Head odors

[Warren]

On a recently purchased Catalina 30 the PO never had the holding tank emptied prior to storage last season. I finally got the boat to a pump-out station yesterday. I then flushed with (4) buckets of fresh water (no hose at dock), half down the deck fitting, the other half down the bowl. After each filling I pumped out what was left. I still have a foul odor, and I'm sure there is still some "stuff" still in the tank. I have ordered your book, but have a delivery date some time in June. Any advise on what I might be able to use to break down what might be remaining in the tank. It is a plastic tank, and the vent is not clogged. I also plan on replacing the entire head as a re-build kit for a Wilcox-Crittenden model 1460-C is almost as much as a new head. Also, and advise on a replaceement head in the same price range as I currently have. Last question. Are any of the Head Treatement Systems advertised in Boat US or West Marine worth the money(Head-o-Matic etc).

 

[Peggie Hall/HeadMistress]

Is the odor inside the boat or

still coming out the tank vent? Or both? If only inside the boat, it's not coming from inside the tank...it couldn't be unless the tank is leaking, 'cuz the only place odor inside the tank has to go is out the vent. If you have odor inside the boat, the first thing I'd do is clean the bilge and sumps--really CLEAN 'em and flush ALL the dirty water out--and if that doesn't cure the problem, look to permeated sanitation hoses as the most likely odor source. Four buckets of water isn't much to rinse out a tank...I suggest you try to get to a place that has a hose on the pumpout dock. Water under pressure down the deck fitting will do more good to stir up and break up any sludge on the bottom of the tank that hasn't turned to concrete than anything else...there is nothing that'll dissolve it if it has turned to concrete. I don't recommend the inline devices because a)some work better than others...b) the chemicals may be incompatible with other holding tank products...c) they can be messy...and c) it's an expensive solution to a problem that's usually fairly easy to cure without it. Spend a little more--about $200--for a new toilet and replace with a Raritan PH II. It's been rated the best manual toilet under $500 for decades. Keep it properly lubricated, rebuild it about once every 5 years, and it'll last at least 20 years. Btw, although your order confirmation for my book shows June delivery, that's just the computer generated CYA protection in case a vendor is backordered. You should actually get it early next week, 'cuz I'm signing and stuffing books tonight for every PO currently file and mailing 'em in the morning.

 

[Russell]

The tank wasn't empty before the winter?

We in additonal to all the great advice you have from Peggy, there could be another potential problem. If the tank was full during the last cold winter you may have a crack in the holding tank or the hose. I also bought a boat that had not been pumped out before winter layup. After a couple of years of odor inside the boat I replaced the tank and all the hoses. The hose from the bottom of the tank that goes into the tee for the pump out and macarator had numerouse cracks and showed signs of leakage. If there was any liquid in the tank that hose also had some.Just something else to think about.Russell