I purchased a 1986 Hunter 31 last year. The previous owner did'nt have the decency to empty the holding tank. I have tried numerous products to eliminate the odor which seems to hold up in the bow and the head. I purchased the boat when it was on the hull so there is no telling how long the tank sat there full of stink !! The only thing I can think that has happened is that the stink has permeated the connecting hoses or the holding tank. Any suggestions?? Thanks
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R. Marble
Try this
When I bought my 27 Hunter it smelled bad too. It looked like the owner had replaced hoses etc around the head but it still was bad. I finaly found that the kitchen sink drain had a leak and there was a nice little pool under that area of the boat that was the source of the smell. Don't just assume its the head if you don't see anything wrong in that area look elsewhere. If your tank and lines are tight they should not stink.
When I bought my 27 Hunter it smelled bad too. It looked like the owner had replaced hoses etc around the head but it still was bad. I finaly found that the kitchen sink drain had a leak and there was a nice little pool under that area of the boat that was the source of the smell. Don't just assume its the head if you don't see anything wrong in that area look elsewhere. If your tank and lines are tight they should not stink.
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Peggie Hall/HeadMistress
Doubtful that the tank has permeated
Although, if it's aluminum it may have leaked. Nothing you can put in a holding tank is likely to have any effect on odor INSIDE the boat...unless the tank is leaking, any odor inside the tank has nowhere to go but out the tank vent. The source of any odr inside the boat has to BE inside the boat. Permeated hoses are a strong possibility...so is a leaking y-valve or macerator (if there are any). A wet bilge can smell like sewer, especially if trapped water has been allowed to sit and stagnate in the summer heat...so can a dirty sump. Dead and decaying sea life trapped in the head intake and the channel in the rim of the bowl can stink like a sewer. So the only thing to do is start eliminating possibilities one by one. Start by cleaning the bilge--really CLEANING it with lots of detergent and water, followed by thoroughly flushing out ALL the dirty water--and the sumps. If the shower and/or ice box drains into the bilge, install sumps...'cuz if the ice box and shower aren't a source of your present odor problem, they will be the source of continuing odor problems if the continue to drain into the bilge. Test the hoses for odor permeation...replace if necessary. Disconnect the head intake line from the thru-hull (close the seacock first!), stick in a bucket of water and a heavy dose of Raritan C.P....pump it through the head. Let it sit overnight...do it again. Check out the link below.
Although, if it's aluminum it may have leaked. Nothing you can put in a holding tank is likely to have any effect on odor INSIDE the boat...unless the tank is leaking, any odor inside the tank has nowhere to go but out the tank vent. The source of any odr inside the boat has to BE inside the boat. Permeated hoses are a strong possibility...so is a leaking y-valve or macerator (if there are any). A wet bilge can smell like sewer, especially if trapped water has been allowed to sit and stagnate in the summer heat...so can a dirty sump. Dead and decaying sea life trapped in the head intake and the channel in the rim of the bowl can stink like a sewer. So the only thing to do is start eliminating possibilities one by one. Start by cleaning the bilge--really CLEANING it with lots of detergent and water, followed by thoroughly flushing out ALL the dirty water--and the sumps. If the shower and/or ice box drains into the bilge, install sumps...'cuz if the ice box and shower aren't a source of your present odor problem, they will be the source of continuing odor problems if the continue to drain into the bilge. Test the hoses for odor permeation...replace if necessary. Disconnect the head intake line from the thru-hull (close the seacock first!), stick in a bucket of water and a heavy dose of Raritan C.P....pump it through the head. Let it sit overnight...do it again. Check out the link below.
Original Tank is Fiberglass
Jay: The original tank is fiberglass. It is part of the liner. If you can pump it out you are probably half way home to getting rid of your problem. I would suggest that you follow Peggie advise and replace the hoses first. You may also need a new pump too. It becomes a good time to install a new toilet in boat too. Worst case would be that you would need to remove the lid on the tank an clean it out. It is not a difficult job, but it does take some time. You want to be sure not to break the lid. If you remove it you must be sure that it is properly sealed when you are done. I would leave this for the last resort.
Jay: The original tank is fiberglass. It is part of the liner. If you can pump it out you are probably half way home to getting rid of your problem. I would suggest that you follow Peggie advise and replace the hoses first. You may also need a new pump too. It becomes a good time to install a new toilet in boat too. Worst case would be that you would need to remove the lid on the tank an clean it out. It is not a difficult job, but it does take some time. You want to be sure not to break the lid. If you remove it you must be sure that it is properly sealed when you are done. I would leave this for the last resort.
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Don
Most likely the hoses
I had a '84 H31 with the "odor". Did everything imaginable but the odor did not go away until I replaced the hoses. Use the expensive sealand white type. It's not a real easy job on the H31 because you have to work under the v-berth through that door. As the ads say, "Just Do It". You will be glad you did.
I had a '84 H31 with the "odor". Did everything imaginable but the odor did not go away until I replaced the hoses. Use the expensive sealand white type. It's not a real easy job on the H31 because you have to work under the v-berth through that door. As the ads say, "Just Do It". You will be glad you did.
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Larry Stewart
Same thing
Our previous boat was a 1987 31 that we purchased about 4 years ago and had a horrible smell. I had the same thing...full holding tank left over from who knows how long. After I pumped it out the smell was still there until I replaced all the hoses. Tough job and I had many a bruises on my arms getting the hoses connected and ran through the head area to the V-berth. But afterwards...what a difference. Best of luck! ...Larry...
Our previous boat was a 1987 31 that we purchased about 4 years ago and had a horrible smell. I had the same thing...full holding tank left over from who knows how long. After I pumped it out the smell was still there until I replaced all the hoses. Tough job and I had many a bruises on my arms getting the hoses connected and ran through the head area to the V-berth. But afterwards...what a difference. Best of luck! ...Larry...
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Bill Cromer
Don't forget the bilge
In an 85 used boat I bought in 89 the boat had odors, but not totally head related. Annually, while at the dock I flooded the bilge and put in a couple of gallons of Chlorox. I let it sit there and rock all day before turning the bilge pump back on. Each year it got better and better until we considered it no longer smelled bad. Still, cefinitely change the hoses (get the best you can afford) and clean and spray deodorant or use deodorant blocks around the head and holding tank.
In an 85 used boat I bought in 89 the boat had odors, but not totally head related. Annually, while at the dock I flooded the bilge and put in a couple of gallons of Chlorox. I let it sit there and rock all day before turning the bilge pump back on. Each year it got better and better until we considered it no longer smelled bad. Still, cefinitely change the hoses (get the best you can afford) and clean and spray deodorant or use deodorant blocks around the head and holding tank.
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Peggie Hall/HeadMistress
Not the best approach to bilge cleaning
All that bleach is NOT good for the bilge pump or anything else in the bilge. Besides...why would you want settle for just a little less odor each year till it's finally tolerable, when one really good cleaning with lots of detergent, followed by hosing all the dirty water out once a year would give you a completely odorless boat--at least as far as bilge odor is concerned--immediately?
All that bleach is NOT good for the bilge pump or anything else in the bilge. Besides...why would you want settle for just a little less odor each year till it's finally tolerable, when one really good cleaning with lots of detergent, followed by hosing all the dirty water out once a year would give you a completely odorless boat--at least as far as bilge odor is concerned--immediately?
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Jerry
Same boat, same problem.
We went through the same smell finding campaign for a long time! The holding tank is FRP and is most likley ok. I has changed the holding tank hoses twice (a very tough job)until I put in regular PVC pipe. Only the 3" long end connection are the SeaLand stuff for flex/expansion needs. The real place where the smell was comming from on my 31' was the area below and around the floor liner sump. There is no way for this trapped water to get out unless you are at a 30-45 angle. I cut a 1" hole in the forward lower end of the sump and a moist black smelly molded wet stuff gushed out for a long time until it was finally empty. We almost passed out from the smell. I filled the lower bildge over and over with every type of cleaner we could find and went sailing making sure we were at 30 + degrees and the cleaners were splashing around. After 7-8 cleanings did the black/yellow stuff finally end along with the smell. I have done this three times this year and no smell. I know that Hunter must have learned from all of the problems with a sealed lowe sump. New boats have better access to these areas. The 31' does not. Good luck.
We went through the same smell finding campaign for a long time! The holding tank is FRP and is most likley ok. I has changed the holding tank hoses twice (a very tough job)until I put in regular PVC pipe. Only the 3" long end connection are the SeaLand stuff for flex/expansion needs. The real place where the smell was comming from on my 31' was the area below and around the floor liner sump. There is no way for this trapped water to get out unless you are at a 30-45 angle. I cut a 1" hole in the forward lower end of the sump and a moist black smelly molded wet stuff gushed out for a long time until it was finally empty. We almost passed out from the smell. I filled the lower bildge over and over with every type of cleaner we could find and went sailing making sure we were at 30 + degrees and the cleaners were splashing around. After 7-8 cleanings did the black/yellow stuff finally end along with the smell. I have done this three times this year and no smell. I know that Hunter must have learned from all of the problems with a sealed lowe sump. New boats have better access to these areas. The 31' does not. Good luck.
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Peggie Hall/HeadMistress
Good job, Jerry...
You'd be amazed at how many people never even think of trapped water as a source of "sewer" odor...and how many more would never even consider opening up the area where water gets trapped to create a way for it to drain. You'll prob'ly have to clean it out less often if you'll flush it out with clean water after you let some detergent and water slosh around in it. After all, you wouldn't just drain the dirty water out of a bathtub without rinsing too...that "tub" is no different. But for some reason, the idea that bilges also need the "rinse cycle" occurs to even fewer people than opening up areas of their boats so they can clean em.
You'd be amazed at how many people never even think of trapped water as a source of "sewer" odor...and how many more would never even consider opening up the area where water gets trapped to create a way for it to drain. You'll prob'ly have to clean it out less often if you'll flush it out with clean water after you let some detergent and water slosh around in it. After all, you wouldn't just drain the dirty water out of a bathtub without rinsing too...that "tub" is no different. But for some reason, the idea that bilges also need the "rinse cycle" occurs to even fewer people than opening up areas of their boats so they can clean em.
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Alan Liebnick
Jerry/Peggy Where is the floor liner sump?
I may be missing the "boat" here but where and what are you talking about. I have a 1986 31 and I'm constantly cleaning scrubbing bilge, compartment just aft of bilge and below the engine.
I may be missing the "boat" here but where and what are you talking about. I have a 1986 31 and I'm constantly cleaning scrubbing bilge, compartment just aft of bilge and below the engine.
You are correct Alan.
Alan: You are correct. There is no way to get into these compartments without removing your cabin sole. This is not possible unless you are going to completely dismantel the inside of the boat. A couple of thing to try is to mix up some detergent and bleach mixture and pour it down the ice box drain. You could also pour a solution behind the engine sump too. Then take the boat out sailing or motoring in some rough water. This will sort of swill out the area that is under the icebox and the settee. Once you return, you can then flush out these areas with fresh water and see what happens. Until someone sees how these boats where built they have no idea what you are dealing with. If you look in the Photo Forum, you will have a better idea of how this grid is made. One of the owners with a H'34 removed the entire interior and the sole to expose the grid.
Alan: You are correct. There is no way to get into these compartments without removing your cabin sole. This is not possible unless you are going to completely dismantel the inside of the boat. A couple of thing to try is to mix up some detergent and bleach mixture and pour it down the ice box drain. You could also pour a solution behind the engine sump too. Then take the boat out sailing or motoring in some rough water. This will sort of swill out the area that is under the icebox and the settee. Once you return, you can then flush out these areas with fresh water and see what happens. Until someone sees how these boats where built they have no idea what you are dealing with. If you look in the Photo Forum, you will have a better idea of how this grid is made. One of the owners with a H'34 removed the entire interior and the sole to expose the grid.
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