Clean up bilges

[MarkTheBike]

Hi all

Bav34/2001 2-cabin. I've been meaning to ask this for a while - at some time in the past the holding tank has leaked via the cockpit locker into the bilges . I have mopped out anywhere I've found 'discoloured water' and tightened the tank fittings . My problem is that there is a lingering, but not terrible, musty smell if I leave the boat for anything more than a few days. Has anyone any idea of something I can use to slosh around that will neutralise any unreachable 'residue' but without damaging the GRP (i.e. without having to be rinsed off later and then mopped up). A chap at the marina mentioned buying dried orange peel - never heard of that before but am willing to give anything a try. All ideas or past experience welcomed...

Cheers

[Symphony]

Proprietory bilge cleaner such as Bilgex would be my choice, perhaps using a spray to get into areas that are not easy to access.

[Craig]

Mark,

Had a similar problem on my 2009 Bav 38. The mess may still be under the cross-members in the bilge. I used my oil change suction pump ( Pela) to suck out most of the mess. Then stuck rolls of Paper Towels through the holes.

Amazing how much was left in there once the bilge was clean.

Once dry, smell stopped almost straight away.

Craig
"Shirley Valentine"

[Yngmar]

I've had good success drying out the inaccessible bits of the bilge (like under the shower sump) with the dehumidifier set to clothes drying mode, which produces very dry air and the stuff just evaporates. Left it like that (hose plumbed into the sink) for 4 days and everything was completely dry upon my return. Of course that won't clean up the uh, solids.

[MarkTheBike]

Thanks for the ideas, guys. I think a combi of all of them might get to the bottom (ahem!) of it. Sadly, haven't got a dehum at the moment so will see how I get on without. Perhaps I'll try running a fresh water hose under the holding tank and let the flow flush everything through, leave the bilge pump on and after an hour or two, try the Bilgex and towels. With a bit of luck, any 'solids' will have loosened and gone. I made myself a carry-box with a big motorbike battery and 12v pump (for dinghy bailing) so I can winkle into the holes in the cross-members and get them dried out as well.

Cheers all

[Salty]

I'd be inclined to try some bleach on it Mark, that stuff is cheap as chips and will eat through the 'er leftovers. But you do need to be very careful with it, particularly if you use a spray applicator, rubber gloves, face protection and overalls. Keep it off your skin, and be sure not to let the bleach drip onto anything other than the bilge plastics as it will leave bleached marks. It should remove any crud from under the bottom edges of any woodwork, but it will mark the sides of woodwork if you aren't very careful indeed. Bleach can be purchased from any supermarket, but do take care with it.

[MarkTheBike]

Yep, good point, Salty. I'm always a bit wary of bleach but we lived in France for 12 years and they slosh the stuff around with cheery abandon. Very non-Health&Safety. But it works. Perhaps a couple of tablespoons in a bucket of cold water and let that drain through after running the hose for a bit, then flush through with the hose again. Would it affect the innards of the bilge-pump and hoses, do you think?

[Salty]

I don't think it likely that bleach would do any harm to bilge pumps and hoses where the inner parts are mainly plastic, though I'd be a bit wary of any with aluminium parts, so sloshing the stuff around the engine bay in the vicinity of the sail drive might be an area where extra care is needed. I say "might," because I don't know for sure, whereas in regard to plastics, well that's what they use to package the bleach before you lift it off the supermarket shelf and into your shopping trolley.

[MarkTheBike]

Good point about the plastic. I certainly won't be using bleach in the engine bay, it's going to be only used in the stbd locker and will trickle down to the lowest point in the bilge, hopefully without going near the engine itself and certainly away from the drive. I think running the hose beforehand will allow me to see any places that need watching.

[Nigel]

If I were using bleach, I'd probably use a lot more: say 250ml in a bucket. Also use the type with surfactants, rather than the cheap thin stuff. Rinse three times afterwards.

[Salty]

If I were using bleach, I'd probably use a lot more: say 250ml in a bucket. Also use the type with surfactants, rather than the cheap thin stuff. Rinse three times afterwards.

Nigel's comment sounds good to me, and particularly the bit about rinsing afterwards.

[Wayne]

Just a comment on the use of bleach and its affect on "boat parts". I used a diluted amount to clean up the toilet. Worked well on the porcelain but after a while, approx 5 months of not a lot of toilet cleaning with the bleach, my Jabsco electric macerator started to leak around the seals. Upon reading the lit attached to the new pump, Jabsco mentions not to use bleach type cleaners to flush/clean toilet.

I have bought a kit to service the old pump and once I repair it will have a better idea of what caused the pump to leak.
Wayne