Oh man, does my bilge stink!

[CP]

Stinks like a pile fish and crab left in the July sun for a week.  Not sure what to do about it. 

It’s an aluminum boat (RH Pro V 16) with the decking that leaves a small crack between the deck boards and the boat sides.  The drain plug is also not flush with the hull so there is always a bit water in the bilge that won’t drain out.  Smells like something crawled in there and died.   

Any suggestions short of pulling the decking? 

I’m sure there is some sort of floatation foam in there and I don’t want to hurt that.  Would bleach water be Ok?

[fishngamereaper]

I'd start with lemon joy
Mix a bunch into a couple 5 gallon buckets with water... Put the plug in, turn off bilge pump and pour it all over your deck and into the bilge.
Drive around let it slosh really good.

[Parasite]

I've been doing the bleach water trick. Works just fine.

[MADMAX]

I used to do simple green

[nwwanderer]

H2O2, hydrogen peroxide would help

[highside74]

I would say something that smells fresh and kills bacteria would be your mix. Maybe bleach and pinesol mixed in gallons of water.

[CP]

Thanks for all the suggestions.  I put 10gal of warm, soapy water with antibacterial Dawn down all the cracks and into the bilge.  That’s what I had on hand.  Sloshed that around a bit and I’ll leave it in while take it to gas up tomorrow.  If that doesn’t work, I’ll get more aggressive.

[fishngamereaper]

Careful with the ratio on bleach based products.
It'll degrade spray foam flotation and could also loosen the glue on your Marine vinyl...

[Boss .300 winmag]

I used to do simple green

Simple green has corrosion causing compounds in it, be carful to get it well flushed if using it.

The aqueous-base and alkalinity of Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner can accelerate the corrosion process. Therefore, contact times for unprotected or unpainted aluminum surfaces should be kept as brief as the job will allow - never for more than 10 minutes.

[MADMAX]

I used to do simple green

Simple green gas corrosion causing compounds in it, be carful to get it well flushed if using it.

The aqueous-base and alkalinity of Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner can accelerate the corrosion process. Therefore, contact times for unprotected or unpainted aluminum surfaces should be kept as brief as the job will allow - never for more than 10 minutes.

Learn something everyday 👍

[Boss .300 winmag]

I used to do simple green

Simple green gas corrosion causing compounds in it, be carful to get it well flushed if using it.

The aqueous-base and alkalinity of Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner can accelerate the corrosion process. Therefore, contact times for unprotected or unpainted aluminum surfaces should be kept as brief as the job will allow - never for more than 10 minutes.

Learn something everyday 👍

That’s why the Navy doesn’t use it on aircraft/ships.😉

[MADMAX]

I used to do simple green

Simple green gas corrosion causing compounds in it, be carful to get it well flushed if using it.

The aqueous-base and alkalinity of Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner can accelerate the corrosion process. Therefore, contact times for unprotected or unpainted aluminum surfaces should be kept as brief as the job will allow - never for more than 10 minutes.

Learn something everyday 👍

That’s why the Navy doesn’t use it on aircraft/ships.😉

Yea
Tolulene and dry cleaning solvent are much safer🥴😵

[Alchase]

I do not have a suggestion how to fix your problem, but I am ex Navy, I am definitely stealing your thread title

“Oh man, does my bilge stink!”

I can us that in so many situations!

Best thread of title ever

 

[blackpowderhunter]

I used to do simple green

Simple green has corrosion causing compounds in it, be carful to get it well flushed if using it.

The aqueous-base and alkalinity of Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner can accelerate the corrosion process. Therefore, contact times for unprotected or unpainted aluminum surfaces should be kept as brief as the job will allow - never for more than 10 minutes.

there is an aircraft version of simple green that is safe to use, but the off the shelf stuff, nope.
this is one of the main reasons i dunk my boat into the lake to run the motors after salt fishing, and in doing so i pull the plug and let the bilge area fill with fresh water which helps rinse it out.

[buckfvr]

Pull the floor boards and pressure wash your bilge. You need to know if your foam has soaked up a ton of water or if it is sealed in shrink wrap.  If the foam isnt sealed it will be very heavy and is mostly useless.  The ONLY way to get your bilge truly clean is by pulling up the floor.  Sand, pine needles, etc. can plug your drainage slots and either block or reduce flow to the bilge pump.  Thats my experience. 

[rainshadow1]

From 14 years of professional detailing... you have to remove the source of the smell before you can address the smell itself.

Sounds like that may be a bit of a project.

[Angry Perch]

From 14 years of professional detailing... you have to remove the source of the smell before you can address the smell itself.

Sounds like that may be a bit of a project.

Agreed. In this case however, the source is/ may simply be stagnant, nasty bilge water. In order to overcome the issue with the dain not being flush with the bottom of the hull, I'd suggest letting a hose run on low and leaving the plug out to flush things out.

[GASoline71]

I'd start with lemon joy
Mix a bunch into a couple 5 gallon buckets with water... Put the plug in, turn off bilge pump and pour it all over your deck and into the bilge.
Drive around let it slosh really good.

This is what I would start with too.  Lemon Joy also won't put any chemical smell in your boat.  Which, whether or not it's an old fisherman's tale, will "scare" fish away was what I've been told.   

So I've always used Lemon Joy on anything fishing boat or fishing related.  We clean all of our dodgers/flashers and other salmon trolling gear with lemon joy as well.

Gary

[Boss .300 winmag]

Maybe someone put a banana in your bilge.🤣

[birddogdad]

there are some OTC products made for this but if there is a festering "thing"  somewhere its not gonna go away....

[CP]

The soapy water treatment helped.  The odor is not 100% gone, but much better.  And the flies have moved their party elsewhere.

I may pull the aft deck section at some point and see what’s going on in there.  I don’t have to remove the center console to get that section out. 

[CP]

Well, lookie here, 2-week-old bilge crab.

As the day got warmer, the stink got worse.  So, I bit the bullet and pulled the deck board.  Nasty.

I'll have to fix it so this doesn't happen again.

[Parasite]

[Brushcrawler]

Dead shellfish are a special kind of smell! Good call to just pull the deck and see.

[rainshadow1]

Well, There's yer problem!

[GWP]

Soooo, the cracks between boards are not that big. How did it get in there?

[CP]

Soooo, the cracks between boards are not that big. How did it get in there?

That’s a good question.  My best guess is that he made his way to the back of the boat while I was preoccupied with his buddies, then he squeezed through the cutout where the motor cables go through the deck. 

I’m going to plug that up with something.

Anyway, the boat smells like apple blossoms now.  Hasn’t been this clean in a long time.

[pianoman9701]

I would say something that smells fresh and kills bacteria would be your mix. Maybe bleach and pinesol mixed in gallons of water.

Mixing bleach with pine sol can produce toxic fumes and burn your skin. Don't without gloves and great ventilation. White vinegar might also be a good bacteria killer.

[Cylvertip]

Lemon scented dish soap and mint mouth wash in a hose end sprayer will work wonders.  50/50 mix.  I use that combo to clear out my critter carrier in the back of my truck.  Wal-Mart brand on the mouth wash and what ever lemon dish soap is cheapest. 

[highside74]

I would say something that smells fresh and kills bacteria would be your mix. Maybe bleach and pinesol mixed in gallons of water.

Mixing bleach with pine sol can produce toxic fumes and burn your skin. Don't without gloves and great ventilation. White vinegar might also be a good bacteria killer.

Darn science

[CP]

I would say something that smells fresh and kills bacteria would be your mix. Maybe bleach and pinesol mixed in gallons of water.

Mixing bleach with pine sol can produce toxic fumes and burn your skin. Don't without gloves and great ventilation. White vinegar might also be a good bacteria killer.

Darn science

When I was in basic training, a guy with dorm cleaning duty mixed a big bucket of bleach, ammonia and soap in the utility closet.  He passed out while stirring the brew.  Luckily, I saw his feet sticking out of the closet door and another trainee and I drug him outside and called the medics.  He lived to clean another day.

[Fidelk]

Well, lookie here, 2-week-old bilge crab.

As the day got warmer, the stink got worse.  So, I bit the bullet and pulled the deck board.  Nasty.

I'll have to fix it so this doesn't happen again.

Old Bay seasoning is the cure.

[L-ofalab]

You can get the last bit of water out of your bilge by hanging a small piece of wet cloth out about 2" and the rest pushed inside. There will be a trickle of water running off the cloth almost like a syphon and it will take out all the water it contacts. I helped remove weeks old decaying crab from a bilge before, barfed, and could not stop gagging

[CP]

You can get the last bit of water out of your bilge by hanging a small piece of wet cloth out about 2" and the rest pushed inside. There will be a trickle of water running off the cloth almost like a syphon and it will take out all the water it contacts. I helped remove weeks old decaying crab from a bilge before, barfed, and could not stop gagging

Thanks for the tip; I'll give that a try.