I recently purchased Santa Cruz a H28 now in Hobsonville Marina. After getting a clean bill of health from a boat surveyor on the H28 structure I noted what appears to be a combination oil/diesel/water mixture in the bilge under the engine and a strong smell of diesel within the cabin generally. I’m in the process of disposing of the mixture. A couple of questions please, any advice readily accepted.

Q1 Has anyone has fitted a drip tray (plastic or otherwise) under the engine so that oil/diesel does not contaminate bilge water.
Q2 Any suggestions of how to rid the cabin smell of diesel?

Hi Bevan C
The ideal solution is of course to stop all further leaks
Do you know if oil and diesel are still leaking? Putting a piece of cardboard under the engine will tell you that. My H28, Joie de Vivre, leaked diesel from the header tank if I was running the engine on the main tank. For some reason fuel was entering the header tank as I steamed along until it began to seep over the top and down the side of the engine. I cured this by piping the overflow back to the main tank.

Also one day my main tank started to leak and a lot of diesel got into the main cabin, up the sides of the boat when we heeled and into the bilge. I bought some diesel cleaner and mopped up the overflow but the smell lasted many months. It just got less and less over time.

Hi Foulds
thanks for your reply and advice. Don't know if there are any leaks currently. I was told diesel in bilge was a result of flooding the engine? Anyway my plan is to clean out bilge of remaining mixture by using nappies to soak up what's left in the bottom of bilge then use a bio degreaser to clean. (any standout?) Once done I'll use your cardboard suggestion (very helpful) to check for leaks with motor ticking over then under load. Also check for evidence round tank, hoses clips and engine.

The strong smell seems to have permeated all furnishings,carpet and even walls. I'll take out any removal items - I've read Toilet Duck, Listerine and Pet Odour Remover are cheap and effective ways to reduce the smell, so plan to wipe down items with a diluted soloution and and leave in the sun/outdoors for a week (may require several treatments). Then do the same to internal cabin space giving as much ventilation as possible. I'll post the outcome.

Any other suggestion for treatment of diesel smell welcomed.
Cheers BevanC

Hi Bevan.
Another item for you to check is your fuel-tank breather pipe. If you have overfilled the fuel tank system ... fuel can go into the breather pipe and you may have a leak in it or where does it drain too. I have had a similar problem on my H28 so now don't fill the tank to the top so as to avoid fuel getting into the breather pipe.
Also check if your H28 has a small bilge-type area aft of the exhaust/water trap box (if fitted ... sometimes fibreglassed into the hull behind the engine). Not an area that everyone looks at but it can act like a small bilge storing any surplus liquids.
Good luck, Bob

Hi Bevan C
As mentioned in other posts. Find the leaks and fix them is good advice.
Yes it is difficult to get rid of the diesel smell, if ever!
I made a drip tray for my old Bukh 10 engine with an extension to the prop shaft gland to catch the drips from that as well. I place one of those oil absorbent pads in it to catch all the oil drips from engine. It also catches the oil that spills out of oil filter when I change it.

I fitted the tray when the engine was out to repair the gearbox. It is made of stainless sheet and is shaped to fit hull shape and fits over engine bearers.

Good luck

Hi to those who replied,

thank you so much for your suggestions. As luck would have it the domestic issues have taken priority so Santa Cruz hasn't had as many visits as was intended or as my wife reminded me; 'The best laid plans of mice and men gang aft a-gley'. I have, however, cleaned the keel bilge several times and so far found 2 cresent wrenches, a mixture of small items and a great deal of sluge. June as been set aside for the much needed TLC.

Cheers BevanC