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22-04-2019, 09:52
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#1
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Berkeley
Boat: Cal 2-27, 1973
Posts: 13
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SMELL is killing me! What to do?
HI
I have a CAL 2-27 that is 1973. I have stayed on it often but the smell is horrible. Wake up with headache and everything that goes in, comes out smelling. Brought the inside cushions home to redo them and the stunk up the garage while the boat still smelled. It's not a gas smell but I can't describe it. Any ideas on how to eliminate old boat smells? I know it's old but I'd like to try and make it fresher smelling. I have painted and cleaned the inside and checked the bilge. It's not a bilge smell, either.
Thanks for any help. Just getting going here and I love advice!
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22-04-2019, 10:21
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#2
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Senior Cruiser
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: Rock Hall, MD
Boat: Mariner 39
Posts: 681
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Re: SMELL is killing me! What to do?
I suspect that you'll have to identify the source in order to solve the problem. Things I might try:
- Check CAL 2-27 owners forums to see if others had a similar problem.
- Find someone to come aboard and sniff around, someone who might recognize the smell.
- Use plastic and masking tape to section off the boat interior to help isolate the source.
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22-04-2019, 10:24
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#3
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 2,951
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Re: SMELL is killing me! What to do?
You'll have to identify the smell in order to address it. If you know what it is, you'll better be able to find the source, eliminate the problem, and then eliminate the smell.
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22-04-2019, 10:25
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#4
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Houston
Boat: '76 Allied Seawind II, 32'
Posts: 9,626
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Re: SMELL is killing me! What to do?
are your sewage hoses permeated? is there a permeated holding tank? There are a ton of things on a boat that can and do stink if not properly maintained and cleaned.
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22-04-2019, 10:26
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#5
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Louisville, KY
Boat: Globe, cutter/ketch,38
Posts: 724
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Re: SMELL is killing me! What to do?
Try a product called ZorbX available from Lowes or Home Depot or Amazon. It does wonders and doesn't have an oder itself. Then when under control get some Tea Tree oil such as Safe T Air or Kanberra Gel. Both can be bought through Amazon. Safe t air is the same as Kanberra gel but half the price.
Definitely try to find what the odor souce is. It may be mold behind the walls.
__________________
www.sailboatvigah.com Boats don't like being neglected, but then neither do significant others!
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22-04-2019, 10:39
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#6
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Cowichan Bay, BC (Maple Bay Marina)
Posts: 9,703
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Re: SMELL is killing me! What to do?
Odor eliminator PureAyre eliminates cat, pet, smoke, skunk, cigars, gasoline, cooking and musty odors
If the cushions stunk up your garage after you removed them from the boat, where do you think the smell is coming from? Foam is notorious for soaking up odors, boating related or not.
If the foam smells, replace the foam and/or the cushions.
Then see if the boat still smells after you've removed the cushions.
__________________
Stu Jackson
Catalina 34 #224 (1986) C34IA Secretary
Cowichan Bay, BC, SR/FK, M25, Rocna 10 (22#) (NZ model)
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22-04-2019, 10:43
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#7
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Skagit City, WA
Posts: 25,453
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Re: SMELL is killing me! What to do?
Most likely are hoses for the head or cushions and foam. It sounds like the latter in your case...?
Surely you can identify sewage/rotten eggs from mold smell?
Mold:
You can remove and wash cushion covers and replace the foam, but better to replace all of the cushions entirely.
If smell pervades the boat rent an Ozone Generator and leave it on in the boat for a week.
Head hoses:
Replace all; inlet and outlet.
__________________
"I spent most of my money on Booze, Broads and Boats. The rest I wasted" - Elmore Leonard
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22-04-2019, 10:56
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#8
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Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Galapagos
Boat: Nauticat 43
Posts: 400
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Re: SMELL is killing me! What to do?
Without knowing more of the details but just based on general experience, I think Cheechako has nailed the biggest contributor with, "Most likely are hoses for the head."
__________________
"If you don't know where you're going, you might wind up somewhere else." Yogi Berra
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22-04-2019, 10:58
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#9
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cruiser
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Pangaea
Posts: 10,856
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Re: SMELL is killing me! What to do?
You're going to have to be a little more specific regarding your odor problem in order for anyone to be helpful. Go around sniffing things until you identify the source.
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22-04-2019, 10:58
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#10
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Cowichan Bay, BC (Maple Bay Marina)
Posts: 9,703
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Re: SMELL is killing me! What to do?
Except we don't know if on his 27 footer he even has a marine head and holding tank. He could well have a porta potty.
__________________
Stu Jackson
Catalina 34 #224 (1986) C34IA Secretary
Cowichan Bay, BC, SR/FK, M25, Rocna 10 (22#) (NZ model)
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22-04-2019, 14:58
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#11
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Senior Cruiser
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Port Moresby,Papua New Guinea
Boat: FP Belize Maestro 43 and OPBs
Posts: 12,888
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Re: SMELL is killing me! What to do?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stu Jackson
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This!
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22-04-2019, 15:20
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#12
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Jacksonville/ out cruising
Boat: Island Packet 38
Posts: 31,351
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Re: SMELL is killing me! What to do?
If its making him sick, it may be mold.
Either way, step one is find the source, you can’t fix what you don’t know about
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22-04-2019, 15:35
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#13
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Berkeley
Boat: Cal 2-27, 1973
Posts: 13
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Re: SMELL is killing me! What to do?
Thanks for all the feedback. So the cushions.. they have all be out of the boat for 2 months and the boat still smells. That tells me it's not only the smell from the cushions but that smell was picked up by something else. There is a head that is rarely used and it is cleaned out every 2 weeks, even though not always used. The smell is everywhere and I'm sure been there a while. I was wondering about hoses but that I had thought it might be that old paper on insides of the boat but I painted all that and still have smell. I will try a couple of those sprays mentioned. I have taken off the wood, under the cushions to see if the smell would "hit me" more than any other but not really. I like the idea of bringing someone else on that knows more about sailboats and may be able to identify that smell, too. So if I was out for the day, I wouldn't worry about it to much but staying over night and enjoying the weekend at the bay is hard to do. It doesn't smell like sewage at all. Just a musty dandy annoying headachy kind of smell. Thanks and I will start with some of the ideas above.
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22-04-2019, 15:55
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#15
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Berkeley
Boat: Cal 2-27, 1973
Posts: 13
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Re: SMELL is killing me! What to do?
Great idea! Thanks TravelinLight! Mostly it's headache
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