I done messed up, holding tank overflow. Rear cabin smells like a Coldplay album. Help?

[limbodog]

Hiya.
Quick background: bought my Hunter 40 last year, 365-liveaboard
I was trying to clean the bilge. It had I-don't-know-how-many years of crud in it. I don't know if PO cleaned it at all. Plus, to make things more fun, the two heads both leaked. It needed cleaning badly.
I was scrubbing, and then siphoning out with a hand pump into a gallon bottle which I then flushed into the rear holding tank (front one is cracked, rear is a newish replacement) so I could get it pumped out. I'd scrub, spray in a little fresh water, siphon, flush, repeat. It was starting to look like the bilge water was becoming less black-gunk. Yay!
But either I lost count of how many gallons I had flushed, or I was wrong about how big the rear holding tank was. And unbeknownst to me, it was overflowing into the rear cabin.
The tank is in a side cabinet, and it has all top-mounted ports, but the black water just leaked out, into the cabinet, and started spilling out from under the cabinet onto the sole.
Now, the sole in the rear cabin was already spongy. I knew the rear cabin wasn't in great shape when I bought it, but during the first cold snap when condensation had every hull surface dripping and the leaks were pouring down the sides... Well, the sole was ripping apart along the edges and the bed support was saturated and wobbly too. What a mess. But after drying it all out, I thought I might be able to go a bit longer before having to yank it.
The problem is that all that spongy wood seems ideal for soaking up sins. My rear cabin now smells like a steaming porta-potty, and the smell isn't much better in the rest of the boat.
I've got fans trying to dry it all out. I'm guessing 1 - 1.5 gallons may have spilled over, but no way to tell now.
At this point I really don't know what to do. Am I out of options and it's time to rip out the cabinet, sole, and bed frame from the rear cabin? Is there any way to un-stink this colossal mistake? My car decided it wanted my repair budget for this month, so anything I rip out will stay ripped out for a while.
Help?

 

[JamesG161]

Lysol liquid mixed with Hot water.
https://www.amazon.com/Lysol-Concen...=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B00NFQYXCM
Dump a gallon, suck up a gallon and dispose.
Repeat as needed.
Jim...

 

[Jackdaw]

Indeed that's a mess. But what do you have against Coldplay?

 

[jviss]

Maybe a moderator could move this to the marine plumbing and sanitation subforum?

I'm inclined to say rip it all out. Once it gets absorbed into things, it might be really tough to clean it and eliminate the odors.

By @Peggie Hall HeadMistress 's book!

jv

 

[Meriachee]

If the rear tank is using the sole as an overflow repository, maybe it's time to reconsider the living arrangements.

 

[JRT]

My wife would have me burn or sink the boat...

 

[Hunter Ad Bot]

And now a word from the sponsor...

Rub rail for Hunter sailboats

After many years of shortage, we now offer rub rails for most Hunters from the late-90s and newer. Insert and keeper/track available.
See the product

 

[sailcapt340]

Limbodog,
It seems you may have to start removing paneling and wood. But have you thought about contacting one of the Cleanup Companies that come in after a flood? Your insurance "may" cover the service, but even if they don't, these companies are a wealth of information regarding this sort of thing.
We had a company called SmokeClean come into our "home" after a fire. When they were done there was no smell, dust .....anything! Even in this heat we are having now, which will always bring out that burnt smell, there's no evidence of a fire.
These companies have all sorts of equipment, sponges etc they use to make it right.
It's worth a try, you have nothing to lose. Avoid panic, it can be made right.
Just a thought and another avenue for you to take.
Lets us know how you make out.
Hope this helps in some small way.

 

[MikeHoncho]

I like Coldplay.....

 

[Captain Larry-DH]

Dry it as much as possible then - Spray it down with KO (KillsOdors) and let it air out.

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

That won't work, Larry. You can't eliminate any odor unless you first remove the source of the odor, 'cuz as long as the source remains it'll continue to generate new odor.
Cleaning up the site and eliminating the residual odor is a PITA job, but worth the effort and doesn't cost much. The chapter "CLEANING UP AFTER A SEWAGE SPILL" on p 70 in my book provides complete instructions. Amazon has the kindle version that can be downloaded to the Kindle app on any computer or tablet. If you don't have, or want my book, you should also be able to find 'em in the archives here.

--Peggie

 

[FastOlson]

Hiya.
Quick background: bought my Hunter 40 last year, 365-liveaboard
I was trying to clean the bilge. It had I-don't-know-how-many years of crud in it. I don't know if PO cleaned it at all. Plus, to make things more fun, the two heads both leaked. It needed cleaning badly.
I was scrubbing, and then siphoning out with a hand pump into a gallon bottle which I then flushed into the rear holding tank (front one is cracked, rear is a newish replacement) so I could get it pumped out. I'd scrub, spray in a little fresh water, siphon, flush, repeat. It was starting to look like the bilge water was becoming less black-gunk. Yay!
But either I lost count of how many gallons I had flushed, or I was wrong about how big the rear holding tank was. And unbeknownst to me, it was overflowing into the rear cabin.
The tank is in a side cabinet, and it has all top-mounted ports, but the black water just leaked out, into the cabinet, and started spilling out from under the cabinet onto the sole.
Now, the sole in the rear cabin was already spongy. I knew the rear cabin wasn't in great shape when I bought it, but during the first cold snap when condensation had every hull surface dripping and the leaks were pouring down the sides... Well, the sole was ripping apart along the edges and the bed support was saturated and wobbly too. What a mess. But after drying it all out, I thought I might be able to go a bit longer before having to yank it.
The problem is that all that spongy wood seems ideal for soaking up sins. My rear cabin now smells like a steaming porta-potty, and the smell isn't much better in the rest of the boat.
I've got fans trying to dry it all out. I'm guessing 1 - 1.5 gallons may have spilled over, but no way to tell now.
At this point I really don't know what to do. Am I out of options and it's time to rip out the cabinet, sole, and bed frame from the rear cabin? Is there any way to un-stink this colossal mistake? My car decided it wanted my repair budget for this month, so anything I rip out will stay ripped out for a while.
Help?

Given that the aft cabin sole is shot and also stinky.... remove it and be done. Then you can access the hidden areas for a proper cleanup. If you're skint, temporarily replace it with a fitted piece of half inch plywood, painted both sides to seal it. As pointed out, you have Got to get to the source of the smell and clean it up, totally.
If you need another holding tank, contact Ronco. Their prices are very reasonable and they are wonderful to work with. Does your old cracked tank have a part number written on it with a flow pen? I would guess that it does.

 

[limbodog]

If the rear tank is using the sole as an overflow repository, maybe it's time to reconsider the living arrangements.

At present, the rear cabin is basically storage as the bed has been disassembled and the wiring/battery compartment below it is an unholy mess. I'm not really sure what to do about the overflow in general. I mean, hopefully I won't ever do that again, but I don't know if there's a way to have the tank notify me that it's nearly full. As it's in a cabinet and I can only see the top of it, it looks nearly the same if it's empty versus if it's almost full. I could maybe cut a window in the wood in front of it and put a light behind it to shine through the tank (is translucent). But that seems... like the world's worst lava lamp.

 

[limbodog]

Limbodog,
It seems you may have to start removing paneling and wood. But have you thought about contacting one of the Cleanup Companies that come in after a flood? Your insurance "may" cover the service, but even if they don't, these companies are a wealth of information regarding this sort of thing.
We had a company called SmokeClean come into our "home" after a fire. When they were done there was no smell, dust .....anything! Even in this heat we are having now, which will always bring out that burnt smell, there's no evidence of a fire.
These companies have all sorts of equipment, sponges etc they use to make it right.
It's worth a try, you have nothing to lose. Avoid panic, it can be made right.
Just a thought and another avenue for you to take.
Lets us know how you make out.
Hope this helps in some small way.

I hadn't considered a cleaning company, no. I'm operating on the assumption that they wouldn't be cheap, and I doubt insurance would cover an act of stupidity on the owner's part like this. Unless you are saying that they're more than likely to cover it.
Its been a few days and the smell has been reduced, but not eliminated. I've dried out the sole, but, as others have said, that spongy wood has probably sucked it up to deliver it back to me later when I least expect it.

 

[limbodog]

Given that the aft cabin sole is shot and also stinky.... remove it and be done. Then you can access the hidden areas for a proper cleanup. If you're skint, temporarily replace it with a fitted piece of half inch plywood, painted both sides to seal it. As pointed out, you have Got to get to the source of the smell and clean it up, totally.
If you need another holding tank, contact Ronco. Their prices are very reasonable and they are wonderful to work with. Does your old cracked tank have a part number written on it with a flow pen? I would guess that it does.

I'll keep Ronco in mind for when I replace the forward tank, which leaks (I think it's original 33 year old install). But the rear tank is seemingly fine, it's just not intended to hold more than the internal capacity, and when that happens it seeps out the fittings. I mean, I don't know what else it would be expected to do.

 

[limbodog]

That won't work, Larry. You can't eliminate any odor unless you first remove the source of the odor, 'cuz as long as the source remains it'll continue to generate new odor.
Cleaning up the site and eliminating the residual odor is a PITA job, but worth the effort and doesn't cost much. The chapter "CLEANING UP AFTER A SEWAGE SPILL" on p 70 in my book provides complete instructions. Amazon has the kindle version that can be downloaded to the Kindle app on any computer or tablet. If you don't have, or want my book, you should also be able to find 'em in the archives here.

--Peggie

Just ordered a copy of your book.

 

[limbodog]

My wife would have me burn or sink the boat...

I had to re-read to confirm, but the Marina documents don't expressly forbid burning your own boat. Might violate my insurance agreement tho'.

 

[Meriachee]

if there's a way to have the tank notify me

The short answer to that is yes. Do a search for tank monitor, and you'll be pleasantly surprised at what pops up.
Here's what our display looks like. It's a rather handy thing.

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

SCAD is the one I recommend. The single tank Solo is the one you need. Scad Tank Monitors

Just ordered a copy of your book.

Thank you! I'll be glad to answer any questions that aren't answered on p.70
--Peggie