odd smell from the bilge

[finnaddict]

Hey all have a 305 express that I got this year and enjoying greatly.some time around the end of august every now and then an unpleasant smell was coming from the cabin.After cleaning the cabin inside out it kept coming back,some days worse than others.I seemed to trace it back to the bilge.After cleaning the bilge with a wet vac last weekend I was writing it off to stagnant water in the bilge.Took the boat for a nice run this weekend ,Moriches to Montauk,and noticed the smell coming back after a couple days.I then opened up the bilge compartments didn't find the smell coming from there but was surprised to find so much water in the bilge to a point the floats should have gone off.So here is a list of questions if anyone could help ;1-Has anyone experienced an odd smell from their cabin and what could be the cause?2-The aux switches for both bilge pumps work is there something I'm missing for the float switches seems odd both would stop working?3-All hull valves are shut and all deck drains are clear I just can't figure where water would be getting into the bilge?

 

[georgemjr]

Is your holding tank empty? I usually put a little bilge cleaner in the bilge so that it smells better and is continuosly cleaning itself. Water enters almost everyone's boat and has been discussed quite a bit here. Try a search. It could be anchor locker or any number of places, but 1 thing is for sure, it is almost impossible to stop. 1 important thing to note is if it happens after a rain, or not, and if it is salt or fresh water that is entering. If it is salt water coming in when it hasn't rained, I would look into it more thoroughly and worridly.

 

[georgemjr]

As for the bilge pumps, you should be able to lift the float. If they (the floats) are the enclosed type, you can lift it by looking where the wires enter the box, there you can twist them (or the small tube the wires go through) and it will lift the float and you should hear the bilge kick on. If not, you have a bad float (or wiring) - assuming the bilge goes on when you hit the switch.

 

[uncljohn]

define 'odd smell' for us a little better. Musty/moldy smell, dead mouse smell, rotten egg smell, dirt smell.

 

[finnaddict]

Thanks George They are the enclosed type and will head out to the boat tomorrow to check for the tube or wires to see if it goes off.Have You made the run out to montauk?I see Your from Bay shore.I've made it twice this year and love the ride and the fishing.Next year We are looking forward to heading to the North fork and Block Island.If You hit any of these spots any recommendations would be great and if interested would give You My opinions. Uncle John the smell is hard to describe.Its not a dead decaying smell or a rotting smell.The best only thing We thought is maybe my gulp alive bucket leaked but that wasn't the case.Now if You ever smelled the plastic lure treatments a small wiff is not pleasant but also not overly offensive . But when the smell takes over the cabin its just nasty.Also I only really use the head when women and or kids are on board and dump it regularly.I'm going to try some disinfectant and bilge cleaner and see if it helps.Thanks Guys safe boating and tight lines to You fishermen.

 

[richie rich]

how old is the boat? I had the exact same problem on my older sailfish...tried every chemical known to mankind....as soon as the chemical smell went away, the nasty smell came back...and it usually peaked at the hottest time of the summer......

Since a majority of the smell was from the rear bilge area and the fuel system was giving up I decided to pull the tanks...and thats when I found the problem...the stringers and bulkheads were black behind the glass, wet and rotting......

I hope I'm wrong, but your description is way too familiar....

 

[Hoghunter]

I have a 305 Express and have never experienced the foul odor smell you're talking about. The first thing I would do is check the hose connections for your holding tank. If one of the inlet/outlet hoses is loose or if the vent hose is loose that would allow odor to escape from your holding tank.

As far as the water goes as stated it's going to be there. Most of this water will come from your anchor locker drain. In heavy seas or rain the water runs under the lip of the anchor locker lid and into the anchor locker. This water then drains to your forward bilge. The water will stay in the forward bilge until the boat is at a rather steep bow to stern angle (such as when accelerating from a dead stop) and will then run to the rear bilge. If it's deep enough it will turn on the forward bilge pump as well.

As for the bilge pumps you can check them by turning the wire in the float switch. Are you sure that you have your bilge pump switch set to auto? If not then it won't run when it needs to.

 

[finnaddict]

Rich the boat is a 2007 and surveyed in the spring,not that it guarantees there is no stringer or hull damage . Hoghunter I think You could be right and going in to tighten and check all tank connections. The water makes sense too considering I just fished 3 days in anywhere from 2 to 5 foot chop and rips with a wind blowing up to 25 mph .Will check all options and get back. Thanks Guys

 

[richie rich]

Rich the boat is a 2007 and surveyed in the spring,not that it guarantees there is no stringer or hull damage .

Yeah, thats a bit early for wood damage for sure.....thankfully so.....sounds like you got a pocket of stagnant water somewhere...it is an awful smell though...especially when you bring friends aboard.....know anyone with one of those snake cameras like you see chimney guys use that can get into tight places??

 

[georgemjr]

Two more things: 1) I don't think there is an "automatic" setting for the bilge pump. it should be wired such that the float will turn it on irrelevant of any switch (like a float switch), including the battery switches. If there is a battery on the boat, the float should turn it on. 2) One thing I noticed on my last 2 boats was a clogged vent line to the holding tank. This did 2 things. It didn't allow the tank to "breathe" overboard, and it built up pressure in the tank after multiple flushes, to the point where the waste would start to come out of the waste port where you would normally attach a vacuum pump to. It wasn't pretty, but I removed the vent line and cleaned out about 4 inches of old toilet paper. An easy check would be to go to a pump-out station and pump it out. When empty, you should feel suction from the vent opening on the side of the boat as the vacuum sucks the air in there...

 

[finnaddict]

OK went down to check things out.first twisted the wires on the float switches.no reaction from the forward pump and the aft would only work if I lifted the float real fast,leading Me to believe the switches are on their way out or gone. To double check I pulled the quick connect from each float and jumped them out and the bilges go on no problem.Going to replace them this weekend.Also going to flush and clean the bilge and holding tank and take it from there.Thanks again Gents.

 

[BobP]

Toss some clorox in the forward bilge water and shower sump via shower floor drain, just 1/2 cap full in sump and two in forward bilge.

 

[BobP]

Moriches?

Also check your stern bilge for a pile of racoon dump, doesn't smell like one would think a dump should smell.

Been there, done that!

The entire boat centerline is same bilge, and gas spaces below fixed floor above flotation foam in cockpit communicate into and up the sides of hull, all the way to the anchor locker via cabin.

if you left the anchor locker open overnite, checktoo for dumps.