Airing out Bilge in I/O Boat/Gas Smell

[TimB19]

So we purchased a used Stingray(2008 195LS), and it runs great, but one issue I've noticed is on the floor of the interior there is a rectangle storage area that lifts up. When I lift that up there is a strong smell of gas. Now on our last Stingray we had the same issue...a strong smell of gas.
When I use the blowers the smell of gas is barely noticeable...you have to try hard, and the blowers work great.

Is this just the norm for all boats where that oar/ski storage is(Any other Stingray owners)? Is that compartment somehow connected air wise to the engine department? I don't think it is due to the blowers not putting out anywhere remotely close the strong gas odor I smell below.

So today I've propped up that covering and I'm letting it air out b/c its also a bit soggy in there. Guess before we purchased it, the boat was open to elements. While it will dry out I do worry about those fumes collecting in the back, so I will run the blower extra long before next trip.

 

[Chris1956]

Gasoline in the bilge is a very dangerous problem. If the vapor is strong enough and finds a source of ignition, the boat can catch fire or explode.

You need to find the source of the leak and fix it immediately. Running the blower is not a fix.

 

[TimB19]

I completely agree, but this smell is not present in the engine compartment....only the storage compartment(underneath floor in center of boat). That is what I find so unusual about the situation.
I checked back on the storage area that I have left open all day and it has dried out and the smell is mostly gone now.
When we winterize it this year I'm having all fuel lines fully checked.

 

[jbcurt00]

Its likely a tank or fill hose leak if the boat has a belly tank...

I've seen the aftermath of 2 boat explosions related to fuel leaks. In the last month, and a jetski too that had the owner sitting on it when it went off. He's luck he wasnt split in half...

Not pretty

Its absolutely unwise to wait for winterization..... even if that means the end of your season.


Lives are at stake

 

[kpg7121]

Keep running it the way you are & you won't have to worry about winterization. You life insurance paid up?

 

[Old Ironmaker]

Are you serious? I hope not. You are playing with fire, literally. If I smell fuel on our boat I wouldn't even turn the key until the leak, and you have a leak, is found and repaired permanently and professionally.

 

[Scott Danforth]

if you can smell it, there are enough fumes to explode

no, fuel smell is not normal

you have a fuel leak

do not wait until winterization unless you winterize today.

 

[Grub54891]

On one boat I bought, the smell was there. Had to replace all lines, fill hose and vent. They were old and weeping fuel. Must have been that way for awhile. Even after replacing, the smell remained. Turned out the floatation foam had gotten some saturation also. The only cure long term was to remove the wet/fuel soaked foam and replace it. Requires removing the floor. That turned into a stringer transom replacement, but that's another story.

 

[briangcc]

I've owned (2) I/O's so far and neither one of them have had a strong odor of gas anywhere in the boat. So what you have is a very dangerous condition.

From your description, your gas tank is somewhere near your ski locker and the gas leak is probably causing the "soggy" issue you are describing. This means you need to immediately stop using the boat and find & correct the source of your leak. Since it's "soggy" AND you have an 11yr old boat, chances are pretty good you're getting into a larger project.


If it were me, it'd be in my yard getting further inspection or at the marina getting a complete check.


So...IF you like to live life on the very ragged edge, have no concern for yourself or those on your boat, or would like to end up as a local news story / YouTube fail video, then by all means continue using your boat.


**Fiberglass boats like yours will burn right to the water line and then self extinguish.

 

[TimB19]

It was completely checked out by a marina before we even used it already. With that being said I have taken it out 3 times since then.
Each time I got on my knees and sniffed around in the engine compartment with cover offt....no gas smell. Ran blower...no gas smell.
If the issue was confined to the engine compartment, which it isn't, then I would never turn the key let alone activate the blower and risk an explosion.
I've driven a total of 4 different Stingray I/O's and every one had this same exact issue. One was a rental.

The smell in the storage area is now completely gone just about after I aired it out. Thought it might have sunk/crept to engine compartment, opened it up and sniffed bottom of bilge....no gas smell.

While I appreciate the comments and agree don't play with fire, it seem some are jumping the gun w/o reading the full posts I have made and just figure people asking these questions are stupid, and would start a boat with a strong smell of gas from the engine area....which is not the case here.

 

[TimB19]

On one boat I bought, the smell was there. Had to replace all lines, fill hose and vent. They were old and weeping fuel. Must have been that way for awhile. Even after replacing, the smell remained. Turned out the floatation foam had gotten some saturation also. The only cure long term was to remove the wet/fuel soaked foam and replace it. Requires removing the floor. That turned into a stringer transom replacement, but that's another story.

Sounds like a nightmare there. Hoping that's not the case here. The smell has been significantly reduced since I aired it.

 

[Old Ironmaker]

Your last post and the 1st post give different info. You talked about " remotely close to the strong gas odor I smell below. " And you asked "do I

worry about those fumes collecting in the back, so I will run the blower extra long before next trip."[​

Those comments in your 1st post doesn't match what you said in your last post. Now it doesn't smell at all. That's a good thing, no? And it didn't cost you a red cent. I know everyone here read your post, carefully I'm sure. Did you?

 

[TimB19]

Re-read what I posted again.

"I don't think it is due to the blowers not putting out anywhere remotely close the strong gas odor I smell below." refers to: "​

Is that compartment somehow connected air wise to the engine department?"
In other words it refers to the storage compartment...NOT the engine compartment.

I stated in the first post there was a strong smell of gas in the storage department. The reason I state that it now does not smell much at all is because you failed to read the post where I said I had aired out that storage compartment all day.


To reiterate once more: Storage area smelled of gas, I aired it out and now it does not smell of it. As I stated I don't believe storage and engine area are linked and asked if they are. Engine compartment does not have the gas smell as stated in my posts. I was concerned fumes when airing it out would spread to engine compartment, b/c gas fumes sink to the lowest point, so I would run blower if that were the case. It was not next time I checked it.

Read my posts before you criticize and make mistakes in doing so. You completely misinterpreted what I said.​

 

[Grub54891]

At any rate, close up the compartment, and engine bay. Let it sit for a few days. If the smell is back, it's an issue that must be addressed.

 

[JimS123]

Read my posts before you criticize and make mistakes in doing so. You completely misinterpreted what I said.[/FONT][/COLOR][/LEFT]

Punctuation and grammar often cause people to misinterpret what is said. Before I post anything I do a spell check and then re-read it to ensure I won't be quoted wrong. Can't blame others that criticize, when in fact they didn't criticize at all.

For what it's worth, we are a Stingray family and have been for 35 years. Never smelled gas. If I had, the boat would have been repaired or sold off fast.

You have one of two problems...

1. The PO spilled gas in the locker and didn't clean it up.
2. You have a leak.

The first think I would do (after you are sure it doesn't smell any more after drying it out) is fill the tank up to the brim. Leaks are often at the fittings at the top. If no smell, maybe it was #1. If it smells now, rip the sucker apart and fix it.

 

[Old Ironmaker]

I'm going to say "Sorry" . We say sorry in Canada when your shopping cart comes within 3' of someone elses cart in a grocery store. So I'll give a 1/2 "Sorry" because I'm 1/2 American.

 

[TimB19]

After thorough inspection today I found it was oil saturating the carpet. There was an anchor there that also had a rope halfway soaked in it as well(Got rid of that, and getting new one...rusted anyway). So I spent a long time today trying to soak it all up with rags and paper towels. Easily shows on the paper towel as oil. Not a fun job.
I guess heavy oil can smell somewhat like gas in an enclosed space.
Looks like a definite carpet replacement and clean up down the road to thoroughly get rid of it.

 

[Scott Danforth]

I guess heavy oil can smell somewhat like gas in an enclosed space.

No, each fluid has its own smell. gear oil smells different then engine oil which smells different then power steering oil or transmission oil, and none of them smell like gasoline

 

[shrew]

This problem is making less and less sense. Oil doesn't smell like gas. If you have a gas smell, then there is a gas leak or a gas spill. It doesn't really matter if it's in a locker or the bilge. Gas fumes are heavier than air and will sink. If fumes are leaking and happen to leak into a locker, then the fumes can potentially leak into spaces which have heat and the potential for a spark.

While most equipment should be ignition protected, that doesn't mean that an electrical device can't arc. It might not be in the engine compartment. It could be a pump, or static discharge.

 

[GA_Boater]

The only time you might smell gas in a boat is if it's covered and the tank vent is under the cover. As the gas expands, the vapor from the vent is trapped and could be inside. It dissipates in minutes after the cover is taken off. It's happened to me when I forgot to close the vent on a portable tank and others have brought up the same smell with inbuilt tanks and no way to close the vent.

Any other time you smell gas, you have problem. Don't use the excuse that other Stingrays smell of gas or the engine compartment doesn't have the smell. You have a dangerous situation and seem to be disregarding all advice.

Oil does not smell like gas! No way! No how!