Odors

Hello all.
I’m new to the live aboards. I bought a 31 sea horse trawler and love it just can’t handle the odors.
Fuel smells,
Cleaned, bleached and used dawn soap to clean up, no fuel residue just the smells, any suggestions

bathroom odors
Same clean up, tank is only 10 gallons and had it serviced and pumped hit it’s not coming from the tank or hoses, they are fairly new, just over the years I’m sure it’s gotten into the plastic and woods, suggestions here would be great too

Cleaned all day Sunday and after done and settled still had the same odors.

Thank you.

Welcome aboard TF
It will help get meaningful responses if you complete your profile and include your boat info.
Lots of posts re odors... do a search and include Headmistress username as she is our local expert... "wrote the book" literally and it is worthwhile having a copy and studying it.
If its not the tank & hoses (are you sure about that?) The likely culprit is organic matter in the raw water decomposing and smell coming from the flush?
A thorough cleaning of the bowl inlet next step?
When searching best to use the advanced search as you can include more variables including username.
Smell inside vs outside?
Raw water vs fresh water flush?
Is the vent clear and finctioning?
Where and when is smell most noticable?
Are you using any holding tank treatments?

The New Get Rid of Boat Odors: A Boat Owner’s Guide to Marine Sanitation Systems and Other Sources of Aggravation and Odor Paperback – Illustrated, February 1, 2016

You can find it many places, including Amazon. One of the better investments you will make in your boat.

1982 Sea Horse

Hello all.
I’m new to the live aboards. I bought a 31 sea horse trawler and love it just can’t handle the odors.
Fuel smells,
Cleaned, bleached and used dawn soap to clean up, no fuel residue just the smells, any suggestions

bathroom odors
Same clean up, tank is only 10 gallons and had it serviced and pumped hit it’s not coming from the tank or hoses, they are fairly new, just over the years I’m sure it’s gotten into the plastic and woods, suggestions here would be great too

Cleaned all day Sunday and after done and settled still had the same odors.

Thank you.[/QUOTE]

Looks like those odors keep repeating!

Welcome aboard. As others have said get Peggies book. She knows her s**t. There are some things that will help get rid of the smell but it must be cleaned first. Peggie will probably chime in soon.

I ran into the head smell problem with my boat. The hoses were also fairly new as I had replaced them myself. The problem was that I had made the pump out hose a little too long resulting in a sag which allowed sewage to lay inside the hose. It permeated the hose and the boat stank. It took me 3-4 years to find the problem. I hope this helps.

If you get a smell coming from the bowl when?after flushing its the raw water hose. Needs flushing with water/vinegar . If you have a fresh water system then its coming from the black water tank or its plumbing hoses.

Check to see if you have a filter in the holding tank vent line. If you do and it ever got wet your holding tank will stink. It’s best to remove the filter.
John

I will 2nd, third or whatever, get Peggy's book as mentioned above and use it to guide you.

Unless you cleaned and examined the right things even a "thorough" cleaning may not be good enough.

What have you done to what? Be specific. A lot of odours come from dirty bilges, leaking fuel, poorly maintained toilets and holding tank systems or simply the wrong materials for the job.

And I agree that your question has come many time and recently. Have a look. Do a search on Peggy's posting name,
Headmistress.

Well...since everyone else recommends my book, I'll make it easy for you to find the link to it on amazon:

"The NEW Get Rid of Boat Odors - A Guide To Marine Sanitation Systems and Other Sources of Aggravation and Odor"
http://www.amazon.com/New-Get-Rid-Boat-Odors/dp/1892399784/

The title (my publisher's idea) is a bit misleading...'cuz in addition to dealing with every source of odor on a boat and how to cure, or better yet PREVENT 'em, it's actually a comprehensive "marine toilets and sanitation systems 101" manual that explains the laws, describes all the types of systems and how they work, and will help you learn how to operate and maintain your system to prevent 99% of problems instead of having to cure 'em. 'Cuz you get to do any preventive maintenance on your terms when it's convenient...the need to cure a problem never happens when it is! And I'm always glad to answer any questions it doesn't.

--Peggie