# Kanberra gel



## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

I'm starting to hear more about this. An all natural tea tree oil gel that dissipates into the air and kills all mold, fungi and viruses. Says its non-toxic and has a pleasant odor.

It sounds like the perfect winterization and/or spring commissioning add.

Anyone try it yet?

Kanberra Gel - Nature's Activated Protection


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## MARC2012 (Mar 17, 2008)

Costs less than gold,but still high.marc


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

MARC2012 said:


> Costs less than gold,but still high.marc


True, but does it work?


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## Brezzin (Dec 4, 2006)

Brewers yacht yards newsletter just had a story on this product. They claim it works See the last page of this News Letter
BYY Tidewatch Fall 2010


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## carl762 (Jan 11, 2010)

This is awesome stuff, but, yes, very expensive. However, if a 4 oz jar were to last months, I'd be very happy to pay the cash for such a product. Beats wiping down the surfaces of my interior, like yesterday, 5 days prior ...


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

I just ordered a 2oz jar to test in the bathroom at home. Will report back.

I haven't found many who are familiar with this product at all.


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

Minnewaska said:


> I just ordered a 2oz jar to test in the bathroom at home. Will report back.
> 
> I haven't found many who are familiar with this product at all.


Do keep us posted.


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## berwick1 (Jun 8, 2006)

*Kanberra Gel*

Has anyone tried this stuff yet????


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

I tried it at home and didn't notice anything and the company sent me a replacement to try on the boat. I put one in the head and stuck another in A high spot in the bilge with a squeeze of silicon. It's only been a week, but I'm starting to think its working. If it does, I'm stocking up.


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## berwick1 (Jun 8, 2006)

Ok, sounds good, please keep us informed.


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## phoxie (Jun 9, 2006)

So, where can you buy it besides Brewers?


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

this is there own site:

Duct Cleaning, Vent Cleaning, Air Filters, Buffalo, Rochester - Commercial

I put 2oz in the bilge


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## funjohnson (Aug 20, 2008)

I got a free 2 oz jar of it in the grab bag from my marina. I too will try it in the bilge and let everyone know.


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## frank31 (Feb 19, 2005)

I have had a 2oz jar open in my car door for a month. I don't notice it.


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## tommays (Sep 9, 2008)

Its interesting because one of are products is a natural tee tree oil mouthwash and the raw stuff smells like turpentine


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

frank31 said:


> I have had a 2oz jar open in my car door for a month. I don't notice it.


I did something similar at home and did not notice anything. I suspect the high exchange of air reduces its effectiveness. In the bilge or cabin, while away, is probably much more concentrated and effective (if its effective at all). Jury is still out here. I will be back to the boat in a few hours, after she sat for the past four days. We'll see.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

My "believe it" meter is rising. We arrived today after being closed up for four days. The salon was better than usual but not enough to be certain it wasn't cooler temps, although it was very hot earlier in the week.

Then we opened the heads. I had a single one oz container in two of our three heads. I chose the two that are usually the most in need of airing out. One has the macerator outlet under the counter and is always the toughest, as I'm sure it's impossible to fully clean that line out. 

I stuck my nose in the one head that did not have any Kanberra gel (the one that is usually in the best shape). It had the standard back drop of odor, not horrible, but notable until you run some fresh water any get it aired out. Then I went to the one that usually gets your attention after being closed up (the one with the macerator outlet). Practically no odor at all. I said nothing and just asked my wife to check them out. She said the bad one only smelled like stale air, no sewage at all.

This may be the real deal. They make a refill container and I may be leaving these full in the bilge and heads all season.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

We are in full heat season now and the two small units I had in the heads are empty. I decided to go for it and get three 4 oz containers. I have three air handlers for the separate A/C units, so I opened one inside of each intake on Fri. On Sat night, we went out for several hours, which is usually just enough time for your nose to "de-acclimate" and you again notice the subtle boat smell when you return. We walked down the companionway and were pleasantly surprised. It was like walking in the front door of the house. No boat odor and just the slightest hint of the fragrance.

Its pricey, but the larger containers last for two to three months and they sell refills now.

I can't say that it is actually killing bacteria, as it claims, but it feels better thinking it does than if you were just masking odors.

We will be closed up and away for three days and are anxious to see what it is like when we return. We have the A/C units on dehumidify when away, which only runs a few times per day, so we'll see if that is enough.


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## jimrafford (Jan 7, 2011)

Thanks for the info. I just ordered some. Would be nice to get rid of head smells. On a more entertaining note about smells. I got to the boat Fri. afternoon as usual. Changed clothes into my swim trunks. Went about my buisness for the weekend departure. Everywhere I went something stunk. Mid day Sat. while installing a new battery combiner I go into my cargo pocket on my shorts for my knife and pull out a dead clam from last weekends claming. Source of smell found!
Jim


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## WanderingStar (Nov 12, 2008)

Lmao


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## SailaroundtheKeys (Jul 29, 2011)

I've used Kamberra for years and it work great. I was never happy about the smell, but the stuff really works. An 8 ounce container lasts about 2 months and during that time I cannot detect any of the mold odors. However, I just found a new product that works even better and lasts longer and it cost less. I'm in love with the fragrance. It has a very mild and subtle citrus minty odor and removes all odors including dog and cat box. I found (deleted) on line and the price is less than Kanberra Gel.


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## WanderingStar (Nov 12, 2008)

Did a search, couldn't find it.


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## chef2sail (Nov 27, 2007)

After reading Minniwaskas writings about the Kanneberrra gell I decoided 2 months ago to give it a try and like him am somewhat of a beleiver that it seems to have had some positive effect. We have noticed a difference in our head as well as the whole boat when she is locked up for any period of time.

Sitting in the last two weeks of oppressive heat here on the Chesapeake was the ultimate test. There was no smell when I opened the boat. In addition none of the clothes I had left on the boat had a "boat" smell Like others I wished the faint scent was pleasent. 

Dave


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## SailaroundtheKeys (Jul 29, 2011)

I found if on google, but the webpage is ******.com. This stuff is less expensive but smells great, like minty lemon citrus. We live and keep our Pearson in south FL where we have the damp Bahamas wind most of the season and rainy the rest of the time. I do have 1 of the solar vents. I must replace the rechargable c-cell battery every year. This combination works for us.


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## WanderingStar (Nov 12, 2008)

Thank you both for the reviews.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

chef2sail said:


> ......In addition none of the clothes I had left on the boat had a "boat" smell.........


We've noticed the same. Of course, they never smell on the boat, but the moment they come out of the duffle at home, I always smelled the boat. Last time I brought clothes home, I was very surprised. No smell.

I have found that the gel works best when the space remains closed and air is well circulated. Air conditioning on is the best, the circulating dehumidifier works too. It is not as effective with all the hatches open when out at anchor.


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## dhays (Jul 9, 2010)

SailaroundtheKeys said:


> I found if on google, but the webpage is purafyairgel.com. This stuff is less expensive but smells great, like minty lemon citrus. We live and keep our Pearson in south FL where we have the damp Bahamas wind most of the season and rainy the rest of the time. I do have 1 of the solar vents. I must replace the rechargable c-cell battery every year. This combination works for us.


I just put in an order for some. We'll see how it works.

Dave


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## dhays (Jul 9, 2010)

*Undisclosed commercial interest*



SailaroundtheKeys said:


> *I found if on google, but the webpage is purafyairgel.com.* This stuff is less expensive but smells great, like minty lemon citrus. We live and keep our Pearson in south FL where we have the damp Bahamas wind most of the season and rainy the rest of the time. I do have 1 of the solar vents. I must replace the rechargable c-cell battery every year. This combination works for us.


I'm normally a very mild mannered and polite forum member, but I have to cry ********. After I happened to see a second post by SailaroundtheKeys plugging PUR-A-FY Air Gel, I got suspicious.

SailaroundtheKeys has made 5 posts on SailNet. In 4 of them he has plugged PUR-A-FY Air Gel. In his profile he lists his occupation as "Customer Relations". Any guesses for what company?

His profile lists http//www.purafyairgel.com/ as his homepage.

SailaroundtheKeys profile says he is located in South Florida. Nature's Innovative Solutions LLC, the makers of PUR-A-FY AIR GEL, is located in Fort Lauderdale Florida.

Idiot that I am, I thought that the post I quoted above was a genuine, and unbiased, user review. It appears it was nothing more than a marketing ploy on the part of SailaroundtheKeys. My guess is that SailaroundtheKeys is really Richard C. Belmont, Owner and Manager of Nature's Innovative Solutions LLC.

Maybe I was fooled because of what he wrote above "I found it on Google, but the webpage is purafyairgel.com". If that isn't an intentional attempt to mislead, I don't know what is. :hothead

*What really ticks me off is that based on his bogus review, I ordered his product!* Even if his product is as great as he claims (which based on his behavior in the forum I would question), I refuse to trade with anyone who conducts their business in an underhanded way.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Dhays. I did think I smelled a rat. I also saw the multiple plugs from a new poster, but thought the newbie might just have been contributing what they knew. Let's see if SailaroundtheKeys comes back to defend themselves. 

I did look at the purafy website and it was hard identify what the stuff is. IIRC, you had to provide your contact info to get some evidence. Kanberra certainly seems to be more above board at this point.

Also, I ordered the Kanberra refills, which saved a ton. The downside with the refill is the bag it comes in seems like you must use it all at once. I suppose you could keep extra in a different airtight container.


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## dhays (Jul 9, 2010)

Minnewaska said:


> Dhays. I did think I smelled a rat. I also saw the multiple plugs from a new poster, but thought the newbie might just have been contributing what they knew. Let's see if SailaroundtheKeys comes back to defend themselves.


I just happened to see another of his posts last night, which raised my suspicions. I first thought the same as you, that he might be just contributing about a product he likes a lot (I've promoted the use of dehumidifiers a bunch of times). However, as soon as I started to check things out, it became obvious.

I'd love to be wrong. Maybe SailaroundtheKeys can correct my miss-perceptions? Doubt it.


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## tdw (Oct 2, 2006)

SailaroundtheKeys,
See my message to you. Tread very carefully.

To users ...

SATK has been warned that his spruiking of this product is out of line and that further action will be taken if he does not provide a plausable explanation. In the meantime I suggest taking anything he/she says with a grain of salt.


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## banjolove (Dec 29, 2010)

*Online Promotion*

I came here after doing a search on Kanberra Gel; I bought the 2oz at the boat show today. I'm extremely critical of online reviews and don't put much stock in them. How does anyone know which products are best, or even work, without trying them ourselves or talking to a good real-life friend who has? If sailaroundthekeys were a little smarter he might have hid his info a little better or paid a senior member of this forum to promote his product. I'm not saying that I think that happens often, I'm just saying that You Never Really Know when it comes to online reviews. After reading this thread, I'm feeling good about my purchase, but the only real reviews are by Minnewaska and I wish more people had responded.

This is a hard product to review though; sure, it cleans up odors, but does it kill mold? I think the only way to test that is for several people to put them in chronically moldy areas of their boat and report back here. I wonder how much better this is compared to diluting tea tree oil and just spraying it around the boat every now and then.


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## chef2sail (Nov 27, 2007)

As previously reported in this thread, we have used the Gel through last years boating season and liked the results in terms of boat odors and smell. That was good enough for me to continue to purchase the product. As far as mold claims, I have no information. I have nothing to do with the company, just a user of the product.

Dave


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## SlowButSteady (Feb 17, 2010)

If some gel (or liquid, or whatever) is killing mold simply by releasing something into the air, I would be more than little concerned about what I (and my family) might be inhaling.

Think about it for a moment. Molds, and fungi in general, are pretty tough. They often live in very challenging environments, and are resistant to many conditions and substances which normally kill just about anything else. That is why molds can be so difficult to completely exterminate. Sure, wiping a moldy surface down with a bit of bleach will do them in, but that would be equivalent to one of us swimming in bleach. 

So, if something is toxic enough for its vapors to kill off mold, I would suspect that those same vapors wouldn't do humans much good either (promotional claims/promises/half-truths notwithstanding). My bet is that this stuff either doesn't do a whole lot (other than smell nice), OR it does "work" and isn't very good for us to breathe.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

I used it all season and definitely noticed a difference. This winter, I bought refills and placed them all around the boat with the covers off. They began to evaporate, but stopped when they froze. I was aboard this past week and approx half is left since early November. In season they would be gone by now. My hope is that when they defrost, they will reactivate just as the boat needs them again. 

When I was aboard last week, there were zero odors. The winter is usually fairly odor free anyway, but not quite zero. 

I don't have a visible mold problem, but certainly used to get that moldy bilge odor that we've all just convinced ourselves is "boaty". I've knocked it down to the point that any trace gets my attention. I even put a dab of silicon on a rib above the bilge and glued a container to it.

When aboard, I don't notice odor at all. I do, however, pick it up in clothing that I bring home, but have to bury my nose in them to check. That's a huge difference. We've all become accustom to clothing left on the boat that can't really be worn in public...... I left clothes aboard all season.

As far as breathing it, my intuition is that tree oil isn't bad for you. Mold is. Breathing mold is a known health hazard. Is it being killed? I don't really know. But I do not notice the odor of the gel either. 

Good luck with it and let us know how you make out.


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## WanderingStar (Nov 12, 2008)

Vinegar kills mold, but leaves buildings and people in place.


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## SlowButSteady (Feb 17, 2010)

WanderingStar said:


> Vinegar kills mold, but leaves buildings and people in place.


Sure, if you apply it directly to the mold. Even then, it's mostly a mechanical cleaning action, rather than a chemical one. Not if you just open a bottle of vinegar and let the fumes do the "work".


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## chef2sail (Nov 27, 2007)

Funny I went down to the boat today to check on her as she is wintering in the water (slip) with her winter cover on. Absolutely no boat smell and llike Minnie notice no orders at all. I will say the stuff works and if nothing else absorbs the smell. we never had a mold problem. But had the normal smell. Now thats gone

Dave


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## funjohnson (Aug 20, 2008)

Chef2sail & Minnewaska,

What size tub are you using, and how long does it last? I had the 2oz, and never really paid attention to how fast it evaporated. I was hoping someone knows better how fast it goes.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

2oz in the heads. 4oz in each air conditioning air handler and a couple more distributed around. I took them out of the AC units for the winter. In season they last about two months. They claim the oils will have impregnated the boat and last another month or two, but I find that to be a stretch. Refills are less expensive.


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## chef2sail (Nov 27, 2007)

Ha...I feel like I am following Minnies lead here. 2 oz in the head, 4 in the main salon and forward V berth. I dont have as much area as he does to cover. I also use the refills which are cheaper. 2oz container usually lasts at least 2 months...more if it is more humid. Try it...you wont be sorry.

Dave


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## funjohnson (Aug 20, 2008)

There seems to be a lot of lower priced options available with the tea tree oil. One is Safe-T-Air, and it runs $30 for 14oz. Sure looks like the same stuff, but in a different package.

Biozap is 16oz for $30


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Trying to find the msds on the other products to see if the concentrations are the same. Cant find them. Here is KG...

http://www.kanberragel.com/images/MSDS_KANBERRA_GEL.pdf


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## funjohnson (Aug 20, 2008)

Here is one for Biozap:

http://www.radonseal.com/molds/pdf/BioZap-MSDS.pdf


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

8% (KG) vs 5%-12% (BioZ) tea tree oil. Interesting. Now I have to find out whether the inconsistency matters. It may be worth a try. I can't find any side by side reviews.


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## jimrafford (Jan 7, 2011)

Our boat arrived w/ poor cabin air circulation and stunk. It sat unused Victoria and then san diego for a couple years. Needless to say it was pretty musty.
I installed 2 solar cabin fans and started using the kanberra last august. The fans helped immediatly but some odor was still there into the fall. I had placed one container in the forward head. When I covered the boat in nov. I added a 2nd container in the aft head. Working in the cabin this winter I have noticed when I arrive there is no odor at all in the boat. 
As far as I'm concerned it works.
Jim


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## WanderingStar (Nov 12, 2008)

Good reviews from users. Sailnet works again.


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## travlin-easy (Dec 24, 2010)

Has anyone tried the Delta Air Sponge? Appears to do the same job, but maybe a bit faster. Moisture Control, Odor Control & Healthier Indoor Air | DampRid

Another product I have yet to try is Odor Genie, which is very inexpensive, but seems to be similar to the Delta Air Sponge. Wild Berry Odor Genie (FG69H) | Odor Control Products | DampRid

Gary


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## funjohnson (Aug 20, 2008)

Minnewaska said:


> 8% (KG) vs 5%-12% (BioZ) tea tree oil. Interesting. Now I have to find out whether the inconsistency matters. It may be worth a try. I can't find any side by side reviews.


I emailed Safe-T-Air for their MSDS last night and received it just a few minutes ago. They are showing three tea oil of 10%-15%. Neither the Biozap nor Safe-t-air show the 2% lemon scented TTO of Kaberra, but for the huge cost difference, I'll have to give it a shot with the Safe-T-Air.


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## WanderingStar (Nov 12, 2008)

SlowButSteady said:


> Sure, if you apply it directly to the mold. Even then, it's mostly a mechanical cleaning action, rather than a chemical one. Not if you just open a bottle of vinegar and let the fumes do the "work".


BTW, vinegar kills mold because of it's ph, not by cleaning. And it refutes your assertion that anything that kills mold is dangerous to people. I think I'll have a pickle.


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## SlowButSteady (Feb 17, 2010)

WanderingStar said:


> BTW, vinegar kills mold because of it's ph, not by cleaning. And it refutes your assertion that anything that kills mold is dangerous to people. I think I'll have a pickle.


Some molds, yes; some molds, no. Many fungi are adapted to live in mildly acidic environments (vinegar is a very mild acid). For instance, _Penicillium_ spp. (from which Penicillin is derived) do very well on the surface of citrus fruit, particularly on my kitchen counter . Such an environment usually has a bit lower pH than anything wiped down with vinegar. Even if we just consider fungi unable to survive exposure to a mild acid like vinegar, the fumes in the atmosphere (remember, we are talking about what is essentially a fumigant, NOT direct application) would have to be concentrated enough to deposit significant quantities of acetic acid (the active ingredient in vinegar) on all the interior surfaces of a boat. You then have to ask yourself what the consequences of long-term exposure to such fumes might be. Obviously, a whiff of vinegar now and then, or rather dilute fumes over a long period of time, aren't going to do any harm. However, exposure to a high enough atmospheric concentration of vinegar to be an effective fumigant for hours at a time ... I'm not so sure. More to the point of this thread, a similar exposure to ANY fumes at a high enough concentration to be an effective fumigant, for hours at a time, gives me cause for concern. Remember, if the concentration of the fumes is high enough to coat the interior surfaces of the boat (thus killing any fungi; or at least inhibiting their growth), then the stuff is similarly being deposited on the interior surfaces of your lungs.

And, in case anyone was thinking, "But, it's just a natural oil. How can it be harmful??" There are LOTS of natural substances one really doesn't want to get in ones lungs. Fungal spores are a good example of such a natural substance that come to mind, for some reason. Dog shi$ is also a perfectly natural product that I wouldn't want to have on the boat, fumigating all the interior spaces 24/7, either (and THAT won't even kill the fungi).


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## bljones (Oct 13, 2008)

Am I the only sailor here who LIKES boat smell?

It smells like......freedom.

Come on, you walk into the office on Monday morning straight from the boat and your khakis are a little rumpled and your shirt has a mild whiff of eau de hanging locker, and somebody says "what's that smell?"
and you reply, "Me. I just came from my boat, after another glorious weekend of sailing, drinking tanning, eating and just forgetting this place even exists."
Doesn't it make your testicles just a little larger and your back a little straighter?
How many times have you invited co-workers/friends/relatives to come sailing but they always have dirt-plans, like golf, or mowing the lawn or some other suburban ****e.
THEY smell great.
But they ain't. Freakin. Smiling.

and they ain't you.

Wear the smell proud, brothers and sisters. Wear it proud.


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## SlowButSteady (Feb 17, 2010)

bljones said:


> Am I the only sailor here who LIKES boat smell?
> 
> It smells like......freedom.
> 
> ...


bljones has a point. This group-think against boat smell, well...stinks!

Beware the "Yes-men" who jump on every band wagon!!


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Propaganda machine is selling boat smell as freedom. Funny.  

I come back every weekend after sailing, relaxing, drinking, tanning and don't smell. Now who has it better?

I sent an email to Kanberra to ask them to defend their product against these competitors whose MSDS look similar, if not exactly the same. I am considering my spring order and put it in that context. I will report back if I hear from them.


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## bljones (Oct 13, 2008)

Minnewaska said:


> I come back every weekend after sailing, relaxing, drinking, tanning and don't smell. Now who has it better?


Me. I don't have to waste valuable drinking and sailing time evaluating the effectiveness of overpriced tea tree oil and patting myself on the back for having a boat that no longer smells like a boat.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

bljones said:


> Me. I don't have to waste valuable drinking and sailing time evaluating the effectiveness of overpriced tea tree oil and patting myself on the back for having a boat that no longer smells like a boat.


You should keep your septic tank in your moldy basement so your house will smell like a house too.


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## bljones (Oct 13, 2008)

Minnewaska said:


> You should keep your septic tank in your moldy basement so your house will smell like a house too.


If that is how you think a house smells, maybe the tea tree oil shouldn't be on your boat.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

*Response from Kanberra*

In a follow up email, David gave me permission to share his response. He also said that there was a review of Kanberra in the December issue of Cruising World magazine, although, I don't have it.

______________________________________________________________

Thank you for your patronage to Kanberra Gel and the opportunity to elaborate on the differences from other products.*
*
In order to compare ANY product to Kanberra you would have to look at the following items:
*
1).*Quantity (percentage) of active ingredient(s) in the product
2).*Certified grade of active ingredient(s) in the product
3).*Off-gassing/VOC levels of "inactive" ingredients during product usage (what is being used to "deliver" the oils airborne)
4).*Evaporation rates of product = how much active ingredient is getting into the air
5). Available containers and packaging
*
It is important to first note that as a company we have been working on what is now called Kanberra Gel for 10-12 years.* We are a 19-year old business in New York State specializing in indoor air quality with a heavy emphasis on ventilation cleaning and maintenance.* For 13+ years we have been the largest ventilation cleaning contractor for the US Navy, with an office in San Diego specifically for that purpose.* You may visit Duct Cleaning, Dryer Vent Cleaning, House Mold, Air Filters, Buffalo, Rochester for more information on our history.
*
I mention this because quite a lot has gone into the product.* In the early stages of development, before it was called "Kanberra Gel" we not only kept refining the formula to improve performance, but also the manufacturing process.* Until 4-5 yrs. ago, when the Kanberra Gel brand and formula we now use were developed, we outsourced the manufacturing for various reasons.* As a result of the outsourced manufacturing, there are several of our "older" formulas still out there, so to speak.* BioZap is in fact one of them.*
*
Our product is a proprietary blend of two Tea Tree Oils.* Years ago we experimented with and found that blending the oils greatly enhanced the anti-microbial abilities of the product; however the second oil has a much higher cost to go along with the effectiveness.* The challenge was establishing the right blend for not only antimicrobial performance but longevity.* Making the oils airborne was only a part of it; we found it more difficult to slow down the dissipation enough to last the desired time.*
*
BioZap is made by a company called HygienicAire, and is branded under both names.* Their facility used to manufacture our product, 6-7 years ago, maybe more.* At the time we were unsatisfied with the evaporation rate, the overall length of performance and the total effectiveness.* We went so far as to have an independent company test the product to see if the manufacturer was even using the directed amounts of Tea Tree Oils.* They were not and we subsequently changed manufacturers.* They have continued to use and market that formula.* If you were to use BioZap you would find it would evaporate about half to two-thirds total volume and completely crust over, rendering the remaining product useless.*
*
Neither brand name has really made a dent into any market where Kanberra Gel can be found, due in part to the product itself.* In fact our main mega-yacht distributor, National Marine Suppliers in Ft. Lauderdale, has tested BioZap and several others in the past and has maintained their confidence in Kanberra Gel.*
*
As for Safe-t-air, the manufacturer at the time in Australia was actually the first person that introduced members of our team to the airborne uses of Tea Tree Oil.* They were admittedly not chemists in any way and I believe have since either sold or moved the operation to the Far East.* The makeup of that product, while effective to a degree, was not the direction we wished to go with ours.* I have not seen a recent MSDS from them however at the time they were using turpentine in the mixture to dilute the product and were only using raw Tea Tree Oil, not the pharmaceutical blend of oils we have come to perfect, hence their lesser-grade antimicrobial.
*
I truly hope this information is useful to you and provides adequate knowledge to continue your use of Kanberra Gel.* I understand the costs are a factor but like virtually anything else you get what you pay for.**
*
Please feel free to contact me at any time with future questions!
*
Regards,
*
David R. Levesque
Business Development
Indoor Air Professionals
Kanberra Group
Direct: 716.481.8636
Office: 800.683.0021 ext 307
Duct Cleaning, Dryer Vent Cleaning, House Mold, Air Filters, Buffalo, Rochester
Kanberra Gel - Nature's Activated Protection
*


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## Don L (Aug 8, 2008)

after reading the 6 pages there doesn't appear as much usage knowledge as I would have expected

I don't have an odor problem on my boat. But my throat says there is some old in the air. So I guess I'll stay with some other "technology" to deal with that.


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## funjohnson (Aug 20, 2008)

Minnewaska said:


> In a follow up email, David gave me permission to share his response. He also said that there was a review of Kanberra in the December issue of Cruising World magazine, although, I don't have it.
> 
> ______________________________________________________________
> 
> ...


That's a great response to a hard question! I may still give the Safe-t-air a try, but if I notice any issues, I'll be going back to Kanberra


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## WanderingStar (Nov 12, 2008)

SBS, of course natural products can be dangerous. Breathing sawdust, especially from Black Locust or Black Walnut can be harmful. Eating from a table made of them is not. I spent years spraying down the insides of wooden hulls with vinegar, no ill effects. Kanberra has been in use for years, no ill effects. Mold definately causes ill effects. I'll take my chances with the Tea tree oil.


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## PalmettoSailor (Mar 7, 2006)

WanderingStar said:


> SBS, of course natural products can be dangerous. Breathing sawdust, especially from Black Locust or Black Walnut can be harmful. Eating from a table made of them is not. I spent years spraying down the insides of wooden hulls with vinegar, no ill effects. Kanberra has been in use for years, no ill effects. Mold definately causes ill effects. I'll take my chances with the Tea tree oil.


I agree that I'd more willingly inhale tea tree oil vapor than mold spores.

However, I wonder about the method of delivery. I think I'm going to go with the cheap option of homemade tea tree oil spray applied directly to the moldy surfaces I can reach in my bilge area and behind bulkheads to see what results I get. A 2oz bottle should be around $12 at your local GNC and there are directions for diluting it for use as a cleaner or spray airfreshener on line.

Maybe it'll work as well as Kanberra seems to, maybe not, but if it does its a much more reasonable alternative to a $50 version of a Glade airfreshener.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Just to be clear, Kanberra does nothing that I can distinguish to "scent" the air, like Glade. It only appears to attack what causes the odor. Whether it kills anything, I can't say. But look at their website for a sealed test with a moldy bagel. Interesting.

As you can tell from KG reply, they claim to have a proprietary pharmaceutical grade oil, as opposed to pure oils they say is inferior. 

For those trying other products, let us know how you make out.


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## PalmettoSailor (Mar 7, 2006)

Minnewaska said:


> Just to be clear, Kanberra does nothing that I can distinguish to "scent" the air, like Glade. It only appears to attack what causes the odor. Whether it kills anything, I can't say. But look at their website for a sealed test with a moldy bagel. Interesting.
> 
> As you can tell from KG reply, they claim to have a proprietary pharmaceutical grade oil, as opposed to pure oils they say is inferior.
> 
> For those trying other products, let us know how you make out.


Will do.

FWIW, I consider "pharmaceutical grade" anything that's not a "pharmaceutical" as a marketing euphanism.

That said, there have been blockbuster pharmacueticals that simply found a better way to deliver a known active ingredient which may be the case with this product. However, it seems pure tea tree oil is well recognized for its mold inhibiting properties so we shall see.

I found a small bottle at our local grocery store for $6. We'll give the boat its first dose next time we go over and take it from there.


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## WanderingStar (Nov 12, 2008)

How much do you use for your boats? I bought two jars of SafeT Air, both are open now.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

WanderingStar said:


> How much do you use for your boats? I bought two jars of SafeT Air, both are open now.


See posts 40 and 41 for starters.


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## WanderingStar (Nov 12, 2008)

And do you try to place it high, low, or middle?


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

WanderingStar said:


> And do you try to place it high, low, or middle?


The ones inside the air handlers are all down low. The others are random. I'm not sure it matters.

I suspect for the stuff to work, there needs to be minimal outside air exchange for a period of time, to give it a chance to find its way around. I noticed this a bit last year. It stands to reason, when the product evaporates, it will exit the boat if the air is flowing through it. It must need time to dissipate and reach the surfaces it claims to protect.


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## WanderingStar (Nov 12, 2008)

Thanks again. That makes sense too, though normally of course I try to keep as much fresh air flowing through as possible.


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## T37Chef (Oct 9, 2006)

My name is Shawn and I have a mold problem...

the boat has been wrapped up for over a year and a half with shrink wrap, occasional visit showed no signs of mold until yesterday when we went down to start work, mold everywhere!!! We have never had a mold problem till now and I am SO pissed we do now. Once its there I am guessing its hard to get rid of...

Been wiping down with some mold product from ACE, but was trying to find out more about this Kanberra stuff...

Where you guys buying this stuff and whats the final verdict? Poor; Fair; Good; Great; Exceptional???

I am guessing the recent warm spell in March with the shrink wrap has caused the problem, sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!! I would rather be working on something else...arrrggg


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## Donna_F (Nov 7, 2005)

We stopped shrinkwrapping our boat and installed a solar vent because of the mold. Vent helps tremendously. When we did have mold I wiped everything with a diluted bleach and water solution (VERY diluted) and it was fine after that.

I plan to try the Kanberra this season because I've heard it's works wonders on odors. I don't think it prevents mold, just odors.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

I loaded up the cabin over the winter, no mold, no odor this spring. It does claim to kill mold and bacteria, IIRC. It evaporates and supposedly penetrates the pores of wood, plastics, whatever.

I suspect it is a better prophylactic than a remediator, but it may get to places you can't reach. For it to work, I find you need to keep things closed up so the evaporated tea tree oils get around. The growth may outpace it in that case.

I buy it directly from the manufacturer and am waiting for a Spring sale to load up for the summer.

Kanberra Gel - Nature's Activated Protection


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## chef2sail (Nov 27, 2007)

Shawn,

Yuk....I have used th Kanaberra since Minnie recommended a year ago with great results. The boat always smells fresh and clean ( no artifical smells when we open it up even after many days closed in the heat. I never have had a mold problem...not sure if the Gel helps that or not, but it couldnt hurt. The trick is to not make the boat a solarium or a petrie dish I thnk. I dont ever wrap her up too tight.

Problem with mold is it gets in places you cant wipe. Only sure fire way to rid yourself of it is to ionize the air I have heard and have it penetrate everything..

Sorry for this.

dave


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## jimrafford (Jan 7, 2011)

When our boat arrived from San Diego a year and a half ago it was a moldy stinky mess. I added a solar vent and we have been using the Kanberra for about 9 months. I have a container in the foreward and aft cabins. No more mold and no more stink. I don't care what it costs. I will continue to use it.
Jim


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## T37Chef (Oct 9, 2006)

Thanks folks, I will be getting some Kanberra, in the meantime I think I may hook up a dehumidifier?


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## JimMcGee (Jun 23, 2005)

As you all know I'm a bit of a skeptic. But I'm ready to say the Kanberra gel works. I put two containers in my boat when I covered her this year. One in the center of the salon and a small one in the head.

It's the first time I've used the boat cover so I was concerned about mold/mildew because the solar fan isn't moving air around. 

Every time I go to the boat I'm amazed at how she smells. The only mild odor is from the RV antifreeze. 

The stuff isn't cheap but I'm a believer.


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## chef2sail (Nov 27, 2007)

Jim...I was also a skeptic...but Minniewaska convinced me with his endorsement and I have seen the light as well as the proof. One of the great things about the commradiere of Sailnet.

dave


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## JimMcGee (Jun 23, 2005)

chef2sail said:


> jim...i was also a skeptic...but minniewaska convinced me with his endorsement and i have seen the light as well as the proof. One of the great things about the commradiere of sailnet.
> 
> Dave


+1


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## chef2sail (Nov 27, 2007)

BTW I was able to order a 32 oz refill for $119 from marine discounters.com....comes in a pastry bag like device so easy to refill the original containers.

Dave


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## chef2sail (Nov 27, 2007)

> I bought the 16 Oz of Purafy for $59 and got free shipping, then I refilled the 2 smaller containers on the boat and 1 in the house.-Sail.34away





> BTW I was able to order a 32 oz refill for $119 from marine discounters.com....comes in a pastry bag like device so easy to refill the original containers-chef2sail


.

I dont have a problem with the Kanaberra Gel smell and the Pur-A- FY-AIR cost exactly the same as what I paid for the Kanaberra. Since I have used the Kanaberra Gel and I am satisfied with it there is no reason for me to using it.

Also, and take this with a LARGE grain of or whole salt lick, the manuafacturer of the Kanaberra Gel says has stated that when independent tests ( whose ) are done that the evaporation rate of the other products are much greater than the Gel therfore you will replace it more quickly therefore it costs more....just saying. I would go back through the posts and read what the CEO of Kanaberra gel said in one of Minnewaskas posts.

Lastly, Just like many of the people here have vilianized Craig Smith ( possibly rightly so) for his posts concerning ROCNA as not beining on the up and up, It was obvious that one of the owners of the PURA-F-AIR-GEL was purposely deceptive in his postings here by not identifying himself and making it appear that he was just a sailor ( Sailnetter). Companies which deal unethically in one respect probably do in others.

Would be prudent to look at all the varibles here.

dave


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## T37Chef (Oct 9, 2006)

My Kanberra Gel came in today  I ordered a 2 oz & 4 oz kit plus a 16 oz refill. I plan to put the 2 oz in the bilge and the 4 oz in the cabin. 

Thankfully, I think we caught the mold before it got into everything. It seems it was mostly on the interior wood (teak), but just the exterior, the inside of cabinets, bilge, etc didn't seem to have any mold! The boat needed a good cleaning anyway. I replaced the batteries in the solar vents and have a had dehumidifier on board for the past week. I'll put the Kanberra on board and let it do its job. 

Thanks all for the tips...


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## chef2sail (Nov 27, 2007)

Sounds good. We use a 2 and 4 oz one also. 4 oz in the main salon...2 oz in the head. Keeping the dorade open and having the solor vent in the head help with air flow also.
When I went down and opened Haleakula up today all I got was a faint wiff of tree oils.
Havent had a stale smell since we got it and the cushions as well as our clothes dont smell "boaty" anymore. Never had the mold.

Good luck with it Shawn. Good to see your working on Windgesit

Dave


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## PalmettoSailor (Mar 7, 2006)

I should soon be able to provide a subjective impression of my low buck Tea Tree Oil experiement.

After much effort, all my boat projects are finally successfully competed and I was able to start the tea tree oil experiment. This year for reasons unknown,our boat seemed to have a lot of mildew and/or mold in lots of areas.

We mixed a small bottle of tea tree oil ($6 at Wegman's) with water in a spray bottle using the ratio we found online. We used that in place of the normal products for out annual beginning of season cleaning wiping every reachable surface down with the concoction. Less assessable areas were spayed and left to dry. 

Personally, while the scent of tea tree oil is strong, I don't find it unpleasant. A couple of weeks ago, I actually wiped down a few area's and my intial impression is that even this effort left the boat with very little boaty smell (and our older boat does usually smell boaty). 

It will be very interesting to get the wifes impression next time we're at the boat.


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## WanderingStar (Nov 12, 2008)

Keep us posted.


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## kwaltersmi (Aug 14, 2006)

Just received my Kanberra gel in the mail and am hoping to get over to the boat soon to try it out.


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## PalmettoSailor (Mar 7, 2006)

Ok, so as a refreseher for those that haven't read the whole thread the concensus is that Kanberra Gel is a worthwhile product and users are satisfied with the pricing considering the results.

Thing is, there are guys like me that balk at paying that much for essentially a Glade airfreshener with better ingedients.

So, I looked around the internet and found tea tree oil is commonly used as a cleaner to fight mold. To see if there was a cheaper way to achive the benefits the Kanberra users enjoy, I bought 2 small bottles of tea trea oil at my local grocer for $6/each and mixed water in a 28oz spray bottle and scrubbed the entire boat using it, then sprayed the bilges and storage areas that could not be reached and just let the product dry. (one bottle was mixed at a time and it took about a bottle and a half for our 36' boat.

After a week, my wife and I boarded the boat yesterday intent to see the results. What we agree on is that the boat smell is about 20% of what it was. Since our boat is older and was pretty "boaty" smelling we feel like its a vast improvement. I'm now moving on to "re-treating" old Glade stick ups with tea tree oil to see if we can get some more improvement and we'll continue to use the spray to wipe down surfaces. 

Bottom line, if I was skeptical of the price of Kanberra before, I'd take a good deal more convincing now getting the results I got for one $12 treatment, but I do believe in the benefits of tea tree oil and am glad this thread brought the product to my attention.

For the benefit of other parsimonious sailors, I found the least expensive tea tree oil at the nearly ubiquitous Target store so it should be easy to find.


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## chef2sail (Nov 27, 2007)

Glad it's working out for you. I will stick with the Kanaberra Gel. I know that it is principally tree oil also. Let me know how your results atr after a year and if they are sustainable. Then maybe I would consider switching


How are you keeping the tree oil out so the.vapors stay in the boat constantly so they can permeate the area you cannot spray and reach.


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## PalmettoSailor (Mar 7, 2006)

chef2sail said:


> Glad it's working out for you. I will stick with the Kanaberra Gel. I know that it is principally tree oil also. Let me know how your results atr after a year and if they are sustainable. Then maybe I would consider switching
> 
> How are you keeping the tree oil out so the.vapors stay in the boat constantly so they can permeate the area you cannot spray and reach.


That may be the downfall of my technique.

I did soak a couple of old glade stick up disks with TTO in an attempt to keep the vapors going. My basic plan is just to use TTO every time we clean up the boat in hopes repeated use will be enough.

I doubt I'll remember to update a year from now but if you ping me, I'll be glad to give an update.


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## chef2sail (Nov 27, 2007)

Mid...just keep me informed...I doubt I will rememebr in a year either


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## jillmstar (Jan 9, 2010)

I think we have all forgotten that the second ingredient in this product is Lemon oil, which is a natural killer of mold. Combine these two and you have an effective product. I am going to see if I can buy the lemon oil and combine it with tea tree oil in a bottle and use it to clean with and see what it does to my boat. Moonglider is 35 years old and we aquired her with 6 inches of water and mold everywhere. She still has a horrible smell inside the cabin. But hopefully after July when we rip out her insides and redo it, the smells will go away.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Actually, the MSDS says the second ingredient is Lemon Scented Tea Tree Oil. No idea how it is scented and perhaps that is with lemon oil.

http://www.kanberragel.com/images/MSDS_KANBERRA_GEL.pdf

What a nasty sounding mold problem. It's unfortunately very unlikely that any surface treatment is going to help, given all the hiding spots it would have found. Ripping her down to the hull is probably the only way. Best of luck.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Has anyone else been received seasonal offer code discounts? I did the first year, but they stopped.

I just ordered my 24oz refill through Amazon for $89. While it claimed to be discounted from $109, the Kanberra site sells it for $99.

This order is being sent via an Amazon fulfillment company called EfficientLiving. Hope it isn't a scam.


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## jimgo (Sep 12, 2011)

I got mine off of eBay, but it turned out they were from a local supplier in the Philadelphia area. They had them listed for "best offer" pricing, and were quick to reduce the price to VERY reasonable (at least compared to list price) levels.


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## chef2sail (Nov 27, 2007)

Minnewaska said:


> Has anyone else been received seasonal offer code discounts? I did the first year, but they stopped.
> 
> I just ordered my 24oz refill through Amazon for $89. While it claimed to be discounted from $109, the Kanberra site sells it for $99.
> 
> This order is being sent via an Amazon fulfillment company called EfficientLiving. Hope it isn't a scam.


Funny I ordered my refill yesterday from Amazon- Efficient Living . Guess we will both find out. I have not had a problem yet when going through Amazon when companies not deliver though. Thy ave made good.

Dave


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## krisscross (Feb 22, 2013)

Natural essential oils are also being used by beekeepers for bee parasite and fungi control. That stuff definitely works. Here you can find oils at $6 per 1 oz of pure (100%) oil. Seems like a really good deal. Essential Oil (1 oz.)-Brushy Mountain Bee Farm, Inc.


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## capta (Jun 27, 2011)

I've read every post on this thread with interest. We don't have a lot of boat smell, but when I turn on an a/c unit, there is a musty smell for a few minutes.
There is no access to the bilges under the salon so we have no idea if there is mold.
As full time liveaboard voyagers, our boat is open and well ventilated pretty much all the time, at anchor.
From what I've gathered the KG works well in a closed environment, but do those of you who are happy with the KB think it work for us (I've got 3 hatches and a half dozen port holes open at this moment)?
Also, living in the tropics, do you think it would last long enough to make it a reasonable expenditure (humidity is 80% right now and it's not summer yet)?
Thanks


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

I put a container directly into each AC air handler. Works great. It doesn't need stagnant air, it just stands to reason that you wouldn't want to ventilate it back out of the boat or it would never settle on anything. If the duct work is all that concerns you, it seems a stash in there would do the job.


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## joebeach (Aug 16, 2011)

Minnewaska said:


> I put a container directly into each AC air handler. Works great. It doesn't need stagnant air, it just stands to reason that you wouldn't want to ventilate it back out of the boat or it would never settle on anything. If the duct work is all that concerns you, it seems a stash in there would do the job.


Has anyone who lives in a humid climate tried Kanberra Gel, or a related tea-oil based (or other effective) product, to fight moldy smells in a house? For example, by putting some of it in or near HVAC airhandlers or in ductwork?

Background - the former owner of my Florida house didn't believe in AC, and never or rarely ran (or repaired) her ancient HVAC system. While I swapped that out for a new system and some supplementary ductwork first thing (2 years ago), and have since had the all the ducts cleaned by a reputable company, I still notice a mildly moldy smell when coming in from having been out all day, especially in summer.

Not a huge issue, but if this Kanberra stuff can keep mold out of a boat, why not any enclosed space? Thoughts?


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Kanberra sells a unit designed to ventilate a large space, IIRC. Used on mega yachts. I fear for a moldy FL home, it will be growing inside walls and places the tea tree oil never gets to.


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## PalmettoSailor (Mar 7, 2006)

As a further update, I'm happy to report our boat showed no signs of mold during the off season this year and there have been no upleasant odors when we went over to work on the boat after is sat closed for weeks.

Pretty happy with the results using our home made tea tree oil concontion for cleaning and ocasional mistings.

The bad news is that tea tree oil seems to have been discovered and the price has skyrocketed over the past year.


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## Magnolia (Dec 21, 2012)

I bought a big refill bag of the Kanberra gel and then put some of it into 2 small, wide mouth jars that I drilled holes into the top of. We have the two jars sitting on our cabin soles. I switch them around periodically. Like right now I have one in the head, and one in the salon. Since we bought our boat in October, we've noticed no mildew, and the boat smells great.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Update to an old thread.........

I still use Kanberra Gel, especially in the more closed up shoulder seasons and over winter. I think it works. I've believed their pitch that their product dissipates better than the cheaper competition and they don't use petro chemicals to allow it to disperse. 

Just this season, I had a new idea. I bought a cheap battery operated waterless oil diffuser. It runs on 2 AA batts and had a pad you can add essential oils. They are really designed to disperse aroma oils, but I had this idea. I purchased pure tea tree oil for it. 

It's so effective, you can't stand having it on, when aboard. However, that's when the boat is open and airing and I'm not worried about mold and mildew anyway. When I close up for 3-4 days per week, I load it up and put it in front of one of the air conditioner returns, which would further disperse it, when it runs each 90 mins in dehumidifier mode. 

So far, it really seems to be working. After a few days, the scent is slight again. The AAs last about 2-3 weeks, but also has a USB cord. I don't like leaving the USB outlets powered, while I'm away. The little jar of pure oil was under $10 (I have to double check). Will be much cheaper if it works. 

I may send another note to Kanberra and get their input on why they might think their product is better.


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