David,
There are different reasons for the cause of smelly bilge water.
Question(s): How long between water changes in the bilge? When the
bilge water is drained and the bilge cleaned, does the smell persist?
The reason why I ask these questions is that I have a memory of a stinky
6 year old C&C 33 MKII....in 1991 we were getting a just newly acquired
1985 33 ready for a Marblehead to Halifax race. The bilge stunk...after
several cleanings and a Javex bleach flush flush, let to dry out, it
still stunk. Why?
Turned out there was a cavity in the bilge/keel joint filled with
Styrofoam that was water soaked and holding bacteria. The only solution
was open the space, dig out the Stryofoam and fill with resin. No more
stink. Maybe others here might have had a similar issue?
But that was not done until after the Marblehead - Halifax race, so we
relied on bleach until then for relief. Good thing as I slept on sails
on the main cabin sole.
Hopefully your issue is not as invasive, but just one of my experiences
with a smelly bilge.
Robert Abbott
AZURA
C&C 32 - #277
Halifax, N.S.
On 2021-03-14 1:01 p.m., David Knecht via CnC-List wrote:
I was at the boat yesterday and pumped out the water that had
accumulated in the bilge due to rain over the winter. I used the hand
pump into a bucket and noticed that the water was really smelly. I
have an oil treating pad in there (Clean Waters Microbial Bilge pad)
but that was from last spring so likely beyond its usable lifetime. I
am wondering if the smell is likely from bacteria/algae growing on
some oil in the bilge water. I have not been putting a
cleaner/detergent in the bilge because I was afraid it would interfere
with the action of the Bilge pad. I probably should have put some
Simple Green in the bilge in the Fall when the boat was moved to the
hard. What do others do to prevent this kind of odor? Dave
S/V Aries
1990 C&C 34+
New London, CT
Thanks to all of the subscribers that contributed to the list to help with the
costs involved. If you want to show your support to the list - use PayPal to
send contribution -- https://www.paypal.me/stumurray Thanks - Stu
Thanks to all of the subscribers that contributed to the list to help with the
costs involved. If you want to show your support to the list - use PayPal to
send contribution -- https://www.paypal.me/stumurray Thanks - Stu
