T&T: Bilge cleaners

[Dan Winchester]

> If the odors from your bilge have permeated the soft goods--carpet,
> cushions etc-in your cabin, there is a product that will remove it:
> PureAyre http://www.pureayre.com (I have NO connection with this
> company...I tripped over 'em at a boat show in Seattle a few years ago,
> brought some home to test it and found that it works as advertised.
> Others who've used it agree). Remove cushion covers and treat them
> separately...spray both sides of the foam with enough to penetrate to
> the middle of it...spray carpet and rugs with enough to penetrate all
> the way to the backing. If you just coat the surface, the odor will come
> back. Then just let 'em dry...put cushions out the sun for a day, leave
> hatches open and even run fans in the cabin to allow plenty of fresh air
> to circulate.
>
> Peggie Hall

Last year I purchased a boat that had been in a fire, 1978 48 Tollycraft.  I
have most of the fire damage repaired and the smoke odor removed but when
entering the aft cabin there is a head type odor plus the odor similar to
the old formaldehyde tank deodorants, all tanks and plumbing have been
removed from the boat (40' of permeated hose}. I can only think that PO's
had some overflows or leaking black water tanks that were located under bunk
in this cabin, evidenced by staining in the plywood floors, and that the
odor is coming from the saturation of the plywood.  I see that Pureayre can
be dispersed with a fogger, is there a reasonable chance that doing this
both under the head floor and in the aft head and cabin would eliminate the
odor?  The other option is replacing a lot of plywood flooring or coating
all surfaces with epoxy to try and seal the odor in.