Cabin Musty Odor

[nickl]

Just started to smell a foul musty odor in the cabin of my 2016 335 Freedom. I sprayed concrobium on all surfaces, then cleaned all surfaces with boat zoap. I poured hydrogen peroxide down the drain in the cabin in case the odor was coming from there. I placed baking soda down the water drain and sprayed lysol in the cabin and into the AC vents. There has never been a sign of mold or mildew. The above helped, but the musty odor is still there. Am I missing anything?

Thanks in advance.

 

[seasick]

Do you store gear in that space? Anything that might be wet or damp when stowed?
Is the helm tightly covered when the boat is not used
The smell could be from a water leak, water accumulation or just plain humid air that is condensing into moisture in the cabin.
Does the space have a window? If so, try airing it out. The first place to look is the bilge of course. Note that is there is bilge water accumulation that is due to a blockage, pouring chemicals is not really going to help since the standing water will go sour in the heat. Check you anchor locker (if you use your anchor) to make sure it is draining. Give it a sniff too.
You also might want to try using something like DampRid to control moisture in the air. Is your boat in a high humidity area?

 

[nickl]

Hi @seasick thanks for the quick response.

Do you store gear in that space? Anything that might be wet or damp when stowed?

no

Is the helm tightly covered when the boat is not used

yes, but the aft curtains are mostly open

The smell could be from a water leak, water accumulation or just plain humid air that is condensing into moisture in the cabin.

Does the space have a window? If so, try airing it out.

roger that

The first place to look is the bilge of course. Note that is there is bilge water accumulation that is due to a blockage, pouring chemicals is not really going to help since the standing water will go sour in the heat.

there is no standing water in the bilge of any amount.

Check you anchor locker (if you use your anchor) to make sure it is draining. Give it a sniff too.

roger that

You also might want to try using something like DampRid to control moisture in the air. Is your boat in a high humidity area?

Cape Cod, not like FL.

Do you know how to check that the sump pump is working and if the cabin water empties into it? I know that head shower and AC condensers water flows to the sump pump.

 

[nickl]

@seasick its the anchor rope. Do you know of a treatment other than replacing the rope?

 

[drbatts]

Soak it in laundry detergent and fabric softener.

 

[seasick]

As drbatts said, soak in detergent, rinse, soak in fabric softener if you want it to be more pliable and most important, lay it out on the ground in the sun every now and then to completely dry. When you return from a trip and have used the anchor, it is helpful to rinse the line with fresh water. Also rinse the locker and make sure it is draining (probably into the bilge).
The sea water has a lot of bacteria and other things that can cause odors.

 

[nickl]

As drbatts said, soak in detergent, rinse, soak in fabric softener if you want it to be more pliable and most important, lay it out on the ground in the sun every now and then to completely dry. When you return from a trip and have used the anchor, it is helpful to rinse the line with fresh water. Also rinse the locker and make sure it is draining (probably into the bilge).
The sea water has a lot of bacteria and other things that can cause odors.

thanks Guys, how long to soak, overnight?

 

[seasick]

I do overnight but it depends on how stiff the line was to start.The fabric softener also works for dock lines but eventually they need replacement. The anchor line when it gets stiff will tend to not lay well when retreiving and the locker can get a pile of mounded line. That can lead to the windlass having issues retrieving line.
Rinsing the line is more important that the fabric softener as far as things in the water that can decay and smell.
Many larger and not so large boats have fresh water hand held sprayers that are use to rinse the line as it is retrieved. The water is also used to clean the chain and anchor of mud, slime, grass etc.

 

[nickl]

Thanks @seasick what a great help!

 

[Beyond A Wake]

I try to always rinse with fresh water when I lift anchor. I have a hose attached to fresh water just at the anchor compartment door. That does anyway leave it wet but my boat is kept in rack indoors (in humid FL) and this thread reminds me to pull it all out and let it dry in sun.
Would it help to leave anchor "door" open to let it dry when not in use.

 

[seasick]

I try to always rinse with fresh water when I lift anchor. I have a hose attached to fresh water just at the anchor compartment door. That does anyway leave it wet but my boat is kept in rack indoors (in humid FL) and this thread reminds me to pull it all out and let it dry in sun.
Would it help to leave anchor "door" open to let it dry when not in use.

It may help to dry things out as long as the locker is protected from rain and the humidity is lower than in the locker. Of course, any gunk and bacteria will still be there if you don't flush.

 

[nickl]

@seasick any idea how the odor could travel from the anchor locker to the cabin?

 

[seasick]

It's simple. The anchor locker has to have a drain. The amount of water that a anchor line can absorb is greater than you might think. When you stow the anchor rode, the water will drain out into the locker. It's like hanging a wet towel.
On many hulls the water drains into the forward bilge. Eventually that water will drain to the aft bilge and eventually get pumped out if there is enough to trigger the bilge pump.
Unfortunately, there will always be some water that isn't pumped out but more importantly, a lot of Grady models ( and other deep V hulls) will accumulate water in the forward bilge and the angle of the hull is not steep enough for the water to run aft.
My smaller 208 will always pump a lot of water when I first launch it on the ramp in the spring. Even when stored on its trailer for the winter, the angle of the hull is not steep enough to get the water to drain.

Some boats have an anchor locker drain out through the side of the hull. Whether or not that is feasible depends on the design of the bow and the anchor locker. The drain has to be above the water line to preclude sea water running back into the hull. I have that on my other boat but it has a habit of clogging. When that happens, if enough water accumulates in the locker, it will seep through the locker bulkhead into the cabin and at a mid height meaning that cushions get wet! I always make it part of my maintenance to clean that locker drain ( after learning the hard war of course)

 

[nickl]

awesome thanks @seasick!

 

[Beyond A Wake]

The odor can travel under the gunvale, it is I assume open all the way. When I peeked into locker there is a drain at bottom leading to forward bilge, otherwise the entire area is open through the gunvales.
I let all my rode out and was surprised to find it all dry and flexible but I really have been anchored in only less than 10-15ft of water. Locker was "lickable" clean.
h