New Boat, Odors = Frustration

[Sam]

Peggie - We have a new Catalina this spring, and are frustrated with an odor in the head that we can't figure out. The boat has an electric head (raw water intake, macerates and pumps uphill into holding tank). We've only had the boat a few months, and it developed a bad smell when clearing the bowl into the holding tank - and I've never even really "christened" the system - if you know what I mean - wink, wink.I've pumped the tank out several times, flushed and filled and repumped several additional times, use the odor-lus (however it's spelled) product, verified that the tank vent is operating during pumpout (can hear it big time while pumping out dockside), but the stank persists in the head when clearing the bowl. My "sniff-test" can't seem to localize the smell, other than from the head compartment.Frustrated! It's too early to be replacing hoses, isn't it?Value your opinion, Hope for a solution. The Admiral's good graces hang in the balance!Thanks!

 

[Peggie Hall/HeadMistress]

Holding tank has nothing to do with it.

Why does everyone automatically assume that any odor inside the boat has to be coming from the holding tank? There's no way it could be unless the tank is leaking, 'cuz the only place odor inside the tank has to go is out the tank vent. My guess is, what you're experiencing is odor from the head intake...weeds that have been sucked in and become lodged in the channel in the rim of the bowl to die and decay...or even possibly some animal sea life that's been sucked in to get caught, die and decay in the head intake hose. There's one way to find out: buy a new short piece of hose long enough to connect one end to the toilet and the other end in a bucket of water. Close the head intake seacock and disconnect the intake hose from the toilet, replacing it with the new hose. Flush a bucketful of FRESH water...watch for flecks of matter in the toilet...if you see any, whatever is causing your odor is trapped in the rim of the bowl. Follow the first bucketful with another gallon of water that has a quart of white vinegar in it.If the odor is coming from something trapped in the head intake hose, you shouldn't have any while using water from the bucket. The permanent cure: a new head intake hose AND a strainer on the head intake line.Because you have an electric toilet, do NOT just add water from the sink to flush with the intake seacock closed. You MUST supply water to the intake pump because running the toilet dry will fry the intake pump impeller.