily, we use air fresheners, but the only thing that make it go away is constant airing out the boat, as in staying on the boat.

It is sort of similar to having a cat in the house, you don't notice, but your non cat owning friends do, I assure you.

[zeehag]

if you pump water thoroughly through the system every few days you willnot have the malodor experienced with standing water that you will have if you merely let it sit there for days. makes a huge difference.

[a64pilot]

Buy this book, may help, Peggy contributes here often, she is the "Head Mistress"
https://www.amazon.com/Get-Boat-Odor.../dp/1892399156

Actually I guess this one
https://www.amazon.com/New-Get-Rid-B...=UTF8&qid=&sr=

[98blackbell]

Thats what i was thinking. But still would like to determine what that odor is.

[a64pilot]

Oh, be very careful using fresh water to flush with as it can contaminate your drinking water if not properly done.
Best thing I ever did odor wise was to convert my PHII heads to
fresh Heads" using Raritans kits when it first came out, they have been trouble free and odor free since. Also Raritan makes a cleaner that is I think an enzyme, anyway whatever it is, it's extremely effective, a little costly, but it does work

[98blackbell]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Buy this book, may help, Peggy contributes here often, she is the "Head Mistress"
https://www.amazon.com/Get-Boat-Odor.../dp/1892399156

Thanks we have and read back to front , front to back.

[Cheechako]

Any new black hoses in the boat? They can smell a bit rubbery sometimes. Or... is your V belt on the engine worn? do you have a high output alternator that might be wearing that belt?

[98blackbell]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Buy this book, may help, Peggy contributes here often, she is the "Head Mistress"
https://www.amazon.com/Get-Boat-Odor.../dp/1892399156

Thanks we have and read back to front , front to back.

[Paul54]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

Any new black hoses in the boat? They can smell a bit rubbery sometimes. Or... is your V belt on the engine worn? do you have a high output alternator that might be wearing that belt?

Yes the new black sanitation hoses really smell of "rubber".

[Sea Dreaming]

Originally Posted by 98blackbell

Thanks we have and read back to front , front to back.

Only girls do that...

[peghall]

Originally Posted by 98blackbell

Thanks we have and read back to front , front to back.

I think we need to do some one-on-one scavenger hunting for the source(s) of your odor. Send me a PM with your email address.