Do you struggle with odor in your boat’s cabin, despite using air fresheners or deodorizers? The source of your unwelcome odor could be coming from standing water in your boat’s bilge. Even a few inches of water can grow algae, mold, or organic matter. A clean and dry bilge is crucial to keep odors at bay. Some steps you can take to reduce water in your bilge include:
Fix any areas where water or drains can enter your bilge, such as leaky hoses and fittings, clogged hatch drains, a faulty shower sump pump, and condensation from appliances or your A/C unit. Clean any areas that may trap water and block drainage.
Look for components with rust and corrosion, such as on clamps, engine mounts, or electrical wiring, and check if excess water is affecting the hardware.
Regularly clean your bilge to remove excess oils, discharge and build-up. Once your bilge is clean, Dry-Bilge Systems are extremely helpful to pump out excess water that may still settle in hard-to-reach areas of your bilge. Remember – most bilges are never completely water-tight. Water can still enter your bilge from heavy rains, sea spray, high seas and washdown.
Proper ventilation is also critical to maintain an odor-free cabin. A well-ventilated boat allows for the intake of fresh air from outside and the discharge of cabin air. Without adequate ventilation, heat and moisture can build up in your boat’s cabin and bilge and can contribute to the odors you are trying to eliminate. Running your boat’s blower or additional secondary blowers can help to keep air moving through your engine room, bilge and cabin.
Are you looking for products to help ventilate and clean your boat? Try the BILGE-B-DRY and EVACUATOR+ combination – guaranteed to help with cabin odor, mold, moisture, and corrosion!
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