To clean it and treat it you must reach it.

Monocoque, unibody, unified grid pan, structural grid/hull liner,sub-sole structural grid, each brand has it's own name for it. Sound engineering great structural strength but big trouble when it comes to cleaning the boat.  
Being an O'day 39, Panta Rhei was a pioneer in this technology. (Shown above) the structure provides great strength, convenient tabbing and the ability to tie interior components (bulkheads cabinetry) all together. Today Panta Rhei is as strong as ever (no shifting) a tribute to the concept. Unfortunately, nearly 30 years of marine humidity and a chronically wet bilge has allowed this structures to grow unhealthy levels of mold mildew and bacteria yielding odors that drove off it's owner.
The key to removing odors is thorough cleaning. No odor elimination product will work if the source of the odor is not removed. You must reach it to clean it. 
The solution is the Bilge Snake. A thin flexible high pressure hose with specialized nozzles that propel the snake forward and provide direct impingement in all areas.   See  the video below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=MZnqeEq4t5I 

see www.boatertech.com for more information 

It started with Genesis

Not the bible, Genesis was the name of the 1983 O'day 39 project boat. It has now been renamed Panta Rhei which means always in a state of flux or change. As a floating test lab, this will be her role.

I have developed a few tools and processes to remove odor form boats, when I first stepped into Genesis I knew I had found the perfect test boat. The odor was nearly intolerable. I actually thought it was too far gone but if my ideas had merit this boat would prove it. I gave the owner a low ball offer I knew he would not refuse since I could not imagine anyone taking this boat off his hands. The previous owner purchased the boat for $37,000 in 2004 and added many upgrades like a simple GPS and a Wind generator, I offered him $28,000. He did not counter. I was his only hope. Such is the fate of many owners of odorous boats.

This boat had a problem common with many O'day 39's. They begin to generate a small crack from the leading edge of the keel hull joint going forward a few inches. This is not a serous structural problem but it causes as slow leak. It was enough to cycle the bilge pump one or two times a day. This created an ever present bilge full of water.  Bilge water extended under the unified grid pan throughout the boat. Jeanneau, the boat's designer, cleverly engineered this grid pan to provide great strength, convenient tabbing, and unfortunately inaccessible areas to clean. I believe the use of this Unified Grid Pan may have been the first of it's kind. They are now common on most production boats. (much more on this later) Adding to that was two leaking holding tanks one of which actually burst. It stunk 20 feet down wind of this boat.

The boat was full of every odor masking or removing product one could find. Fabreeze everywhere. Most if it just added to the smell.

I purchased the boat in the fall of last year 2010. I moved it to Wisconsin where I have it on the hard now completely odor free.  I can now close the boat up for a week and open it up with nothing but the smell of wood (I'm now stripping the years of dirt and teak oil of the teak interior).   

This blog will look back at the process of completely eliminating the odor and forward onto other projects and ideas. Panta Rhei is a commercial test boat. New products and processes will be sought after. Feedback and ideas always welcome.

More info coming soon or go to  www.boatertech.com