Hi everyone:
Thank you so much for the replies! All are so helpful! So I "inherited" PAX via a tough personal situation and she was let sit for some time by prior owner and I am catching up on a lot of maintenance. In the past 6 months (Ka Ching!) I have replaced the mainsail and headsail, had her demasted and spreaders repaired, derigged and rerigged her, replaced the ancient roller furling... and now just when I got help to get up the new mainsail this new problem of the stinky fuel floating in the head appears! I am learning as I go, just got ASA Certified for Keelboats 101, working on 102. So I'm a newbie AND I don't really know how to use this forum... hoping I am answering all here!
- It is definitely diesel fuel as I know the boat takes Diesel. Check.
-Last year I had the joker valve on the head replaced/repaired.
- Good point (Peggy?) about making sure the toilet valve is shut off when not using boat. I've never done that -but I know where it is.
-Re the Bilge, there is not much water in there - maybe an inch or two? So I have not run the bilge pump for some time. When I start the boat, should I let her run for 10 minutes or so, making sure the port holes and airways are open so she can vent a bit? Also, should I automatically run the bilge pump too? (I have read in my ASA training that I should "Run the pumps" to clear fuel but I don't know what pump is being referred to.
- I "thought" the flush water comes from the bay itself as I know there is as noted the "wet"- "Dry" option on the flush side... I thought one side is to empty offshore on the bay, and another is to empty into the holding tank.
- I do not "think" anyone put fuel in the holding tank by mistake as I haven't had her at a fuel dock - you are right - both caps look very similar (fuel and holding tank). I have extra fuel on board however, and it could be that someone tried to top off the fuel to be sure in the wrong side.
- RE: Peggy's suggestion to look for gas slick (assuming bilge pump was pulling in a gas leak" I will do that!
I think my next step is to take her to the holding tank clean out dock and empty her out and flush the tank system with water a few times, clearing all of that out too.
It's not "pure diesel fuel" in there - more like a mix of fuel floating in the water.
I have the water schematics for the boat, but am having a hard time reading it.
Thanks for reading this TOME all. Lol. I tried to reply to each of you but it puts me on the bottom of the threads every time.... I am "replying to thread" here.
MANY THANKS!!! I am headed to boat tomorrow and will review all of your comments and report back.