Oh man, does my bilge stink!

[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