Ever since we bought our boat, new, as original/only owners, it has had a strong, sharp, ammonia-like odor in the lazarettes, in the storage areas behind and under the salon seats and under the galley sink and head sink cabinet. It is not urine. We have a saildrive, so theoretically there is no water under interior sole boards. Small amounts of salt water appear every once in a while in the compartments under the sole where we store things but we can't figure out or see where it's coming from. In fact, rather than water, what we find most often is great big dry salt crystals. All the storage compartments have limber holes connecting them. The odor cannot be detected, even by me, aka "Super Nose," in the cabins or salons unless I open a storage space. My husband cannot smell it at all. The only possibility I can find online is coolant from the fridge or freezer, which is supposedly ammonia nowdays. Our freezer did just die recently. But, it has been running pretty much constantly since we bought the boat. Our boat was built in France, not the US.
Strong, sharp ammonia-like odor - not head related.
- Thread starter Zeus2012
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Are you sure it's not just fiberglass resin? AKA that new boat smell.
Mine is 32 years old, and I still smell it in some enclosed areas when I open a cabinet door. Especially if it's an area exposed to the sun.
Although, I find it a pleasant odor. Maybe if it's really strong it might be different.
Mine is 32 years old, and I still smell it in some enclosed areas when I open a cabinet door. Especially if it's an area exposed to the sun.
Although, I find it a pleasant odor. Maybe if it's really strong it might be different.
A sail drive does not guarantee that rain water cannot come in. If you have salt deposits it means sea water is sneaking in; check all thru-hulls or perhaps sea spray when you sail.
If the Sense is built anything like the Oceanis, there is a surprising amount of volume between the liner and the hull itself that you can't see. Our first winter we had an anchor locker leak, and in troubleshooting it I tried pouring some antifreeze into the bilge figuring I'd see where it came out. I poured at least half a gallon before giving up as it never did appear anyplace visible. I've heard that putting a shop vac hose over the limber holes can help pull out liquid that may be hiding there - you could try something like that to see if you find anything.
We still have THE SMELL. Except, my husband finally noticed it! YAY! I am not imagining things. It is not the head, never has been, I scrubbed all spaces under the sole boards that I could reach and used my illuminated inspection digital camera with the 3' long snake to inspect under the head area and through every limber hole it would fit through. There is no evidence of any leak either currently or historically. Current theory is that the overboard hose for the holding tank is full of you-know-what and has been since before we acquired the boat. The hose exits the bottom of the tank and is about three or four feet long, ending in the y-valve. There is no way to close off the hose where it connects to the bottom of the tank. Our plan is to pump out, rinsing thoroughly, then take her out to where we can pump overboard and open the valve so we can flush out that hose. The hose is not odor permeated, at least as far as the wet rag wipedown and does it stink afterwards goes. But I guess it would be a good time to replace it. Any other guidance or suggestions are always welcome.
Is the insulation used for the fridge- freezer a yellow mat material or pink board is it fiber or foam or how about the cushion's unzip covers and take a smell in there . The reason is maybe French manufacturers used Chinese supplied insulation or foam now I know everyone always freeks out when they remember the Chinese drywall incident but falmalidhide is a good mold suppressant
I'm not sure that a mixture of bleach and ammonia, if that's what it really is, would be a good thing...
It isn't. I will not do it anyway. Besides, any area that I can see has been scrubbed. If I can't see it I can't spray it. I think it's between the two layers of the hull, or something to do with the overboard hose.
I've been following this thread, but I don't have a clue as to what the source of your odor could be. If the overboard discharge hose from the tank passes the "hot wet rag" test, it's not your culprit unless there's a section of it you haven't been able to reach to test it....so while dumping the tank and flushing it and the overboard plumbing out will be good for the tank and the plumbing, that's not gonna solve your problem--and wouldn't even if the hose were the culprit 'cuz hose permeation can't be reversed.
I can tell you that odors are always strongest at their source. You're smelling it inside of lockers...but is there one locker where the odor is stronger than in the others? If so, that's gonna be where you'll find the source of the odor.
You said you rarely find any sea water in the bilges, but you sometimes find salt crystals. Have you (can you?) tried wiping them up and dissolving 'em in a little water to see if they produce any odor?
And finally...have you talked to the Beneteau dealer about this? If it's an outgassing problem, the dealer should know.
I will try the salt crystal trick! Can't talk to our dealer. We fired her for incompetence after having to report her to Beneteau in France to get her to perform. Took over a year and a half to get the throttle and housing replaced because it was extremely pitted and corroded when we took posession of what was a brand new boat. Also had to report her to France to get reimbursed for a hull defect we had repaired at the best boatyard in San Francisco area. She said the repair was too expensive and refused to reimburse us.
If you are getting an ammonia or urine like smell there is a high probability that it is a chemical substance called trimethylamine (TMA). TMA is a common byproduct in the manufacture of fiberglass insulation. When the fiberglass insulation is over cured TMA is produced. When under cured you get higher formaldehyde levels.
Fiberglass insulation makers will often increase the temperature of the curing ovens during times of high business demand (think spring construction of houses) so that they can run the lines faster.
Humid weather will causer TMA smell to become stronger.
We occasionally notice it when the boat has been closed up and the air conditioning has been off. Start it up and we get a few hours of urine / ammonia like smell. You see the insulation on the air conditioning ducts is fiberglass. After the system runs a while the smell is purged out.
Fiberglass insulation makers will often increase the temperature of the curing ovens during times of high business demand (think spring construction of houses) so that they can run the lines faster.
Humid weather will causer TMA smell to become stronger.
We occasionally notice it when the boat has been closed up and the air conditioning has been off. Start it up and we get a few hours of urine / ammonia like smell. You see the insulation on the air conditioning ducts is fiberglass. After the system runs a while the smell is purged out.
We do not have any fiberglas insulation. Can fiberglas in the construction of the hull produce TMA?