smelly deisel compartment? Peggy?

[Mystic51]

I have read Peggy's book. To date I have changed all sanatation hoses, exhaust hoses (all but a one foot section attachec to the engine), scupper hoses,water heater hoses, new cabin sole so bildge under is spotless, steam cleaned and deodorized carpet liner, sanded and lemon oiled all teak, and rinced out the inner bildge with a pressure washer and simple green and later with the washer and bleach. the boat is spotless and dry inside. We still have a distinctive smell in the cabin; especially after the boat is closed up. Smell does not seem like deisel fuel or head odors to my nose. It is slightly sweet. last weekend we aired out the boat well so most of the smell was gone. After motoring with the deisel we went below and the smell was stronger. The deisel is dry and no detectable leaks. Could this be my source and could deisel smells be sweet? What should I look for, hoses, fittings? Is CB( Or is it CU) good for cleaning the deisel.Jeff

 

[Briann]

A surprise!

Jeff:I'm not sure of your boat model but Hunter has a surprise for many of us who have experienced odors without a detectable source. Some of the models, like my Hunter 31 have a second skin under the main mould. I discovered mine after spending two years pursuing an odor by installing a bilge drain. When I was drilling the hole from the blige outward, a black VERY smelly water began to seep upward into the blige. Apparently this surprise was there since the first launching of the boat and had years to become really awful. We drained it, cleaned with javex and put our plug on the outside. No more odor! Maybe that's your problem. Good luck.

 

[Landsend]

Could the smell be diesel fuel?

Diesel fuel has a slightly sweet smell...could you be smelling this?

 

[tomfoolery]

breather tube

Jeff - you might want to check your valve cover breather tube - I don't know what boat/engine you have but my cat30 univ has a valve breather tube that is routed to the air intake so any diesel/oil fumes are sucked into the engine and don't just get dispelled into the engine compartment. Look up Valve cover breather tube under archives all words all boats there are some good replies about it. It's a quick fix and at least could remove one possible source of odour. Tom

 

[Mystic51]

28.5

My boat is a Hunter 28,5, 1984. the smell is not foul like standing water but where is that second skin. Is it the area under the hull liner? I have flushed that out. If not than where did you drill? If it is the desiel I am confused because I do not have any leaks.

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

Unless it's a dirty sump or your chain locker...

I'm stumped...and since you're fresh water, I think we can prob'ly rule out the chain locker.Trapped water between the hull and liner makes a lot of sense...trapped stagnant water usually smells like a swamp or a sewer, but it doesn't have to. Does your ice box drain into the bilge? You said you've replaced all the sanitation hoses...I've heard that one before, only to find when the owner paid me to come to FL to find the source of his odor that he'd only changed the ones he THOUGHT had permeated. So I have to ask: DID you replace 'em ALL--even the tank vent hose? You didn't leave a short section that's hard to get to? 'Cuz a sickly sweet/sour/sort of chemical/not quite sewage smell is a sure sign of a permeated white sanitation hose somewhere. However, don't rule out diesel...it can take on a variety of odors.You've said you haven't been able to find the source. When you come aboard again, don't open up the boat immediately...instead, leave it closed up while you stick your nose into every locker, nook and cranny--even those you consider unlikely. Odors are always strongest at the source...so the place you open up to smell where it's stronger should give you a big clue, at least the part of the boat to dig deeper.

 

[Mystic51]

Peggy, replaced hoses and such

I have positively replaced the sanation hoses fron the head to tank and the pump out. I got rid of the manual discharge pump. I admit that I have not replaced the vent hose. It is one of those white hoses that has ribs. I will look at that. I feel that the boat is really dry. I even cut an access hole through one of the main stringers under the sole to help me vacume water out. After sailing and healing over quite a bit: no water, and besides the smell is not rank. We are using a cooler instead of the ice box and we do not shower on board so those areas are dry. I will concentrate my efforts on the vent hose and the desiel.