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Will leave it and report back in a few weeks, hopefully this is the problem, I thought it was airtight so didn't matter what went down it..... Think I'll get some new carbon filters aswell... Cheers,

It already has a vetus carbon filter thing but (correct me if I'm wrong) all this does is stop the smell going outside... Our vent is half way down the boat so isnt near anyone else... I could change the carbon filters but would it make a difference on the inside?. cheers, Toby Hi, we have put all sorts down it including bleach, biological washing powder, vinegar. but since then we have stopped using anything (for about 5 tanks worth) ,and am trying Odorloss with a teaspoon of yeast (as recommended in earlier posts)...

It looks like they have the proper fittings (all fixed in with rubber seals etc), I have wiggled them and they seem tight, I have also covered them in silicone just in case and the problem is still here!.... I have also now removed, washed out and replaced the toilet, spray foamed the pipes between rooms, spray foamed the radiator pipes that run past the tank (in case it was heating it up) I'm running out of ideas now The next step is replacing the pipes with solid ones which will involve undoing a lot of hard work!

I've been doing the same, realised that I cant flush the breather pipes as the water / cleaner would just sit in the lowest part of the pipe. Mine goes from outside vent, into the carbon filter, then to the top of the black water tank, so it seems to me that all the filter does is filter the air as it leaves the boat so doesnt make any difference, apart from mabee the ducks & swans! I have removed all the pipes, listened down the breather pipe and could hear outside, sprayed down them a bit of kitchen cleaner, and siliconed the pipe connectors / joints and creamed up the jubilee clips. I have also lifted the tank (a little) and looked under to find no leak, I'm going to keep it on an angle for the next pumpout to try and get the slop no doubt lurking at the bottom of the tank out. I'm also going to sprayfoam where the pipes go into different rooms to try and isolate the smells more. I've been sniffing the pipes and they seem fine.... So annoying!,,, hopefully the odorlos will arrive tomorrow!

Yes, but my point is for the price tag, you should be able to use it all day if you wanted I would say more like rubbery poo with B.O!..... Where did you get the new carbon filter from?

And does anyone know how to check / clean breather pipes? - I was thinking about putting a hose down / over it, and mabee a mix of water and odorlos when it arrives. It has a grev vetus over so I assume you can prise it off?

Biggles, great tips on your blog, I really dont want to have to replace all the pipework, but good to know it only took you around 4 hours to do. I would have to rip out some tiling to do this so am trying to avoid! Oh no! a second hatch! scary....I'll add to my expanding check list... I just cant believe that Vetus would supply a sanitary pipe for a tiolet that is not fit for purpose. mind you, they also do a bow thruster that you can only use for 3 mins per hour so.........

Thanks everyone, Have ordered some Orodlos and off to a bakers to buy some yeast - Grace & Favour - do you just mix it with water and flush down after pumpout? And does anyone know how to check / clean breather pipes? - I was thinking about putting a hose down / over it, and mabee a mix of water and odorlos when it arrives. It has a grev vetus over so I assume you can prise it off? Cheers, Toby.

G&F - Bakers yeast! thats a new one... I heard biological washing powder worked so used to use that, but it didnt rid me of the smell. How much Odorlos do you use? our tank is 200 liters I think, the products Ive seen seem to be for cassette toilets so would need to use a whole one every time we pump out which would cost a fortune over a year. Mattlad - It overfilled once (in the first month of ownership) it was seeping out of the inspection / plug on top of the tank (plug about 15cm wide) we cleaned / bleached and sealed with silicone. I also checked all the hoses and tightened the jubilee clips, and have also enclosed the tank with MDF boards (apart from the back which I couldn't get to) We have the carbon breather filter thing, but that is in a different room and doesnt smell at all, do I need to check / clear the breather pipe on the outside of the boat perhaps? determined to get this thing sorted!

Yes, proper vetus flexi hose as fitted by the boat builder. Do you think they could have failed after just a few months? - We tried wiping them with a damp cloth, and smelling the cloth - no smell

Hi, we have an electric Vetus pump out toilet which has started to stink a fair bit lately (its 8 months old) I was going to add a head treatment to help with the smell like this: http://www.force4.co.uk/681/Force-4-HEAD-CLEANING-SYSTEM.html As I started to fit it, I realised that it could back wash and get into the water system. Will a simple one way valve do the trick or are these just for manual pump toilets? Also, can anyone recommend any other decent treatments for pump out bogs? - or is this smell something we just have to put up with? The holding tank is in our spare room, but its so pongy we have to keep the door shut and not use the room. Any advice / tips would be greatly received. Cheers Toby.

Thanks everyone, Will leave it alone and concentrate on the inside instead. Toby.

We're out of the water (undercover) for 3 days. Mabee its a bit too much, especially as we haven't done it before, and best left til its actually needed in a few years. I thought we could just jet wash it, and chuck an additional coat on whilst we have the chance, so it can stay in the water longer.

Thanks Both, Its a Liverpool / Collingwood, anyone know the brand used? - easier asking on here that actually getting hold of them! Yeah, it doesn't really need doing yet, but as its coming out anyway, thought we could chuck a coat or 2 on, so then it wont have to come out for longer (and cost us for a lift!). Toby.

Hi, We are going into dry dock for a few days to get some warrenty work done on our new widebeam NB (65x11) Its only been in the water since November, but thought we may aswell re do the hull (seems as its out of the water anyway) Can anyone reccomend a decent brand of blackening? or are they fairly similar? - and a cheap place to get it. Also, how much (roughly) would we need? Thanks Toby.

Thank You,,, We are booked into Semington now so all good...Phew! Cheers, Toby.

Tried Sally and they only do narrow Waiting for Semington to call back so fingeres crossed Also, just for the the record RLL boat builders dont have a beefy enough crain so it would have to be hired in. Someone said to try Bradford on Avon Wharf but cant find any info, think its shut down or been bought bt Oxford Boat Holidays. There is also hipperton marina but thery couldnt do it either.. Anyone got any other reccomendations? Going to have to go further afield me thinks...

Hi All, Looking for a boat shed / covered area where we can get our 65x11 widebeam to carry out warrenty works and paint work. We are in Saltford Marina (between Bristol & Bath). Have asked Bristol Marina and they dont have one. Anyone know of one that does in the area? Thanks Toby.

Thanks for this both, The nuts were never that tight so hopefully thats all the problem is. When the prop shaft was out of the coupling, there was no sideways movement and when I got it back over the coupling hole, it went straight in once I got the 1st mm in. Would that suggest it was aligned correctly? or if not, how do you check the gearbox alignment? Thanks, Toby.

I've just had a look all round the coupling and it doesn't seem to have any grub screw/s, might it just not have one? My pic

Hi All, Sorted it, I loosened all the bolts on the split coupling, and then put it gear which (with a good bit of rev) pushed it back into the the coupling. Haven't tightened it all back up yet as I want to get a new socket that doesn't round the nuts. Thanks for the tips on the grub screws, will have a good check tomorrow. - Hopefully this will solve the grinding noise which was the coupling spinning faster than the prop at high revs! Thanks, Toby.

Hi All, We have heard a metallic grating noise when in hard reverse on our new boat, I have figured out that its the prop shaft where it goes into the coupling (its moved out about 2") I have loosened the bolts but cannot slide it back it (I've been trying to do it holding the prop through the weed hatch) Obviously as its moved out and new bare metal on the prop has been exposed to the water, it is starting to corrode. Can anyone offer any advice on getting the damn thing back it? Or does it need to come out of the water to be tapped back in with a hammer? Thanks, Toby.

Very handy!, Cheers Spuds

Not built by me, but I would only assume its fitted it were a requirement of the RCD, will have a proper look later. I assume it would be near the earth strap?

Does anyone know if a galvanic isolator is a requirement of the Recreational Craft Directive? - We have a new build widebeam narrow boat (victron 3K inverter, plus 240 & 12v ring, and shore power) so was wondering if we need to buy one in order to prolong our annodes / hull. Thanks Toby.