Diving service woes

[Levin]

So a year or so ago I posted about my challenges finding a good diving service here in San Diego. Out here on the left coast they are a requirement to keep you boat sailing properly. Now don't get me wrong you can jump in the water yourself with a snorkel or whatnot and clean your own hull... but it has always seemed quite the investment in gear and effort to me (and even if it wasn't it seems like a ton of time that I'm not sailing and doing yet another chore).

Anyway short of jumping in the water once a month they are a necessary evil and so most all of us who own boats have one. However perhaps they are all terrible or perhaps I just have bad luck but I'm constantly disappointed. Actually I know they aren't all terrible because the first one I had was really wonderful... of course then he went and retired and ever since then all I find are the worst of them it seems. They say they clean but then don't clean, they change zincs much more often than I suspect they need to be changed (I have a Kiwi prop so no dissimilar metal), and they generally do a job that no one can ever check them on without jumping in the water and looking for yourself (and given our 1-2 foot visibility in the San Diego bay water good luck with that). I guess given these factors I should be amazed I did find that good service even once.

Anyway all of this comes up today because I just had my boat pulled out for bottom painting and the attached pictures show what I saw. Mind you the boat had been "cleaned" by my diver just over a month before. I think I'm once again in the market for a new diver.

 

[Ron20324]

Did you dump some Rogain down the sink?

 

[woodster]

looks like it's time to hear from Fast Bottoms ...maybe he can shed some light on this ...is that stuff editable

 

[Meriachee]

This is where something like a GoPro and a long aluminum tube is a good investment. If visibility is an issue, then attach a flashlight to the pole to illuminate the field of view, you may not get great video but you will get your money's worth.

 

[uncledom]

Thankfully I have found two Great diving sevices. Shippan Scuba in Stamford CT. when I'm north and Coastal Diving in Hilton Head SC when I'm south. I have used Coastal to do tide reseach to help me buy a slip down in Hilton Head. Ivan surpassed my expectations and gave me such great information including pictures and actual depth measurements at low tide that I was sure my purchase decision was the right one. And of course they both keep my bottom racing clean.

 

[Levin]

Yeah, I've had 4 different diving services since I've own this boat (about a decade now). The first was AJ diving service. Great diver, old retired EOD guy. Then he tried to hand it over to his son and it didn't go so well. Son wasn't so into it. Can't remember who the second diving service was, but they didn't do such a good job and eventually moved away from them. Then it was Wings diving service, and again things were good for a time. But the owner did all the diving at first and because he was so good he got popular. Then he started hiring additional staff and the whole thing went down the tubes (you'll notice a pattern here). When the owner would clean my boat it was great, but this became a rarity later on and eventually I had to leave this service too. Then came my current service (well I guess former now... no chance I'm letting them back around my boat). This was also own by a vet... an old SEAL guy named Rick. I never met Rick himself, seems he too has hired additional hands to keep up with the demand, but I'm guessing there is a similar story here. I'm betting things were great when he was doing the work and then went downhill when others became involved.

Anyway I like the idea of a GoPro in a stick... I never saw a need for one of those things before but to keep up with my new diver, whoever that turns out to be, could very well be worth it.

Take care,
-Levin

 

[Ken Cross]

Send the owner your pics. They may get some of your money back. At least he or she will know what kind of service they have been providing.

 

[wufibugs]

Now you've gone and done it, Levin. I too use Rick for my boat and drifted off to sleep each night thinking of the silky smooth condition of the hull. The picture of the growth on your boat is seared into my mind like something out of an Upton Sinclair expose. I will remain sleepless until I am able to construct a device that will enable me to examine my hull without coming into contact with the contaminated water sloshing about in the south bay marina.

 

[Rich Stidger]

Speaking of inspecting underwater with a camera, I wished that I had such a device this past summer. I don't need super detailed images, but I just want to be able to look at my prop and rudder to see if I have lines fouled. Being basically cheap, I have put together the following items:

A 10 meter cable with a USB camera on the end. I figure that I can use this for other jobs as well. IP67 rated which means that it is OK for water depths of 1 meter for less than 15 minutes. It has LEDs on the end but they are too weak for underwater use.

www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01236UQS4 About $20

I added an underwater LED flashlight for $11
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B011R8NPPA

And a couple of inexpensive rechargeable batteries and charger $5.50
www.ebay.com/itm/201429609195

Now I haven't used this stuff under water yet but I will try it out next season.

 

[wufibugs]

Rich, I was thinking of just mounting a used waterproof camera from craigslist on a pole. Only requirements for the camera are a timer and a flash. Saw a couple for under $40. When not spying on hull or prop, useful for searching out mermaids while snorkeling.

 

[Rich Stidger]

Rich, I was thinking of just mounting a used waterproof camera from craigslist on a pole. Only requirements for the camera are a timer and a flash. Saw a couple for under $40. When not spying on hull or prop, useful for searching out mermaids while snorkeling.

True, but with a USB cable camera you can also look into walls, machinery, etc., other places that a camera will not fit. No need to use a timer; you can capture streaming video and play it back later on your laptop. OTOH, a used waterproof camera might be more waterproof than the USB camera that I bought.

 

[Rick Webb]

Many of the guys out here provide pictures each month before and after.
Maybe that is something to ask for?

 

[Stu Jackson]

Sorry to hear your woes. I have a fellow I trust who has been doing our boat for 17 years. Around here, if someone doesn't do it right, word gets around quickly. Doesn't mean that it's a perfect system as you've described with folks retiring or expanding their business with horrible workers. Man, with "social media" these days, as well as this forum, I'm surprised no one is taking and mentioning names. If I was in San Diego, I'd want to know about the bad guys. Anybody checked YELP for the good guys???

 

[Levin]

Pictures would be nice. I got that briefly from Wing's diving (actually video... which was helpful) but that didn't last too long. Perhaps it was a sign once it stopped that I needed leave sooner. But I think I'll look for someone who'll do that with my next service. I am now a big believer that if your work can't be checked you're pretty likely to gundeck it... And when it comes to diving services it seems just too easy to cut corners.

Take care,
-Levin

 

[fstbttms]

So a year or so ago I posted about my challenges finding a good diving service here in San Diego. Out here on the left coast they are a requirement to keep you boat sailing properly. Now don't get me wrong you can jump in the water yourself with a snorkel or whatnot and clean your own hull... but it has always seemed quite the investment in gear and effort to me (and even if it wasn't it seems like a ton of time that I'm not sailing and doing yet another chore).

Anyway short of jumping in the water once a month they are a necessary evil and so most all of us who own boats have one. However perhaps they are all terrible or perhaps I just have bad luck but I'm constantly disappointed. Actually I know they aren't all terrible because the first one I had was really wonderful... of course then he went and retired and ever since then all I find are the worst of them it seems. They say they clean but then don't clean, they change zincs much more often than I suspect they need to be changed (I have a Kiwi prop so no dissimilar metal), and they generally do a job that no one can ever check them on without jumping in the water and looking for yourself (and given our 1-2 foot visibility in the San Diego bay water good luck with that). I guess given these factors I should be amazed I did find that good service even once.

Anyway all of this comes up today because I just had my boat pulled out for bottom painting and the attached pictures show what I saw. Mind you the boat had been "cleaned" by my diver just over a month before. I think I'm once again in the market for a new diver.

View attachment 117046 View attachment 117047

While the fouling on your running gear is bad, are you sure that isn't typical growth for over a month's time in San Diego Bay? Believe me, it wouldn't be the first time a boat owner with no real understanding of fouling rates accused a hull cleaner of doing shoddy work.

BTW- nice how you have publicly cast aspersions upon no less than four dive services, presumably without ever discussing their alleged failings with them.

I have contacted Wing's Diving and pointed them to this thread. They should at least have the opportunity to respond to the accusations.

 

[fstbttms]

Rich, I was thinking of just mounting a used waterproof camera from craigslist on a pole. Only requirements for the camera are a timer and a flash. Saw a couple for under $40. When not spying on hull or prop, useful for searching out mermaids while snorkeling.

As a professional hull cleaner, I am well equipped to provide underwater photography and video services. However, I recently bought the Vexilar FishPhone. It's a pole-mounted still/video camera, operated with an app on your phone. I use it not only to do quick and dirty inspections of boats without having to get into the water, but to check my divers' work.



https://shop.vexilar.com/en/fishphone-1/fishphone-camera-system-complete-fp100

 

[Levin]

Fstbttms,
Actually I'm not casting aspirations on anyone in so much as talking about my experiences with various diving services... These are my thoughts and opinions based on what I went through, so I assume people understand that and take it for what it's worth.

As for the growth on the bottom of my boat, I have a hard time believing that was just a month's worth. On my way to the boat yard I actually couldn't get above 2000 rpm or 3 knots SOG. I had been noticing for the last few months that my motoring speed was lacking but didn't really know why. It became obvious when I got hulled out.

As far as Wing' so is concerned, I did discuss my concerns with the owner. As I said earlier when he did the work things were great, however the other divers he hired weren't so good. He actually came out re-clean my boat when it was obvious one of his employees hadn't done their job. However eventually I got tired of having to contact them with complaints.

Which brings me to my conclusion about diving service now that I have talked this out: For my next diving service I want to work exclusively with the owner of the business. As the owner you care about how your work reflects on you, if you do bad work your business could fail. However if one of your employees does bad work and your business fails it just means they need to find a new gig, not great, but not the same impact. And you kind of prove my point when you talk about that camera you use to "check your divers' work". Clearly you understand that they don't have the same skin in the game as you and might cut corners.

As I said, my opinion, take it for what it is worth.

-Levin

 

[fstbttms]

My experience is that many boat owners have unrealistic expectations about fouling rates. That you are about to hire your fifth dive service may be evidence of that.

 

[wufibugs]

First, there is no way that what Levin pictured is a month or even 3 months worth of growth in San Diego Bay. If it were, every boat that lives in a slip would have to have a diver at least twice monthly and dive services would all be planning their IPOs. In fact large numbers of boaters here don't use one at all. I'm not saying that's good -or bad- just that the problem of growth, global warming included, is not at that level here. Second, I think Levin was describing his problems to illustrate a salient point about nature of dive services: Their work is invisible and therefore, as far as we owners know, is only going to be as good as the work ethic of the person doing it, whether the owner or an employee. These forums are not journalistic sites in which nothing can be printed until and unless equal time is given to anyone on the other end of a negative opinion. I for one value the observations of the contributors to this and other forums part of which is the freedom to report on our experiences with products as long as we are not disrespectful or crude.

 

[fstbttms]

First, there is no way that what Levin pictured is a month or even 3 months worth of growth in San Diego Bay. If it were, every boat that lives in a slip would have to have a diver at least twice monthly and dive services would all be planning their IPOs.

Maybe it's news to you, but the typical cleaning regimen in San Diego Bay is every three weeks during the summer. And since you enjoy the lowest hull cleaning rates in the country, I guarantee very few divers are getting rich doing it.