> I have properly painted and well maintained 200 Gal steel water > tanks. I have opened inspection ports and gotten well into the tanks > and scrubbed with Chlorox and washed and rinsed but still get the > sulfur/rotten egg smell after a short time. Suggestions??? What am I > doing wrong or not doing. Unless the totten egg smell is ONLY in the hot water, I suspect you just need to recommission the system, which should be done at least annually as PREVENTIVE maintenance: Although most people think only in terms of the tank, the plumbing is actually the source of most foul water, because the molds, mildew, fungi and bacteria which cause it thrive in damp dark places, not under water. There are all kinds of products sold that claim to keep onboard water fresh, but all thats really necessary is an annual or in especially warm climates, semi-annual recommissioning of the entire systemtank and plumbing. The following recommendations conform to section 10.8 in the A-1 192 code covering electrical, plumbing, and heating of recreational vehicles. The solution is approved and recommended by competent health officials. It may be used in a new system a used one that has not been used for a period of time, or one that may have been contaminated. Before beginning, turn off hot water heater at the breaker; do not turn it on again until the entire recommissioning is complete. Icemakers should be left running to allow cleaning out of the water feed line; however the first two buckets of icethe bucket generated during recommissioning and the first bucketful afterward--should be discardedbleach does absolutely nothing to improve the flavor of good Scotch! 1. Prepare a chlorine solution using one gallon of water and 1/4 cup (2 oz or 25 ml) Clorox or Purex household bleach (5% sodium Hypochlorite solution ). With tank empty, pour chlorine solution into tank. Use one gallon of solution for each 5 gallons of tank capacity. (Those are the official directions. They work out to 1 quart or litre of bleach/50 gallons of water , which is MUCH easier to calculate!) 2. Complete filling of tank with fresh water. Open each faucet and drain cock until air has been released and the entire system is filled. Do not turn off the pump; it must remain on to keep the system pressurized and the solution in the lines 3. Allow to stand for at least three hours, but no longer than 24 hours. 4 Drain through every faucet on the boat (and if you haven't done this in a while, it's a good idea to remove any diffusion screens from the faucets, because what's likely to come out will clog them). Fill the tank again with fresh water only, drain again through every faucet on the boat. 5. To remove excess chlorine taste or odor which might remain, prepare a solution of one quart white vinegar to five gallons water and allow this solution to agitate in tank for several days by vessel motion. 6. Drain tank again through every faucet, and flush the lines again by filing the tank 1/4-1/2 full and again flushing with potable water. -- Peggie ---------- Peggie Hall Specializing in marine sanitation since 1987 Author "Get Rid of Boat Odors - A Guide To Marine Sanitation Systems and Other Sources of Aggravation and Odor" http://shop.sailboatowners.com/boat_odors/

The Moore Haven lock re-opened on Sept. 23 after extensive maintenance. The entire OWW is now open and has a minimum navigational depth of 8.48 feet. A neighbor, who had to leave his boat on the lake after returning from the Bahamas, brought his boat home to Ortona a couple of days ago, and reported everything back to normal. Hope to see some of you Trawlers and Trawlering folks coming through the canal again, soon. We often have a dock available for short-term visits, for up to 45' and 5' draft. We're located one mile east of the Ortona Locks, about 10 miles east of Labele, FL. Mark & Joyce, m/v Winnie the Pooh Mark's Mobile Marine, Ortona, FL on the Okeechobee Waterway