Sewage Spill Bilge Cleanup

[DoubleD]

Originally Posted by rslifkin

I certainly wouldn't recommend putting bleach through any of the head systems. For environmental concerns, disinfecting the bilge doesn't require dumping tons of bleach in the bilge. If you've got sufficient access, a simple wipe down with bleach water and allowing it to dry should do the trick once the rest of the cleaning is done.

The issue is there is not sufficient access. From the aft end of the forepeak bunk to the sump behind the mast, which is at least 6', there is no access. Seems strange to me, but is the reality. It will be a blind scrub and flush.


DD

[ChrisJHC]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

First, let me say I am sorry this happened to you. It isn't going to be fun, but be glad it is not horrible poison, but a natural product, and the sort of thing Mom's do for sick babies all the time.

Ann

And some Dads!

[DoubleD]

Originally Posted by rslifkin

I certainly wouldn't recommend putting bleach through any of the head systems. For environmental concerns, disinfecting the bilge doesn't require dumping tons of bleach in the bilge. If you've got sufficient access, a simple wipe down with bleach water and allowing it to dry should do the trick once the rest of the cleaning is done.

There is no access, from above, to the bilge between the forepeak and the sump, which is just aft of the mast. Caliber 33’s have a shallow bilge of about 6” to the cabin sole, and there are floor stringers blocking access from either end. I will just have to flush as much of the spill as possible and then treat with Pure Ayre where I can reach.

Thanks all for the input

DD

[BAD ORCA]

Originally Posted by DoubleD

There is no access, from above, to the bilge between the forepeak and the sump, which is just aft of the mast. Caliber 33’s have a shallow bilge of about 6” to the cabin sole, and there are floor stringers blocking access from either end. I will just have to flush as much of the spill as possible and then treat with Pure Ayre where I can reach.

Thanks all for the input

DD

Maybe drive over to the pumpout dock and toss the pumpout hose in your bilge, turn it on and then hook up to the water spiget and spray and pumpout the bilge all at the same time for as long as necessary. On our pump out docks there is a water hose located next to the pump out hose. Not sure if you have those or not.

[DoubleD]

Originally Posted by BAD ORCA

Maybe drive over to the pumpout dock and toss the pumpout hose in your bilge, turn it on and then hook up to the water spiget and spray and pumpout the bilge all at the same time for as long as necessary. On our pump out docks there is a water hose located next to the pump out hose. Not sure if you have those or not.

That is the plan. My marina has a portable pump out unit that I’ll use at my slip to pump out at the bilge sump as I flush water from the forepeak. Tricky work for one person, as the sump holds about a gallon of water, so I don’t want to flush too quickly and push the pollution further aft. If the portable unit can’t keep up, I’ll have to go over to the main pump out at the fuel dock.
Thanks

DD

[BAD ORCA]

Originally Posted by DoubleD

That is the plan. My marina has a portable pump out unit that I’ll use at my slip to pump out at the bilge sump as I flush water from the forepeak. Tricky work for one person, as the sump holds about a gallon of water, so I don’t want to flush too quickly and push the pollution further aft. If the portable unit can’t keep up, I’ll have to go over to the main pump out at the fuel dock.
Thanks

DD

Oh sorry. It appears i have a reading comprehension issue. Thats exactly whaat you said you would do in post #1 DOH! :P

[DoubleD]

Originally Posted by BAD ORCA

Oh sorry. It appears i have a reading comprehension issue. Thats exactly whaat you said you would do in post #1 DOH! :P

No worries. My post was a bit long, (TLDR).

DD

[sinnerman]

Peg Hall is the expert. I would follow her advise.

cheers

[Noahr]

Most shoreside pump outs need a vacuum seal on the deck fitting to work. Not sure just throwing end of hose in the bilge will do it. Maybe?

[DoubleD]

Originally Posted by Noahr

Most shoreside pump outs need a vacuum seal on the deck fitting to work. Not sure just throwing end of hose in the bilge will do it. Maybe?

For the pump outs at my marina, after pumping out you put the hose in water off the dock with the pump running to clean the line. I believe what you’re mentioning is needed to suck the water up the deck pump out hose as it has air in it. Yesterday I rinsed out my tank through the tank monitor port on top of the tank by using a section of 1.25” PVC for an extension with the pump out hose. Didn’t get all the slim, but did get all the solid bits.

DD

[JBsurfin]

Originally Posted by DoubleD

This post is about cleaning the bilge, especially inaccessible areas, not repairing the plumbing. I had a catastrophic failure of my head plumbing, such that freshly deposited excrement spilled into the bilge in the forepeak between the holding tank and head, plus drained down the bilge under the floor about 6’ to the sump behind the mast. The area between the forepeak and the sump is not accessible via floorboards. Somehow I need to flush and clean this inaccessible area. I can scrub some at each end with long handled scrubbers, but only up to the next stringer. My thought is to use our marina’s portable pump out unit which the hose will reach the sump via the forward hatch. I would then use fresh water, plus some cleaning fluid (?) to flush from the forepeak to the sump and suck this up with the pump out system. Peg Hall in one of her reply posts mentions Raritan C.P. to remove the odor from sanitation hoses, but I’m not sure if this would work for flushing the bilge. There are lots of posts regarding cleaning bilges, but I didn’t see one regarding cleaning up of excrement.

Thanks,
DD

Besides the suggestions on a lot of water and a bit of beach. I was told yrs ago, when done with a deep cleaning, use a very small amount of fabric softener in a bucket of water flush that through your bilge , let sit for a bit then flush out. Been doing this for yrs on mine for a clean scent.

[sinnerman]

Unfortunately, you may have to cut a hole in the sole to access the dead areas blocked by the stringers.

If you do not remove the "stuff" it will stink forever, the smell eventually permeating the entire boat.

I looked at a lot of boats when shopping. You could identify the ones with sewage problems by the smell. It was apparent as soon as you passed in front of the boat on the dock.

Ironically a friend has a boat with this problem and after a while he became used to the smell thinking it was "normal boat smell".

If I was building a boat, the holding tank would have its own sealed containment compartment, isolated from the rest of the bilge. Hoses and head included. Or at least compartments accessible for cleaning in case of a spill.

Good luck.

cheers

[IslaMujeres]

Cleaning up excrement in those hard-to-reach areas can be a tough task. Using your marina's portable pump out unit through the forward hatch sounds like a practical approach. It will allow you to flush the inaccessible area between the forepeak and the sump with fresh water and perhaps a suitable cleaning fluid. As for addressing odors and ensuring a thorough clean, it might be worth considering the advice of experts in sanitation and plumbing like houston spartan drain cleaning. They often deal with challenging situations and could provide guidance on appropriate cleaning agents and methods to ensure everything is properly sanitized and odor-free. You might want to consult with them for specialized advice on how to tackle this unique cleaning issue.

[thinwater]

The pump-out will; be a good start for the bulk phase, but I'm sure a shop vac with a long 1-inch hose (they sell 20' cheap for sump pumps) will be handy for the finish up. The long hose keeps the shop vac up on deck! Also a pump-up sprayer for the Pureaire and other cleaning aids.


As any parent knows, it's only poop. Get to it and it will be over soon.

[sailorboy1]

When I have had a sewage spill into the bilge I have always just flushed everything and let the bilge pump pump it overboard. I normally fresh everything a long time using my washdown pump and then when it is all flushed I rinse with fresh water. This has never happened in a marina where there might be a pumpout station and I surely wasn't going to move and work inside the boat till the flushing could be completed.

Face it, the poop going overboard from this is a NOTHING really.