As I treat it with baking soda, white vinegar and hot water, it’s getting better but still somewhat present. Should I continue this approach or is there something I could remove like a strainer or trap and cut to the chase? The sink drain drops to below the floor and I have not tried to access where it goes (the pump out tank?). The smell does not come from the galley sink.
Dan Mills
sakina NS30U #460
West River, MD
Chalk Point Marine
On my boat, also a NS30U (1987), the head sink drain is connected to a short hose (18”-24”) that then connects to a thru-hull value directly below the sink. Sounds odd that yours would be any different. Got a picture?
Don
’87 NS30U #369 - Breezin’
Vancouver, BC
On my boat, also a NS30U (1987), the head sink drain is connected to a short hose (18”-24”) that then connects to a thru-hull value directly below the sink. Sounds odd that yours would be any different. Got a picture?
Don
’87 NS30U #369 - Breezin’
Vancouver, BC
That sink drain should go directly out through a through hull. Nothing else involved except for the seacock unless someone plumbed it into the holding tank.
Joe Valinoti
S/V iL Gatto NS30U #221
Sea Harbour YC
Oriental, NC USA
All 30U’s that I’ve seen have a shower sump with an electric pump to pump it overboard.
Joe Valinoti
S/V iL Gatto NS30U #221
Sea Harbour YC
Oriental, NC USA
My shower sump has an electric pump that pumps the shower water into the head sink. But not having had a shower in 4 years, on the boat that is, I’ve never had to use it.
Don
My shower sump has an electric pump that pumps the shower water into the head sink. But not having had a shower in 4 years, on the boat that is, I’ve never had to use it.
Don
Almost any of the possibilities people have mentioned could lead to stink.
If your sink drains to a thru-hull, and it actually drains, then you may have microscopic critters in the sea water decomposing (most of our thru-hulls are a foot or more below the water line, which means there’s usually water sitting in the hoses even after you close the thru-hull). If it’s draining slowly, you definitely have gunk.
If your shower sump pump is plumbed to the sink drain, as I believe most are, then you have some combination of old soap (often organic), hair, and exfoliated skin getting into the hose.
If the sink drain is plumbed to the holding tank, then you’ve either got a dip that’s collecting smelly stuff or you’re getting holding tank whiffs.
Putting stuff down the drain will temporarily reduce the symptoms, but you won’t cure the disease without tracing the hose and deciding what to do about the root cause.
If it’s been going for a long time, the odor may have permeated the hose and you may also have to replace the hose regardless of whether you change any other aspect.
– Bob
Me Gusta
Nonsuch e26U #233
Great guidance; thanks for the suggestions. I’ll keep working on it. My shower drains to the sink; I need to figure out the rest. PO did not make much use of the water systems because he only raced the boat and kept little to no water in the tanks. Port tank inline was not connected. Forward tank inline was loose and leaked.
Dan
sakina
NS30U #460
That’s how my boat came, Don. I changed that to having the sump pumped directly into the sink drain underneath and replaced that faucet with a soap dispenser.
Joe Valinoti
S/V iL Gatto NS30U #221
Sea Harbour YC
Oriental, NC USA
Hi Guys,
I have Nonsuch 30U #449 and never had any smell issues with the drain from the heads sink. As you see in the photograph below the run from the sink to the seacock is quite convoluted too. Both the shower sump (top valve) and the deck wash (lower metal valve) join the hose enroute to the seacock. I found it like this when I purchased the boat. Operating the valves allows both the shower sump to pump out using the sink seacock and the deck wash pump to suck seawater for washing the deck.
Appears to work OK.
Peter Richardson
SV NonPareil, Nonsuch 30U, #449
Craignish, West of Scotland, Uk
While baking soda, white vinegar and hot water helped, the thing that knocked it out within 24 hours was an Aqua Mega Tab in each water tank. I don’t mind the faint smell of chlorine and I’m glad the pungent sulfur smell is gone. It was actually in the water line in the head. Thanks again for the guidance.
Dan Mills
sakina
Nonsuch 30U
West River, MD.
