The Smell Oh My!!

[wwag]

Hey everyone. I just purchased a SWEET 1992 Catalina30'. I was a Catalina owner in the past and had a 1980 Cat 27'.

Best upgrade I ever made. I am the happiest owner in the world. 1 Problem: the smell. Whenever I pump the head I am getting a nasty smell. The plumbing works, it seems to just be old nasty stench. What are my options and what is the solution?

Should I replace the holding take and pipes? Head? PLEASE HELP!

 

[Old Skool Neil]

What a beauty! One of the nicest I've seen.

I expect your stench is due to an old permeated discharge hose or holding tank vent. Replacement should solve the problem. While you're at it, why not replace ALL the black water hoses?

 

[Stu Jackson]

That's one part of the issue. The other is the holding tank. Holding tanks usually don't permeate the way hoses do. You didn't say whether the smell was from down below or out the vent hose (to the stanchion on your C30). Read some of the posts on the Expert Forum Head Mistress about smells. http://forums.catalina.sailboatowners.com/forumdisplay.php?f=31 Tank odors can be cured by the use of Odorlos. http://forums.catalina.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=123476

 

[JoeWhite]

I had the same odor problem. I changed nothing. What solved the odor was to use only fresh water to flush. Fill the sink with fresh water and pump into the head then pump out to the holding tank. Specially when you are getting ready to leave the boat - flush with fresh water. The salt water in the hose contains bacteria and this makes all the smell. The odor will take a while to disappear.

 

[wwag]

Great Advice

Thanks guys, I will try Joe's advice and if that doesn't do it in a week I'll replace all the black water hoses and the holding tank. I'll let you guys know. Thanks!

 

[fox islander]

I agree with Joe. Flushing with fresh water made an amazing difference...absolutely no smell.

 

[Stu Jackson]

You only need to do this on the LAST flush of the day,

 

[shipwreck66]

On a related topic, why did Catalina install my vent inside the bottom of the forward anchor locker??? Seems a silly place for a vent, covered with anchor rope, or did I miss a memo from the manufacturer. This certainly explains why my system never seems to vent correctly.

 

[bobcat30]

I have a Catalina 30 1995. Same issue. I changed out all the flexible plumbing. I used a newer type of tubing that does not absorb water. THe smell comes from the sea water lying in the tubing. The newer type does not do this. It seemed to help.
I friend has a Catalina 36 and he flushing his head with fresh water. No odor.

 

[shipwreck66]

I fear greatly for your health and well-being, and offer immediate trade of my non-smelling boat for yours. My wife ran across some stuff for RVs called PooPouree, it is some kind of odor shield you spray on top of bowl and sink, prevents odor from coming up, works great. Yours is the nicest 30 I've seen on here.

 

[zeehag]

salt water that sits in the hoses becomes the "flavor" and aroma of rotten eggs. needs to be flushed thru for 3 minutes to clear the old water out of the hoses. i use vinegar, also. works.

 

[Bad Obsession]

One other trick that I have found is that you can take, at the end of the trip, some holding tank deoderizer and pour it in the sink with the through hull closed. You then add about the same amount of fresh water. You then pump this into your head and then pump your head out. It works like a charm and I never have head odors like this if I do this process.