Pungent Odor like Vinegar- Wood Based Source

[JLR]

As a winter project, I thought I would try to address one issue that has existed since I bought my 43 Open but have not yet fixed.
As far back as when I bought the boat, there was a foul odor from inside the small, eye level cabinets in the salon. It almost smells like a strong vinegar odor. That odor remains. I have touched based with some other folks who helped me isolate the odor to the unsealed wood surfaces.
I have isolated the odor to the inside cabinet doors which are not sealed (i.e. no varnish or stain). Before I go through he trouble of sanding and sealing each one, I was curious whether anyone has made any efforts to isolate and/or fix this type of odor issue. The smell seems like it is actually embedded in the unsealed wood.

 

[ppat324]

To me, teak has that kinda vinegar odor... its like an aromatic cedar closet but different. Throw a coat of oil on it. Whats to lose. Itll even brighten it up a bit. ws

 

[JLR]

Definitely aromatic but not the smell of teak. According to the prior owner, he used cleaners and solvents with no success. I suspect some coat of something brushed on could work but I do not know. I need to try something.

 

[bobk]

If you can tolerate paint, I'd consider using a moisture barrier wall paint primer. Sherwin Williams used to make it.

Bob

 

[Passages]

Sound like more unsealed wood. Fresh oak to be precise.

Cleaners or odor eliminators/masks will not help.

You need to seal it up. Poly, varnish, or similar should do the trick.

 

[SeaEric]

Make sure to seal the edges/end grain as well.

 

[JLR]

Thanks folks. I will seal it up and see if that eliminates the odor. My bet is that it will do so. My guess it that it has smelled that way since manufacture in 1996.

 

[REBrueckner]

That's a new one on me! If you sand a small section of unfinished wood and smell that freshly exposed surface you can verify, if you need to, that's the real source of the oder...

It's unusual for any wood I know to retain such a strong smell for so long...I'd clean the surface with something like acetone first and after drying seal with any paint/varnish/oil you like....

 

[JLR]

No need to even sand the surface. That's the source for sure. For all I know, the odor may have morphed into its present foul smell from some of the cleaners and solvents the PO tried to use to get rid of the odor. Either way, it's got to go. The Admiral won't even go below----and I can't blame her.

 

[Passages]

Guys - I've seen this before. We bought an unfinished oak corner hutch and stained - but did not seal it. It smelled foul - FOR 10 YEARS. It was located in the formal dining room which we rarely went into so I just ignored it for a decade. When I finally sealed it with polyeurathane, the smell went away.

 

[JLR]

That story is consistent with the story of the PO who is a counter/cabinet guy. He said that sometimes he gets wood form the rain forest that just stinks until it is sealed.