This Hunter 30 (1994) I'm considering has a terrible smell, like the holding tank has never been cleaned!!!!! It overpowers you when we went below on an inspection trip in consideration before purchase. This stron and repulsive smell is keeping us from purchasing the boat, all other aspects are great! HELP.
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If the owner will let you, try to find the source
before you commit. You should be able to isolate it. Unless the holding tank is leaking sewage into the boat, they don't smell. Determine if it's leaking. Another source is permeated hoses. Easy to check; just wrap a warm cloth around the head discharge hose in different places. Remove and take a whiff. The bilge is another place, and/or the shower sump with shower water standing in it; rotting fat (soap) will stink up a boat in a hurry. Terry
before you commit. You should be able to isolate it. Unless the holding tank is leaking sewage into the boat, they don't smell. Determine if it's leaking. Another source is permeated hoses. Easy to check; just wrap a warm cloth around the head discharge hose in different places. Remove and take a whiff. The bilge is another place, and/or the shower sump with shower water standing in it; rotting fat (soap) will stink up a boat in a hurry. Terry
It's not the holding tank
A holding tank, unless it's leaking, is rarely if ever the source of odor INSIDE a boat. The most likely culprits are permeated sanitation hoses and/or dirty bilges and sumps. If everything else about the boat passes muster, don't let odor be a deal breaker...it's the easiest and least expensive thing to correct. If the culprit is permeated sanitation hoses, you can insist that the seller replace 'em as a condition of sale. You'll pro'bly have some residual odor to get rid of, but that's easy. To test the hoses for permeation: wet clean rags in HOT water...wring 'em out...wrap 'em around a low spot in the hose. When the rag has cooled, remove it and smell it...if you can smell the same odor on the rag (from what you say about the odor on the boat you may have to go outside to smell the rag), the hose has permeated. Don't bother to test more than one section of one hose...they should ALL be replacced, including the vent line. How old is the toilet? What's the make/model? Ask the seller when--if ever--it was rebuilt, or even just had a new joker valve. Depending on the make/model/age of the toilet, you may have another bargaining chip. A stinky boat can be a real downer, but again...don't let odor be a deal breaker...together we CAN fix that! Just make sure there's nothing ELSE wrong that's a whole lot more serious...so be sure to make any offer "subject to survey" and hire the toughest surveyor you can find.
A holding tank, unless it's leaking, is rarely if ever the source of odor INSIDE a boat. The most likely culprits are permeated sanitation hoses and/or dirty bilges and sumps. If everything else about the boat passes muster, don't let odor be a deal breaker...it's the easiest and least expensive thing to correct. If the culprit is permeated sanitation hoses, you can insist that the seller replace 'em as a condition of sale. You'll pro'bly have some residual odor to get rid of, but that's easy. To test the hoses for permeation: wet clean rags in HOT water...wring 'em out...wrap 'em around a low spot in the hose. When the rag has cooled, remove it and smell it...if you can smell the same odor on the rag (from what you say about the odor on the boat you may have to go outside to smell the rag), the hose has permeated. Don't bother to test more than one section of one hose...they should ALL be replacced, including the vent line. How old is the toilet? What's the make/model? Ask the seller when--if ever--it was rebuilt, or even just had a new joker valve. Depending on the make/model/age of the toilet, you may have another bargaining chip. A stinky boat can be a real downer, but again...don't let odor be a deal breaker...together we CAN fix that! Just make sure there's nothing ELSE wrong that's a whole lot more serious...so be sure to make any offer "subject to survey" and hire the toughest surveyor you can find.
Good chance...
that it has an aluminum holding tank. If that's the case, it is probably like swiss cheese. 8-10 yr. life was average for those tanks. Not a deal killer, but certainly a negotiation point. Can any '94, 30ft. Hunter owners confirm if this boat has aluminum tank?
that it has an aluminum holding tank. If that's the case, it is probably like swiss cheese. 8-10 yr. life was average for those tanks. Not a deal killer, but certainly a negotiation point. Can any '94, 30ft. Hunter owners confirm if this boat has aluminum tank?
If that's the deal killer...
buy the boat. The head system is perhaps the quickest and easiest of all things to correct, as well as the least expensive. Follow the advice above but don't let the boat get away if all other factors are favorable.
buy the boat. The head system is perhaps the quickest and easiest of all things to correct, as well as the least expensive. Follow the advice above but don't let the boat get away if all other factors are favorable.
Similar Situation
When we bought our boat we hesitated due to a foul order too. This is our first sailboat so we figured it was the holding tank. It was not! First of all the venalation hole was blocked. (what a mess.) We ran an oxyionater for a week or so and still the smell lingered. I washed the entire interior several times, someone suggested setting coffee around and that helped but we used a product that we had at home for cleaning up after our pets. It is in a white bottle with red writting. It is called Miracle something. I sprayed it everywhere, dumped it down the toilet.No one that comes aboard admits to any strange order so we must be ok. We were going to switch out the hoses next but as of yet we haven't felt any need
When we bought our boat we hesitated due to a foul order too. This is our first sailboat so we figured it was the holding tank. It was not! First of all the venalation hole was blocked. (what a mess.) We ran an oxyionater for a week or so and still the smell lingered. I washed the entire interior several times, someone suggested setting coffee around and that helped but we used a product that we had at home for cleaning up after our pets. It is in a white bottle with red writting. It is called Miracle something. I sprayed it everywhere, dumped it down the toilet.No one that comes aboard admits to any strange order so we must be ok. We were going to switch out the hoses next but as of yet we haven't felt any need
Holding Tank on a 30T
Peggy - I will confirm these 30T's had aluminum holding tanks and they do absolutely perforate in 8 to 10 years. Do the math -- 1988/1994 it's now 2006 -the tanks are now approaching 20 years old. Had to replace mine and it was the worst job I ever did on my Hunter. Also just scrapped a 100 gallon aluminum fresh water tank in a 1978 37' Endeavor that wouldn't hold water over night either -- dozens of pin holes. Aluminum and salt water in the bilge is a dumb plan. What was Hunter and Endeavor engineering thinking? Wait, Endeavor went out of business and maybe the same guy went to work for Hunter. Naw, couldn't happen. Replace them with Ronco or Todd NOW!
Peggy - I will confirm these 30T's had aluminum holding tanks and they do absolutely perforate in 8 to 10 years. Do the math -- 1988/1994 it's now 2006 -the tanks are now approaching 20 years old. Had to replace mine and it was the worst job I ever did on my Hunter. Also just scrapped a 100 gallon aluminum fresh water tank in a 1978 37' Endeavor that wouldn't hold water over night either -- dozens of pin holes. Aluminum and salt water in the bilge is a dumb plan. What was Hunter and Endeavor engineering thinking? Wait, Endeavor went out of business and maybe the same guy went to work for Hunter. Naw, couldn't happen. Replace them with Ronco or Todd NOW!
30T Holding Tank
I would be surprised there are many aluminum holding tanks still installed on a 30T. Their life span was short. Anyone still having an aluminum tank will certainly have big problems if they wait until it starts leaking. I have pictures and instructions showing how I replaced my tank if there is anyone out there still waiting to do this replacement. Contact me through Owner Directory if you are interested.
I would be surprised there are many aluminum holding tanks still installed on a 30T. Their life span was short. Anyone still having an aluminum tank will certainly have big problems if they wait until it starts leaking. I have pictures and instructions showing how I replaced my tank if there is anyone out there still waiting to do this replacement. Contact me through Owner Directory if you are interested.
Good Advice
You are getting some excellant advice here. We had the same situation when purchasing our last boat. Did not let it get away. It can be fixed to just like new. Ours was the hoses from the head to the holding tank, and to the pump out deck fitting. On a Hunter 31 it takes 36 feet of hose. Get some dish washing soap, a good heat gun to soften the hose and be prepared to get funky. But you will be satisified when done. The smell WILL go away. Ours did. Good luck. Oh, and you can contact me for any help I can offer. The Head Mistress was a great help. Robert
You are getting some excellant advice here. We had the same situation when purchasing our last boat. Did not let it get away. It can be fixed to just like new. Ours was the hoses from the head to the holding tank, and to the pump out deck fitting. On a Hunter 31 it takes 36 feet of hose. Get some dish washing soap, a good heat gun to soften the hose and be prepared to get funky. But you will be satisified when done. The smell WILL go away. Ours did. Good luck. Oh, and you can contact me for any help I can offer. The Head Mistress was a great help. Robert
Just replaced tank
I purchased a '94 Hunter Legend 37.5 a couple years ago. When we purchased we asked the owner to replace the failing aluminum waste tank. He did - with the exact replica of the original aluminum tank. So, now that we've got it, what can we do to make it last as long as possible?
I purchased a '94 Hunter Legend 37.5 a couple years ago. When we purchased we asked the owner to replace the failing aluminum waste tank. He did - with the exact replica of the original aluminum tank. So, now that we've got it, what can we do to make it last as long as possible?
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