I am a new sailboat owner. When flushing the toilet we experience a terrible odour in the head and even worst outside in the cockpit. There is no smell otherwise. What can we do to eliminate the smell?
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I'm sure the boat has a holding tank?
And since you're new to boating, you prob'ly don't know that you have to use a product in it that prevents odor. Or you may be using one that doesn't work, just adds a chemical odor to the sewage odor...there are a lot of 'em on the shelves. Buy a product called Odorlos http://www.odorlos.com available from marine stores and RV supply stores (the price is lower at RV stores). Pump out and rinse out the tank, then use it according to directions (according to directions is VERY important!) Also make sure your tank vent is clear...check the vent thru-hull. If you don't know where it is, trace the small hose coming off the top of the holding tank to the hull. Scrape out anything you find. How old is the boat...or more specifically, the toilet? Also, what's the brand of the toilet? Finally, I suggest you check out the link below...it'll take you to a comprehensive "marine toilets and holding tanks 101 for dummies" manual that'll help you learn how to operate and maintain your system.
And since you're new to boating, you prob'ly don't know that you have to use a product in it that prevents odor. Or you may be using one that doesn't work, just adds a chemical odor to the sewage odor...there are a lot of 'em on the shelves. Buy a product called Odorlos http://www.odorlos.com available from marine stores and RV supply stores (the price is lower at RV stores). Pump out and rinse out the tank, then use it according to directions (according to directions is VERY important!) Also make sure your tank vent is clear...check the vent thru-hull. If you don't know where it is, trace the small hose coming off the top of the holding tank to the hull. Scrape out anything you find. How old is the boat...or more specifically, the toilet? Also, what's the brand of the toilet? Finally, I suggest you check out the link below...it'll take you to a comprehensive "marine toilets and holding tanks 101 for dummies" manual that'll help you learn how to operate and maintain your system.
Peggy, isn't it likely that its dead organisms...
...in the intake line rather than holding tank odor? Michel said they smell the odor when flushing. Sounds to me like stale water that's been sitting in the line supplying flush water to the bowl. Does that make sense?
...in the intake line rather than holding tank odor? Michel said they smell the odor when flushing. Sounds to me like stale water that's been sitting in the line supplying flush water to the bowl. Does that make sense?
Doubtful if the odor is in the cockpit
That has to be coming out the tank vent. Also doubtful that it's intake odor because that should only occur with the first flush after the boat has sat and go away after the first flush clears the stagnant water out of the system. Otoh, if some animal or vegetable sea life has been pulled into the intake to die and decay, he could have both problems. Or, depending on the age of the toilet and how long it's been since the joker valve was replaced--if ever-- odor coming from the toilet could be coming back from the head intake line. Because this is his first boat, it seemed prudent to tackle one problem at a time, starting with the most obvious, instead of burying him under all the possible odor sources at once. If he still has odor after we've solved that one, we'll work on other possible sources odor.
That has to be coming out the tank vent. Also doubtful that it's intake odor because that should only occur with the first flush after the boat has sat and go away after the first flush clears the stagnant water out of the system. Otoh, if some animal or vegetable sea life has been pulled into the intake to die and decay, he could have both problems. Or, depending on the age of the toilet and how long it's been since the joker valve was replaced--if ever-- odor coming from the toilet could be coming back from the head intake line. Because this is his first boat, it seemed prudent to tackle one problem at a time, starting with the most obvious, instead of burying him under all the possible odor sources at once. If he still has odor after we've solved that one, we'll work on other possible sources odor.
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