Bilge Socks?

[seasprite]

Ladies and Gentleman

I require assistance with the age old problem of water, diesel, and oil in the bilges.

I have seen that there are hundreds of different ways to cure the smell.

My engine, for some strange reason, (Volvo2030), since having it fitted two years ago, has always deposited a small amount of oil in the bilge.

I have just bought a 'BIOSOK' to try. It apparently is an eco-friendly sock full up of 'munchie-bugs', which eat oil and diesel and turn it into CO2!! You can then happily throw it away when done in the normal bin!!

I know there are those owners who wrap up the bulkie bilge socks and bin them anyway. But this is the new thing which is eco-cuddly, and gets rid of the smell.

I got it from a wholesale place on Hayling Island.

Has anyone ever used one of these?

If no one has heard of them I will give a full report next week.

Well, If it does get rid of the oil, and the slight smell, which must add to seasickness, and it eats oil and diesel, and you can throw it away confidently in the normal way, it has to be good, hasn't it?

Let you know how it works soon, if no one has any coments already.

SS.XX /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[Evadne]

I tried one but you should notice on the instructions, and I was warned by the man from Comco who sold me mine, that they are not for mopping up serious quantities of oil or fuel. You must clean out the bilges with detergent etc. first, and remove all traces of detergent as it interferes with their working. This I did, but we had a small engine oil spill (the contents of the gearbox went into the bilge) with one of these in the bilges and the biodegrading byproducts included some rather 'orrible sulphurous emissions. On opening the hatch SWMBO mutinied, and we, no I, spent the first day of our holiday last year in Gosport, mopping out the bilges. It may get rid of the smell of diesel, but I'm not so sure it doesn't introduce a whole new set of smells.

If you have a modern boat with a shiny, leak free engine then they will be fine, although I'd question why you might need one in the first place, but for an old MAB like mine, with a cantankerous old Yanmar and bilges stained by decades of mishaps you are better off with detergent and a traditional bilge sock, IMHO. I look forward to hearing how you get on, I did so want the thing to do what it promised and would love to hear that I was wrong, but you'll excuse me if I don't hold my breath (except in the main cabin /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif ). Please PM me at the end of the season if you don't get around to posting the results. Good luck.

 

[seasprite]

Thanks for that I will.

I was told that I must have either lake or salt water in the mix aswell so as to activate the bugs!

Looking forward to a different smell now on the boat. She's a Sigma 36 by the way.

Regards

SS.

 

[AlJones]

Hi seasprite

I have used these 'biosoks' for awhile now on all our vessels, and have found them great.

They do need water as well to activate them, any cleaning product's or fresh water will kill the little blighters so avoid any other cleaning product. The Fresh water which may include florides, chlorine etc does for 'em!!!

I actually sell these to our club members via our news letter. They use them in their MOBO as well as the ones with sticks. Also, Rhib owners have them in their bilge at the back under the outboards, where you usually find the bilge pump because it keeps that slippery film of petrol at bay. I have found that the smell disapates as well.

PM me if you require any info on them, I have loads of point of sale material, and always have a least a box or two available.

Happy bilges to you!!

Al Jones.

 

[marcusgillies]

Bio-sok fantastic things i have started supplying them here on the broads and there working really well, not sure about the smell mentioned, havent noticed it yet.
Id be interested to find out what people are paying for them!

One point however if if you use detergent over bio-sok the detergent has a worse efect of the evironment that the original oil.

 

[seasprite]

Hi Al

All I can say is WOW! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

I will require more of these, can you supply?

How much? Oh, not on here!

Everyone, get yourself a 'Biosok' they're fab!!!!

PM Al Jones.

Please PM me. No I'll PM you. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

SS.XX /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[seasprite]

Bilge Sock's.

Three weeks now, the same sock.

The bilge under the engine had this problem of oil slowly leaking, or as I know may have been coming out of an ill fitting dip stick. The smell of oil wasn't overpowering but it was there, which added to the sense of seasickness.

There is always an amount of sea water free flowing around this area as when I do my pre-start engine checks. This comes from the fact that when I check the fish trap, I always, when the 'cap' is off the inlet, slightly open the seacock to check that water is free flowing and not blocked on the hull at the skin fitting. This ends up about 3mm deep. As She is a cat two coded vessel, I had to have fitted a 'bulkhead' in the bilge just forward of the engine so as to stop any 'engine fluid' running forward and around the vessel.

I had tried lots of different things down there, nappies, washing up liquid soaked towels, the big bulky bilge 'Tampon'. All these things worked, to a degree, however, now I have tried this 'Biosok' I am a happy skipper!

The sock does not soak up all the water though only the oil or diesel. The smell isn't there any more, and the sulphar smell that has been mentioned I haven't had, thank goodness!!!!

If you wish to try one of these, I recommend you PM Al Jones. He helped me with the info and I believe supplies to the industry. I saw one in one of his RhIBs, asked about it and voila!

Anyway, if you have an oil or diesel prob, try one of these.

The beauty of this forum is that we can pass on info to each other. I have read and followed the advice of many fellow forumites and would love to repay the compliment.

Go on, go on, go on!!

'I now have a round turn on the problem'.

SS. xxx /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif