Advice on scraping the bottom

[David]

I have a C30 which is kept in the water year round. There are several services in my area that advertise an "in the water bottom cleaning". Being a certified diver, I would like to do this myself. Does anyone know what is used to "scrape" the bottom clean. Obviously the goal is to eliminate the growth and barnicles without causing damage to the bottom paint. I guess the real question is what is too abrasive. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Richard]

Scotch-Brite

Having cleaned boat bottoms for a number of years in high school and college I found Scotch -Brite pads with the plastic handles are the easiest to hold on to and do the quickest job. You can get different roughness (If memory serves....black is the roughest, Brown , Green and then White)depending on the condition of your bottom. Be gentle on a new bottom. Take a plastic and metal scraper for the occasional barnacle on the bottom of the keel, prop and shaft.

 

[Bill]

Soft brush

Kobi gives sound advice. I've been diving down with scuba gear two seasons now, and find that frequent trips down with a wide soft brush gets the green slime off handily if caught early enough. If I leave it too many weeks, a plastic scraper takes the carpet of growth off really nicely. I've experiemted with wider and wider scrapers. My current tool of choice is a wallpaperer's tool--comes with an easy-grip handle; the blade is about a foot long, is somewhat flexible, and is soft enough not to strip the paint. That part is important.

 

[Mike Bacome]

bottom cleaning

I have very good luck using a windshield t type tool, mine has a squeege on one edge and the other has foam rubber with a mesh coating , i can get a fair amount from the dock with a long handle and sometimes get in the water with a wet suit, West and others sell something called a dry diver I believe , has anyone used one of these ?? thanks Mike Bacome