How to get musty smell out of coat locker teak

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Apr 19, 2011
456
Hunter 31 Seattle
I dont like leaving clothes in the hanging locker due to the smells they pickup. I've used teak oil on it before as it was pretty dry but it didnt help really.

Maybe some vinegar? or lacquere it up with something to put a finish on it that "locks" in any smells?

-Jared
 
Jan 22, 2008
1,667
Hunter 34 Alameda CA
Jared,

Ventilation is of prime importance to getting rid of those smells. That and eliminating the source once and for all. You can leave the hanging locker doors open when you are not on the boat. In our case, we had the same issue, but after we started leaving the small hatch open over the head those smells dissapated to the point where our clothes and bedding now stay fresh smelling. It used to be that we would get home after going to the boat and you could smell it even on the clothes we were wearing. It took a little while but eventually it went away.

Try spraying Pure Ayre....that seems to make smells magically vanish. We use that periodically.

Make sure your sanitation hoses are the non permiable type. Also check the archives for the bilge area in the H34. There is actually a false bottom to the sump. The true bottom of the boat (hull) is underneath where the bilge pump is mounted. That retains water which goes septic and contributes to some bad smells. Lastly, consider a passive ventalation system. I put a computer fan up in the dorade vent and ran a wire through the vent to a small solar panel. It comes on everyday and really helps.

Good luck. I never thought it was possible, but indeed solved the issue.

Allan
 
Apr 19, 2011
456
Hunter 31 Seattle
Jared,

Ventilation is of prime importance to getting rid of those smells. That and eliminating the source once and for all. You can leave the hanging locker doors open when you are not on the boat. In our case, we had the same issue, but after we started leaving the small hatch open over the head those smells dissapated to the point where our clothes and bedding now stay fresh smelling. It used to be that we would get home after going to the boat and you could smell it even on the clothes we were wearing. It took a little while but eventually it went away.

Try spraying Pure Ayre....that seems to make smells magically vanish. We use that periodically.

Make sure your sanitation hoses are the non permiable type. Also check the archives for the bilge area in the H34. There is actually a false bottom to the sump. The true bottom of the boat (hull) is underneath where the bilge pump is mounted. That retains water which goes septic and contributes to some bad smells. Lastly, consider a passive ventalation system. I put a computer fan up in the dorade vent and ran a wire through the vent to a small solar panel. It comes on everyday and really helps.

Good luck. I never thought it was possible, but indeed solved the issue.

Allan

I'll have to buy some of that. I just replaced my sanitation hoses with the Trident 101's and scrubbed the vberth with liberal amounts of vinigar.

I did buy a small 5watt solar panel that I'm going to hook up to a computer fan but havent gotten around to installing it yet.

Yeah, I just heard about the fake bildge. Pretty stupid they would do that. Now that I'm almost moved onto boat and use shower (with no sump) I'll need to get it to fully drain out somehow.

Thanks for the tips!
-Jared
 
Feb 26, 2004
23,068
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
Buy some cedar, cut it the way you want. In addition to those other great ideas. Catalina has been lining their lockers with cedar for 5 years now, at least. Works for me with an '86 boat. Just keep sawing every few months!
 
Jun 6, 2006
6,990
currently boatless wishing Harrington Harbor North, MD
I have found that acetone followed by bleach and then several coats of polyeurathain work even if you can't ventlate. seems the acetone takes off all the toung oil, the bleach kills the mildue and the poly makes the surface plastic, which does not collect smells generally
 

IanJ

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Nov 7, 2008
152
Hunter 31 Port Royal, CA
Use Fabreeze, or any sheet that you would throw in the dryer to make your laundry smell good. Last all year, and make so much difference
 

jtm

.
Jun 14, 2004
313
Hunter 28.5 Dataw Island, SC
if the H31 hatches are similar to my H28.5- you could also put a Nicro 1000 solar vent (no battery so ops in daylight only) in the mid cabin hatch- made a significant difference in keeping my boat fresher - w/o sucking in the night-time dampness.
 
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