Just started new winter project false bilge issue. Have owned this boat senses 1983 well Over 30 plus years with this false bilge issue. I have always kept the bilge clean, always flushing it with fresh water and cleaning products every weekend.
I never could get rid of this foul odor that seemed to come from the bilge no mater how clean it was. I found a post on this site about false bilge and think I have finally solved the mystery. After probing the bilge liner (aka false bilge) I drilled a small hole into the liner and found that water was trapped between the hull and liner. Used a right angle Dremel tool to cut out the bottom of thr bilge liner and removed it. Found under the false bilge a 30 plus year old piece of rotted ply wood along with 30 plus years of the most disgusting layer of sludge. The odor of that sludge was horrific. After flushing the area with bleach and other cleaning products the odor seams to be gone. Next stage will be to paint the area with bilge paint and reinstall the bilge pump and float switch in the spring. A few weeks after I started the project so far no more odors. Looks like the mystery has finally been solved!
I never could get rid of this foul odor that seemed to come from the bilge no mater how clean it was. I found a post on this site about false bilge and think I have finally solved the mystery. After probing the bilge liner (aka false bilge) I drilled a small hole into the liner and found that water was trapped between the hull and liner. Used a right angle Dremel tool to cut out the bottom of thr bilge liner and removed it. Found under the false bilge a 30 plus year old piece of rotted ply wood along with 30 plus years of the most disgusting layer of sludge. The odor of that sludge was horrific. After flushing the area with bleach and other cleaning products the odor seams to be gone. Next stage will be to paint the area with bilge paint and reinstall the bilge pump and float switch in the spring. A few weeks after I started the project so far no more odors. Looks like the mystery has finally been solved!
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