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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

Gasoline smell

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MattL
Admiral

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USA
990 Posts

Initially Posted - 05/30/2019 : 20:06:16

Moved our friends cat 25 swing keel from San Francisco to the San Joaquin valley. The people that set itt up didn�t secure the gas can and it all went into the bilge.
Using backing soda got all liquid we could find but there is still some there we can�t find, and it stinks.
Can anyone advise us?

Matt/Brigitte Loeffler
E.C. Rider 5411
Cat 25 86'
FK/SR _/)

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9013 Posts

Response Posted - 05/30/2019 : 20:30:13

Now you know why you have the cockpit fuel locker on your boat. Besides the bilge, they might have some residual along the hull where it drained from the dumpster to the bilge. Vinegar is said to help--you could try pouring some diluted vinegar into the dumpster to let it follow the path of the gasoline--then remove it from the bilge and follow with some plain hot water. The ventilate.

Dave Bristle
Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT
PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage, USCG "sixpack" (expired),
Now on Eastern 27 $+!nkp*+ Sarge

Lee Panza
Captain

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USA
465 Posts

Response Posted - 05/30/2019 : 22:54:39

...or light a match

Seriously, keep everything open until all of the gas smell is gone. Even small pools of gasoline in hidden places can be dangerous if the fumes reach the explosive mixture range. A barely perceptible spark can ignite it.

On the swing keel model there are extensive areas between the hull and the inner liner that are normally inaccessible, but they can hold liquid. If the boat is a dinette model the area under the dinette is contiguous with the lockers under the two dinette settees. The boat has to roll quite a bit for water to get from one space to another, but unless a PO has installed an access port (as I've done) it's nearly impossible to get to that space. Come to think of it, there's a limber hole between the aft settee locker into that space on mine, and I don't think I put it there (I did drill a limber hole between that space and the fwd. locker when I installed to access port). It's easy for liquid to migrate from the dumpster into the space under the quarter berth, and then from there into the aft settee locker with even just a little rolling.

The traditional and L-dinette models may be different, but if there are spaces that are inaccessible to you they might not be inaccessible to liquids.

BTW, baking soda is supposed to be good at absorbing organic smells, so leaving some more in the dry bilge areas might continue to help. Good luck - you are so fortunate that your little adventure didn't turn into a disaster!

The trouble with a destination - any destination, really - is that it interrupts The Journey.

Lee Panza
SR/SK #2134
San Francisco Bay
(Brisbane, CA)

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9013 Posts

Response Posted - 05/31/2019 : 05:44:38

BTW, if you click on my C-25 signature picture to enlarge it, you'll see that the forward hatch is slightly open--it's propped up on the dogs. I often left it that way unless I knew a howling storm was coming--normal rain or heavy dew would run into the channel around it and drain off. That might be wise, to keep air circulating between there and the companionway. Likewise the dumpster lid, and leave all of the cabin bilge openings open. This should prevent buildup of fumes to a level where they might ignite, and promote the evaporation of the last of the gasoline.

Dave Bristle
Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT
PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage, USCG "sixpack" (expired),
Now on Eastern 27 $+!nkp*+ Sarge

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5231 Posts

Response Posted - 05/31/2019 : 08:57:54

I had a few ounces of gas spill out of my tank onto the cockpit floor and it drained out one of the scuppers. Seemed there was a slight leak in the scupper so some gas permeated the transom and must�ve soaked some core or welled up somewhere. I�ve since sealed the scupper.
I smelled even this small amount of gas for two weeks, so if a pint or two drained into your boat, then it�ll probably smell for weeks.

I agree with Dave on this, air circulation is your friend. So keeping the hatch cover propped open a wee bit is a good idea as is using a box fan on high in the companionway. Now this is a two-edged sword since a spark from an electric fan could cause an explosion. I would not plug the fan into the boat�s shore power to prevent a problem aboard but would run an extension cord to a remote power source for the fan.

Bruce Ross
Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032

Port Captain � Milford, CT

Edited by - Voyager on 05/31/2019 09:05:48

islander
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3992 Posts

Response Posted - 05/31/2019 : 09:22:51

Dawn soap with water then let it slosh around. It will break down the gas so it's not flammable and then can be pumped out safely. It's what they do to boats that develop a leak in their tanks.

Scott-"IMPULSE"87'C25/SR/WK/Din.#5688
Sailing out of Glen Cove,L.I Sound

MattL
Admiral

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USA
990 Posts

Response Posted - 05/31/2019 : 17:29:51

Thanks for all the input. I suggested this forum to my friends and am sure they will be reading this soon, if not already.

Matt/Brigitte Loeffler
E.C. Rider 5411
Cat 25 86'
FK/SR _/)

Erik Cornelison
Navigator

Members Avatar

USA
194 Posts

Response Posted - 06/04/2019 : 16:48:06

Matt
Hi, I just saw this post. Don�t give up, there is hope and you should be able to get the gasoline smell out.

Let me tell you how I removed the smell from my boat.

My Zodiac RIB with enclosed compartments had about a gallon of gas pumped into the rear rope locker that goes directly to the bilge. The marina gas attendant confused the rope access lid with a gas cap and started filling the boat with gas, I caught him when I turned around and saw him pumping gas into the locker.

Go buy the really big boxes of baking soda, Cheap brand is ok. After washing out the boat with a solvent cutter like Dawn soap and hot water, and removing the water, dump in the baking soda and get it everywhere the gas touched, left an odor, the nicks and crannies, etc.

Let it sit for a week, wash it out. Lots of ventilation. Do it again if you smell gas, use another batch fresh baking soda. Don�t be shy about the baking soda, it�s your friend and will help.

Repeat until your satisfied, I only had to use the baking soda 2X.
It�ll take a little time to totally air out the smell, but my boat was good after about three weeks and all the ropes also didn�t have a gas smell anymore.. Your enclosed in the cabin so it may take longer.

Good luck,

Erik

Erik Cornelison
6th Generation Professional Sailor, First Gen Submarine Sailor.
1986 Standard Rig SW. #5234

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