I inadvertently overfilled and pumped my holding tank. Some "stuff" leaked out of the vent hose fitting and the stink has permeated the boat. Sort of sickly sweet rotten garlic urine smell - swell. Ive' tried cleaning with chlorox, aired the boat thoroughly, sprayed deodorizers etc. The stink has attached itself to something in the engine compartment and in the locker under the stove. I don't want to close the boat up for the winter with this smell still there. Is there anything that will abosorb the odors big time and not just mask them with another smell? The tank pumped out okay so I guess the vent hose is not plugged. Any advice on how to check for this in thee spring?
Any advice will be helpful, thanks
jim
james.jamieson@yale.edu
CD25D Holding Tank Spill
Moderator: Jim Walsh
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Lou Ostendorff
Re: CD25D Holding Tank Spill
Hi Jim;
Sorry to hear about your problem...but it happened to the previous owner of my boat. What I did was to first make sure the holding tank is pumped clean; this means thoroughly filling the holding tank with fresh water, closing the inspection port tightly, going to the head and pouring K.O.Treatment in and flushing it down until it comes out of the vent again. Don't use any seawater from the thru hull, this will only add to the odor problem. Once you've pumped it full again, pump it out clean, then add some K.O. directly to the empty holding tank. K.O. digests waste material and eliminates the odor, as long as the tank is ventilated. If you're going to put the boat up for the winter, you can leave the inspection port off, or on just loosely so air can get past the threads. You will also have to inspect your transom vent and make sure it wasn't clogged with paper or other waste debris. Once the lines are clear, the odor should dissipate. If you had any leakage into the bilge, put a little K.O. in there too. This stuff isn't compatible with any other head treatment, so you have to use it by itself. Good Luck!
Lou Ostendorff
CD25D KARMA
'82, #63
louosten@ipass.net
Sorry to hear about your problem...but it happened to the previous owner of my boat. What I did was to first make sure the holding tank is pumped clean; this means thoroughly filling the holding tank with fresh water, closing the inspection port tightly, going to the head and pouring K.O.Treatment in and flushing it down until it comes out of the vent again. Don't use any seawater from the thru hull, this will only add to the odor problem. Once you've pumped it full again, pump it out clean, then add some K.O. directly to the empty holding tank. K.O. digests waste material and eliminates the odor, as long as the tank is ventilated. If you're going to put the boat up for the winter, you can leave the inspection port off, or on just loosely so air can get past the threads. You will also have to inspect your transom vent and make sure it wasn't clogged with paper or other waste debris. Once the lines are clear, the odor should dissipate. If you had any leakage into the bilge, put a little K.O. in there too. This stuff isn't compatible with any other head treatment, so you have to use it by itself. Good Luck!
Lou Ostendorff
CD25D KARMA
'82, #63
louosten@ipass.net
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D. Stump, Hanalei
Re: CD25D Holding Tank Spill
Jim,
E-mail Ms. Peggie Hall your question at peghall@bellsouth.net. She is the author of "Marine Sanitation, Fact versus Folklore". If she can't answer your question, no one can!
Dave Stump
Captain Commandin
s/v Hanalei
E-mail Ms. Peggie Hall your question at peghall@bellsouth.net. She is the author of "Marine Sanitation, Fact versus Folklore". If she can't answer your question, no one can!
Dave Stump
Captain Commandin
s/v Hanalei