Foul Water

[Jay Weimar]

I have a 26' water ballasted Hunter...great boat, but I keep it in the water (never trailer it) and now the water in holding tank for ballast stinks!!!...I called dealership and they told me to keep pouring bleach in ...but still stinks...any ideas?....Jay Weimar jweimar@jacksonville.com

 

[Ray Bowles]

Jay, Sooner or later you will have to pull it for

bottom cleaning and paint. Maybe it needs to be "sooner". My boat goes 6 to 7 months very well with 1/2 gallon of bleach and smells fresh when we drain it.Maybe you could borrow a trailer long enough to pull, drain and refloat. Should be less than a couple of hours, but be aware of possible problems from people at the ramp/marina if the smell is too foul. Short of pulling I see no other method.RayS/V Speedy

 

[Rick Webb]

Try This

If you have city water available at your dock. Open the drain valve and insert the hose into the vent hole (it will just fit) after a while the old water will be exchanged for new clean water. Close the valve, get your funnel add a gallon of bleach through the vent hole and your all set.

 

[Peggie Hall/Head Mistress]

Jay's right...

Stagnant water in a ballast tank is no different from stagnant water in any other dark "pond"...it grows critters that die and create sulfurous gasses that stink. Adding bleach only adds another ingredient to the primordial soup. Sooner or later you have to drain it, clean it (detergent and water, followed by thoroughly rinsing out all the dirty water), and refill it. How often depends upon temperature...the warmer the water and the air, the more often it has to be done. Meanwhile, exhanging the water more often as Rick suggested will extend the time before you actually have to clean it.