the holding tank area has a bad aroma. nothing is leaking, any ideas where to fix this, can hoses emit odors?
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I'd like to know, too!
That's a good question ... we recently purchased our boat and it seems that the PO left about half the tank full of foul liquid for the year that the boat sat on land. The smell permeated the cushions in the forward berth most (just over the tank), but also all the upholstery had the odor. The upholstery gave my wife the creeps, so that was absolutely the first thing that had to get replaced, including all the foam. Also, I filled the tank with lake water to dilute it as much as possible before having the tank pumped at the local service. I added some liquid "tank freshener" that the PO left on board, filled the tank about an eighth full again with lake water and then added 4 oz of holding tank deoderizer that I got from the local sail shop. I don't recall the brand offhand, but it looks like a blue dye. Now the odor is not noticeable when ventilated but when it is closed up, it is detectable. I think the main thing is to get the tank as clean as possible and getting rid of the contaminated upholstery made a huge difference. I don't have a need for a marine head with a holding tank and my wife won't tolerate any unpleasant odor whatsoever. The ultimate solution my have to be to switch the head to a porta-potty. We looked at several boats with marine head and all had a noticeable odor. The one boat where the owner switched to porta-potty, there was no odor. I'm already getting pressure to do this job because a foul smell on the new upholstery will not be tolerated. I'm hoping I can get it freshenened up enough to avoid this task for the time being. I plan on flushing lake water and pumping at the local service a few times more to see if I can get rid of any trace of odor.
That's a good question ... we recently purchased our boat and it seems that the PO left about half the tank full of foul liquid for the year that the boat sat on land. The smell permeated the cushions in the forward berth most (just over the tank), but also all the upholstery had the odor. The upholstery gave my wife the creeps, so that was absolutely the first thing that had to get replaced, including all the foam. Also, I filled the tank with lake water to dilute it as much as possible before having the tank pumped at the local service. I added some liquid "tank freshener" that the PO left on board, filled the tank about an eighth full again with lake water and then added 4 oz of holding tank deoderizer that I got from the local sail shop. I don't recall the brand offhand, but it looks like a blue dye. Now the odor is not noticeable when ventilated but when it is closed up, it is detectable. I think the main thing is to get the tank as clean as possible and getting rid of the contaminated upholstery made a huge difference. I don't have a need for a marine head with a holding tank and my wife won't tolerate any unpleasant odor whatsoever. The ultimate solution my have to be to switch the head to a porta-potty. We looked at several boats with marine head and all had a noticeable odor. The one boat where the owner switched to porta-potty, there was no odor. I'm already getting pressure to do this job because a foul smell on the new upholstery will not be tolerated. I'm hoping I can get it freshenened up enough to avoid this task for the time being. I plan on flushing lake water and pumping at the local service a few times more to see if I can get rid of any trace of odor.
aqua-chem
aqua-chem is a pool additive that a friend turned us onto. only about a buck a Wal-Mart. pour about 1/2 gal into tank, pump it out, add the other half back fill, let it set, pump her again. after cleaning the tank, remove all cushions, carpet, etc, clean with febreze, air in sun all day, while sunning cushions, etc, take 1/2 bleach, 1/2 water solution and clean everything fiberglass inside and hose out interior. be sure to include the bilge! after you got everything cleaned up, use just a little aqua-chem after every few flushes or so to keep it that way. also spread around a few dryer sheets under cushions and in hanging lockers. your wife or girlfriend will love you!
aqua-chem is a pool additive that a friend turned us onto. only about a buck a Wal-Mart. pour about 1/2 gal into tank, pump it out, add the other half back fill, let it set, pump her again. after cleaning the tank, remove all cushions, carpet, etc, clean with febreze, air in sun all day, while sunning cushions, etc, take 1/2 bleach, 1/2 water solution and clean everything fiberglass inside and hose out interior. be sure to include the bilge! after you got everything cleaned up, use just a little aqua-chem after every few flushes or so to keep it that way. also spread around a few dryer sheets under cushions and in hanging lockers. your wife or girlfriend will love you!
Tank is rarely a source of odor inside the boat...
'Cuz unless it's leaking, odor from inside the tank has only one place to go: out the tank vent. So trying to get rid of odor inside the boat by pumping out, rinsing out, trying all kinds of different tank products is only chasing your tail...the source of any odor inside the boat has to be inside the boat. And from your descriptions, I'd bet that the source on all three of your boats are sanitation hoses that have become permeated with odor. That's one of the leading causes of odor inside the boat...and it cannot be reversed...the only cure is new hoses. To find out, wet a clean rag in hot water...wring it out and wrap it around a hose...leave it till it cools, then remove the rag and smell it. If you can smell the same odor on the rag, that hose has permeated. Check all the hoses--head discharge, tank discharge, vent line...use a clean rag for each test. A wet bilge can also be a source of odor inside the boat..it's a dark stagnant swamp that can make a boat smell like one, or even a sewer. Bilges should be cleaned--really CLEANED, including hosing ALL the dirty water out--at least once a year to keep a boat smelling fresh. For more information, I suggest you check out the link below.
'Cuz unless it's leaking, odor from inside the tank has only one place to go: out the tank vent. So trying to get rid of odor inside the boat by pumping out, rinsing out, trying all kinds of different tank products is only chasing your tail...the source of any odor inside the boat has to be inside the boat. And from your descriptions, I'd bet that the source on all three of your boats are sanitation hoses that have become permeated with odor. That's one of the leading causes of odor inside the boat...and it cannot be reversed...the only cure is new hoses. To find out, wet a clean rag in hot water...wring it out and wrap it around a hose...leave it till it cools, then remove the rag and smell it. If you can smell the same odor on the rag, that hose has permeated. Check all the hoses--head discharge, tank discharge, vent line...use a clean rag for each test. A wet bilge can also be a source of odor inside the boat..it's a dark stagnant swamp that can make a boat smell like one, or even a sewer. Bilges should be cleaned--really CLEANED, including hosing ALL the dirty water out--at least once a year to keep a boat smelling fresh. For more information, I suggest you check out the link below.
I'm sold!
I'll bet your explanation hits the nail on the head. It's absolutely crucial that our boat is appealing to my wife - otherwise, I don't sail! Changing hoses sounds like a much better alternative than switching the head, so I will try your test asap. I am assuming that I will have to wait until we're out of the water to fit any hoses below the waterline. I'll buy the book!
I'll bet your explanation hits the nail on the head. It's absolutely crucial that our boat is appealing to my wife - otherwise, I don't sail! Changing hoses sounds like a much better alternative than switching the head, so I will try your test asap. I am assuming that I will have to wait until we're out of the water to fit any hoses below the waterline. I'll buy the book!
Suggestion
While your at it changing the hoses, I would suggest that if you have a manual overboard discharge pump that you check the diaphram. Over a period of time, they can dry rot, soak up and transmit odors too. Scott, if you have a standard holding system with one intake through hull and one discharge through hull, you can shut them off and change out with the boat in the water. No problem, just smelly and messy. Luck with it!
While your at it changing the hoses, I would suggest that if you have a manual overboard discharge pump that you check the diaphram. Over a period of time, they can dry rot, soak up and transmit odors too. Scott, if you have a standard holding system with one intake through hull and one discharge through hull, you can shut them off and change out with the boat in the water. No problem, just smelly and messy. Luck with it!
A simpler cheaper solution
Carl and Scott, if you want to save a lot of time and $$$, try wrapping the hoses with one side sticky aluminum tape sold in HomeDepo insulation department. I had the same problem three years ago. Even Peggy agrees that no hose can fully prevent permeation and that the more impermeable the hose the more expensive and the more rigid and difficult to install. After 3 years I still have my original hoses with no odor coming out and I don't even bother trying to reduce the residual stuff in the hoses after flushing to minimize permeation as postulated by Peggy's teachings. This is important for me as it reduced the amount of water needed in each flush and increased the time between pump-outs; a critical problem given the small size (13 gal) of my holding tank. Unless you have inaccessible hoses, covering them with aluminum tape is the easiest solution. I imagine that for those hose segments that you have no direct access to wrap them in place, you could replace them for the cheaper and softer type of hose and wrap them with aluminum tape after you have defined the final shape they are going to be bent to. Otherwise, covering them with aluminum tape will make them rigid and you will not be able to shape them. Check the forum archives for a detailed discussion of the topic.
Carl and Scott, if you want to save a lot of time and $$$, try wrapping the hoses with one side sticky aluminum tape sold in HomeDepo insulation department. I had the same problem three years ago. Even Peggy agrees that no hose can fully prevent permeation and that the more impermeable the hose the more expensive and the more rigid and difficult to install. After 3 years I still have my original hoses with no odor coming out and I don't even bother trying to reduce the residual stuff in the hoses after flushing to minimize permeation as postulated by Peggy's teachings. This is important for me as it reduced the amount of water needed in each flush and increased the time between pump-outs; a critical problem given the small size (13 gal) of my holding tank. Unless you have inaccessible hoses, covering them with aluminum tape is the easiest solution. I imagine that for those hose segments that you have no direct access to wrap them in place, you could replace them for the cheaper and softer type of hose and wrap them with aluminum tape after you have defined the final shape they are going to be bent to. Otherwise, covering them with aluminum tape will make them rigid and you will not be able to shape them. Check the forum archives for a detailed discussion of the topic.
Jose
Looks like a good idea. I read all of the posts in the archives and there seemed to be more positives than negatives. I wish I'd seen this last year when I busted my knuckles changing my lines out. I'm going to keep this in mind before I do it again. On the negative comments, I can't really see what the problem would be. In my case, I have all marlon diverter valves and a marlon connection to the head. The only metal is the bronze through hull, and the aluminum would be insulated from that by the hose itself. The only way for urine to get on any of the hoses would be if I wet the bed as the entire system is under the v berth. There are stainless hose clamps, but they would be easily insulated with electricians tape or saran wrap before installing the aluminum tape.
Looks like a good idea. I read all of the posts in the archives and there seemed to be more positives than negatives. I wish I'd seen this last year when I busted my knuckles changing my lines out. I'm going to keep this in mind before I do it again. On the negative comments, I can't really see what the problem would be. In my case, I have all marlon diverter valves and a marlon connection to the head. The only metal is the bronze through hull, and the aluminum would be insulated from that by the hose itself. The only way for urine to get on any of the hoses would be if I wet the bed as the entire system is under the v berth. There are stainless hose clamps, but they would be easily insulated with electricians tape or saran wrap before installing the aluminum tape.
J.B. No need to worry
There is really no physical reason why you would need to isolate the stainless steel clamps or even the through hulls. Think of it this way: electrical bonding is recommended between all metal parts in contact with the outside of a boat. This includes engine, through hulls and the keel and usually these parts are connected using cupper wire and not steel or bronze. Nobody has ever suggested that bonding with cupper wire causes galvanic corrosion. In fact, electrical bonding localizes the corrosion on the zinc electrodes in contact with the water and thus protects the more noble metals. The truth is that Peggy's so-called "experts" never came up with a reason why wrapping with aluminum tape plastic tubes would promote galvanic corrosion. The only possible corrosion could happen if salt water or urine were to be introduced between the aluminum tape and the metal in question. In that case, aluminum being less noble metal would corrode instead of the bronze or steel. Too bad you did not read my postings a year ago. I will keep bringing it up periodically because I really think it can save people a lot of work, $$$ and more important exposure to odors.
There is really no physical reason why you would need to isolate the stainless steel clamps or even the through hulls. Think of it this way: electrical bonding is recommended between all metal parts in contact with the outside of a boat. This includes engine, through hulls and the keel and usually these parts are connected using cupper wire and not steel or bronze. Nobody has ever suggested that bonding with cupper wire causes galvanic corrosion. In fact, electrical bonding localizes the corrosion on the zinc electrodes in contact with the water and thus protects the more noble metals. The truth is that Peggy's so-called "experts" never came up with a reason why wrapping with aluminum tape plastic tubes would promote galvanic corrosion. The only possible corrosion could happen if salt water or urine were to be introduced between the aluminum tape and the metal in question. In that case, aluminum being less noble metal would corrode instead of the bronze or steel. Too bad you did not read my postings a year ago. I will keep bringing it up periodically because I really think it can save people a lot of work, $$$ and more important exposure to odors.
Thanks Jose!
I didn't have time to read it last year, I was on top of my head under a v berth changing hoses and getting back aches. Small area, hard to get to and no easy task. That mention I made about the overboard pump. Real deal. After I got my hoses changed, and they did need it, the odor still remained, just not as bad. I continued looking around for leaks in the connections and stumbled upon it. The diaphram was dry rotted and there was actually seepage, just not enough to drip. No problems now but I will definately keep the taping in mind and try it if (when) the odor pops up again.
I didn't have time to read it last year, I was on top of my head under a v berth changing hoses and getting back aches. Small area, hard to get to and no easy task. That mention I made about the overboard pump. Real deal. After I got my hoses changed, and they did need it, the odor still remained, just not as bad. I continued looking around for leaks in the connections and stumbled upon it. The diaphram was dry rotted and there was actually seepage, just not enough to drip. No problems now but I will definately keep the taping in mind and try it if (when) the odor pops up again.
odor in water tank
Fill it with water and add about 1/2 cup of bleach. Let it sit for a day & pump in out thru the fau7cets. That flushes the lines and faucet wit5h the bleach solution. Neutralize te bleach with a filled water tank and baking soda. Add a carbon filter to the cold water line and the water should be drinkable. Or fill the water tank and pour in a qt of cheap vodka.
Fill it with water and add about 1/2 cup of bleach. Let it sit for a day & pump in out thru the fau7cets. That flushes the lines and faucet wit5h the bleach solution. Neutralize te bleach with a filled water tank and baking soda. Add a carbon filter to the cold water line and the water should be drinkable. Or fill the water tank and pour in a qt of cheap vodka.
embalmer trick
completely fill the cavity around your tank with bran ( the stuff they feed to horses )it will absosb even the worst smells as well as any moisture present. Remove at the end of the season - serve bran muffins at haulout.
completely fill the cavity around your tank with bran ( the stuff they feed to horses )it will absosb even the worst smells as well as any moisture present. Remove at the end of the season - serve bran muffins at haulout.
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