We just took delivery of our new (used) boat. It has spent the winter on the hard in the north country. When we inspected it in late October during the purchase process, it had no noticeable odors. Yesterday, when I opened it up for the first time, I caught a whiff of mildew odor. It is not at the level that brings you to your knees and I could not precisely source its origin but the odor is there. How would your suggest remedying this matter?
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Take the cushions home and air them out.
Doug: Take the cushions home and air them out in your garage. Use some lemon oil and wipe down all of the wood with lemon oil. Get some lysol spray and wipe down all of the fiberglass. You can try some Freebreze for the cushions too. If you have some windown coverings you can clean them too. Don't forget to muck out the bilge.
Doug: Take the cushions home and air them out in your garage. Use some lemon oil and wipe down all of the wood with lemon oil. Get some lysol spray and wipe down all of the fiberglass. You can try some Freebreze for the cushions too. If you have some windown coverings you can clean them too. Don't forget to muck out the bilge.
Steve is right
He's also the dean of this website, so you can take what he says to the bank. His point about the bilge is well-taken. Clean it out and keep it clean and dry. No reason for water to puddle in the bilge on newer boats, but I can't tell what yours is or when it was built. Check the stuffing box to minimize the drip. I shoot for no drip, which does no harm to the shaft notwithstanding old wives' tales. Many of us use the eletric air dryer, a round heater that emits low heat and is very safe. This circulates the air and tends to keep the place dry. Even if the boat is perfectly dry, it will emit some odors owing the composition of fiberglass etc. inside. Trick is to minimize any aggravation of the odor. If you find you have leaks, there are ways to attack them. Here's a list of what I tackled on my H29.5. The worst source was the rubrail, where water was seeping between the hull joints. Once your boat is dry, you'll be a new man. Remove water heater and test for leaks Clean up water heater deck, Bondo, spray paint Order new water heater and replace. Probe water tank for leaks at water heater Remove rubrail calk with grout remover, sharp knife x 2 Remove interior boards to water tank and tighten fittings Reglue and paint V-berth headboard Remove bimini hooks at aft, replace screws Remove port stanchions and Bondo holes, then Lifeseal Remove starboard stanchions and Lifeseal them Screw down stanchions lightly to set, come back several hours When rescrewing stanchions, use 3M remover to clean up now Remove anchor locker hatch to take home. White putting 3 holes of anchor locker opening Bondo anchor latch hole for tighter seal Clear calk 15 holes of anchor locker hinge, screws Clear calk freshwater seal and anchor hatch metal Unscrew 2 U-bolts anchor locker & bow, clear calk and tighten Put cork in air vent to partially block bacspray of water Clear calk around mid-ship hatch, screw too Examine 2 hatches to re-calk and re-rim calk into screws Recalk rubrail wtih clear LifeSeal use red guide • clean as you go paper towels • leave fine smear Clean up white Lifeseal overspill at starboard windows Recalk windshield & port window clean MEK • tape off • LifeSeal clear • red guide stick Recalk all 3 plastic water exits when re-attaching Grout out and recalk bowsprit plate Remove 5 floorboards, sand 220 grit, apply 3-coats of spar varnish
He's also the dean of this website, so you can take what he says to the bank. His point about the bilge is well-taken. Clean it out and keep it clean and dry. No reason for water to puddle in the bilge on newer boats, but I can't tell what yours is or when it was built. Check the stuffing box to minimize the drip. I shoot for no drip, which does no harm to the shaft notwithstanding old wives' tales. Many of us use the eletric air dryer, a round heater that emits low heat and is very safe. This circulates the air and tends to keep the place dry. Even if the boat is perfectly dry, it will emit some odors owing the composition of fiberglass etc. inside. Trick is to minimize any aggravation of the odor. If you find you have leaks, there are ways to attack them. Here's a list of what I tackled on my H29.5. The worst source was the rubrail, where water was seeping between the hull joints. Once your boat is dry, you'll be a new man. Remove water heater and test for leaks Clean up water heater deck, Bondo, spray paint Order new water heater and replace. Probe water tank for leaks at water heater Remove rubrail calk with grout remover, sharp knife x 2 Remove interior boards to water tank and tighten fittings Reglue and paint V-berth headboard Remove bimini hooks at aft, replace screws Remove port stanchions and Bondo holes, then Lifeseal Remove starboard stanchions and Lifeseal them Screw down stanchions lightly to set, come back several hours When rescrewing stanchions, use 3M remover to clean up now Remove anchor locker hatch to take home. White putting 3 holes of anchor locker opening Bondo anchor latch hole for tighter seal Clear calk 15 holes of anchor locker hinge, screws Clear calk freshwater seal and anchor hatch metal Unscrew 2 U-bolts anchor locker & bow, clear calk and tighten Put cork in air vent to partially block bacspray of water Clear calk around mid-ship hatch, screw too Examine 2 hatches to re-calk and re-rim calk into screws Recalk rubrail wtih clear LifeSeal use red guide • clean as you go paper towels • leave fine smear Clean up white Lifeseal overspill at starboard windows Recalk windshield & port window clean MEK • tape off • LifeSeal clear • red guide stick Recalk all 3 plastic water exits when re-attaching Grout out and recalk bowsprit plate Remove 5 floorboards, sand 220 grit, apply 3-coats of spar varnish
Some good and bad advice so far..
Quote From Deadline: "Check the stuffing box to minimize the drip. I shoot for no drip, which does no harm to the shaft notwithstanding old wives' tales." DO NOT listen to this advice it is NOT an old wives tale! A traditional stuffing box with flax packing needs water for lubrication. Deadline has been asked not to give this bad information before but he's ignored the request and obviously knows more then the collective mass of the entire marine industry INCLUDING stuffing box manufacturers! Heed his advice on "No Drips" with care. When I get home from work I will post a picture that proves his claim of "does no harm to the shaft" is bunk. Enough of that and onto the real question at hand. What others have said is good information but I will add one huge area where the musty smell hides that I never see discussed. Most, if not all, production boat builders do not finish the undersides of the cabin sole or floor boards. The back sides of the cabin soles wood is open to bilge moisture and as a result mold and mildew spores grow on the wood and the odor then permeates & penetrates the wood. By simply removing the cabin sole and bleaching it, sanding it and using an epoxy or polyurethane to coat the undersides of the boards you will, and can, greatly minimize what can be a major source of boat odor. Unfortunately, there are many sources of odor this being just one of many..
Quote From Deadline: "Check the stuffing box to minimize the drip. I shoot for no drip, which does no harm to the shaft notwithstanding old wives' tales." DO NOT listen to this advice it is NOT an old wives tale! A traditional stuffing box with flax packing needs water for lubrication. Deadline has been asked not to give this bad information before but he's ignored the request and obviously knows more then the collective mass of the entire marine industry INCLUDING stuffing box manufacturers! Heed his advice on "No Drips" with care. When I get home from work I will post a picture that proves his claim of "does no harm to the shaft" is bunk. Enough of that and onto the real question at hand. What others have said is good information but I will add one huge area where the musty smell hides that I never see discussed. Most, if not all, production boat builders do not finish the undersides of the cabin sole or floor boards. The back sides of the cabin soles wood is open to bilge moisture and as a result mold and mildew spores grow on the wood and the odor then permeates & penetrates the wood. By simply removing the cabin sole and bleaching it, sanding it and using an epoxy or polyurethane to coat the undersides of the boards you will, and can, greatly minimize what can be a major source of boat odor. Unfortunately, there are many sources of odor this being just one of many..
Floorboards
I'm seconding Maine Sail's advice on floorboards. When we are away from the boat for more than a few days I remove the boards directly over the bilge and dry the bilge if not already dry. I keep a small wet/dry vacuum for that purpose as sponging the bilge can get tiring.
I'm seconding Maine Sail's advice on floorboards. When we are away from the boat for more than a few days I remove the boards directly over the bilge and dry the bilge if not already dry. I keep a small wet/dry vacuum for that purpose as sponging the bilge can get tiring.
Also..
Also the turkey baster is your best friend for getting the bilge 98% dry so that a rag can do the rest! My bilge always has a turkey baster stored in it for just that reason..
Also the turkey baster is your best friend for getting the bilge 98% dry so that a rag can do the rest! My bilge always has a turkey baster stored in it for just that reason..
Funny you should mention, Maine Sail...
For years, I have used a turkey baster to empty my bilge and, like you, I store it in the bilge!
For years, I have used a turkey baster to empty my bilge and, like you, I store it in the bilge!
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