Bilge Stink

[firecadet613]

When we bought our boat last year it had an old, musty gas smell in the cabin. The boat had sat covered in a dry stack storage facility for two years and the cabin was all closed up.

Between us using the boat constantly, and taking everything off it last off-season, the smell went away.

I'm just about to winterize it now, and am noticing the smell is back, except for the gas part of it. Hard to describe it other than a old stink type odor. Could just be from water sitting I'm sure. We use the boat every weekend, but it sits on the trailer in a storage yard all week.

What do I do to get rid of this smell? I've cleaned the bilge before, and most of it appears to be clean.

Any and all advice is appriciated.

 

[Nehalennia]

Simple Green or Spray nine. I use Simple green. I have not used Spray Nine but both combat mildew.

 

[Tonka Boater]

Is the smell in the cabin or bilge? If it's in the cabin you will need to use something like Damp Rid to get rid of the moisture and to prevent any additional mildew. Also remove all cloth and foam that you can and spray them with mildew killer, Lysol spray or let them sit in the sun. Then wipe down every surface in the cabin with Spray Nine or something similar.

 

[Bill Z]

Do you have a shower sump ? Mine was not pumping properly and the water in it went rancid. Took a while but I got it out.

 

[Uplate]

Is the smell in the cabin or bilge? If it's in the cabin you will need to use something like Damp Rid to get rid of the moisture and to prevent any additional mildew. Also remove all cloth and foam that you can and spray them with mildew killer, Lysol spray or let them sit in the sun. Then wipe down every surface in the cabin with Spray Nine or something similar.

I have to agree with Tonka. our cabin started smelling like gas/oil. We had always had the cabin door open when cruising and usually all three hatches open as well. We found that keeping the cabin door closed while crusing (which the stock Sticker says to do) keeps the exhaust smell out of the cabin. I think this is most important when going at a fast idle..or about 10 mph.

I just spent several hours with Spray 9 on all surfaces in the cabin and now smells like new. Going to keep the cabin door closed at all times engines are running now.

If you have curtains in the cabin, remove them and wash them. Softgoods like blankets, pillows, or curtains are likely to pick up the smell first and retain the odor. We took all bedding and curtains out of the boat and washed them and then stored them in those large vacuum sealed bags for the winter.

 

[firecadet613]

Its definatly in the bilge. It isn't real noticable until I opened up a storage compartment that drains to the bilge. I've got some simple green so I will spray it in there and let it sit, slosh it around and rinse it out.

 

[jpk33]

Joe, are there any drains top-sides that drain into the bilge? do they have "loops" in them (storage areas, lockers, etc..) they may have water in the hoses that goes sour. Try hanging a towel soaked in frebreeze in the bilge over the winter. - Jeff

 

[firecadet613]

Great idea on the towel soaked in febreeze Jeff! Nothing topside drains into the bilge. I've put a bunch of citrus cleaner in there... I will keep filling it up so the bilge pump gets cleaned out and its hose as well.

 

[MonacoMike]

When we got the 270 it had a similar odor in the cabin. I had Langenwalter (they are out of Zionsville). clean the carpets and all the upholstery. The cabin has no noticeable odor now. Langenwalter is one of the best at removing stains in carpet and upholstery. Ask for Jake and tell him Mike referred you.

MM

 

[skolbe]

Does your A/C condensation drain into the shower sump or the bilge, my dock neighbor has a Larson and it drained into the bilge and smelled horrible.

 

[northern]

When we got the boat in 2005 there were fabric softener sheets in the cabin storage areas in the floor, in the cloth closets and under the two matress. Do not no if it does any good but we keep doing it and there is no cabin smell in the spring when we start using the boat after closing it up in October. Simpler Green is good stuff used it to remove oil but not in the boat will try it next spring. We suck out all the water in the bilges before we close the boat.

 

[Bill Z]

I would try to put some clorox into the area wher the smell is. It may counter the growth.

 

[Lady Ashley SR560]

its gona sound screwed up but an old used car salesman trick involves cutting several apples up and placing the peices in a box or bucket and placing them in the area of concren and seal the aera best as poss. might not work so well in the bildge but it somehow pulls oders out of fabrics and bedding and interiors. hell it sure cant hurt can it