FreedomYachts.org

Last summer I purchased an excellent condition Freedom 30. I sailed all summer and used the holding tank. Being a beginner I did know how full the tank was until I saw the contents spitting out the hull vent on the port side after one of my children was pumping it. I immediately took it to a pump out station and got to work. However, every time I get on the boat there is a strong oder and I do not know where to begin to eliminate it. Could I have damaged the hoses by the continuous pumping of a full tank? I see no apparent sign of seepage anywhere. I cannot go through another sailing season with this smell. It is embarrassing! any suggestions? By the way this this an outstanding boat and so easy to sail. Thanks. Frederick

Was there a filter in the vent pipe? Often an activated carbon filter is used to control odours vented through the pipe, and it will tend to disintegrate if wetted. You might then be left with a slurry of carbon and poo collected in the filter holder, which will continue to smell until it is washed out and the filter replaced. There speaks the voice of bitter experience! If there is no filter, then perhaps fitting one will solve you problem. Check also that nothing has leaked inboard from the (usually dry) vent pipe junctions.

Good luck!

Over here they say that you have to replace all the hoses - even if it's sanitation hose - every so many (10?) years. My 1981 US built boat has exhaust hose on the black water tank, so I have some smell too.

I would agree with Michel, but if there was a correlation between the smell appearing and the tank overflowing, I would suspect that you either had a leak and/or still have a leak somewhere.

-- Geoff

I remember something else.....if you have the yellowish rotation molded plastic tanks (polyetylene or polyethene) like I have... of my forward holding tank, the vent connection fitting (molded onto the tank) broke off. Did you check all external connections? And the hose clamps?
BTW my holding tanks are designed in a very wrong way with the exit hose connection near the bottom of the tank. A small leak there will result in a slowly developing unpleasantry. Under the European CE regulations, all holding tank connections have to be on the top of the tank, so a leaking connection will only result in odor, not a black water leak into the bilge. Usually they use one large round flange on the top of the tank with all the necessary hose connections in it. The pump out connection has a pipe extending almost to the bottom of the tank.

Sounds like a motivation to switch to a composting toilet. Herm

You may want to read this post: http://www.freedomyachts.org/viewtopic.php?f=58&t=10251 I was smelling something malodorous in my aft cabin and it ended up being pin holes in the aluminum vent loop.

-- Geoff

So when you start your refiting of the head system make sure you purchase connectors that fit easily into the new hoses. The grey pvc ones always seem just a bit to large. This will cause unbeleivable aggravation while your crammed into the space where the tank is. The white semi clear really made job easier. Another good piece of advice is to install 2 vents in the holding tank this really seems to help with that bacteria growing in tank. There is much more I learned about replacing all hoses and vents but I really dont want to be reminded of that job. Good luck! Numbknots

Anybody try an "airhead"?

What's an airhead? I feel like I have one after a bottle of whisky (or Scotch, if you prefer to call it that).