Bottom cleaning, can I do it myself?

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Squadron

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Nov 8, 2009
35
Hunter 22 Charleston, SC
Hey guys,

I'm curious as to whether or not any of you do your bottom cleaning yourselves while in a marina. I used to be SCUBA certified and have been thinking about a recertification to let me clean the bottom (as well as explore underwater some more).

Aside from making sure that my marina is OK with it, what would I need to watch out for?
 
Happy Dolphin

Happy Dolphin

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Nov 1, 2010
100
Oday 272 Brownstown, MI - Lake Erie Metro Park Marina
Yes, unfortunately the previous owner did not believe in cleaning and proper repaint! ;o(
Cleaning with simple green (50=50 dilution) 2/3s complete while in the garage - Hate the job, but good feeling when complete...
With a 22 ft. I suggest taking out of H2O use power washer. Good Luck.
 
zeehag

zeehag

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Mar 26, 2009
3,198
1976 formosa 41 yankee clipper santa barbara. ca.(not there)
if you are talking hull, in water, lay out deadman lines the length of your boat and use for hanging on when you are swimming under boat-- just need a scraper--i make sure mine is done with a plastic one, other folks dont care if metal or plastic. have fun--is a lot of exercise....might wanna do the water line first, then decide on whether ye wanna use a diver or do it yerself-is a lot harder than it looks..i promise!
 
Witzend

Witzend

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Dec 25, 2008
1,580
catalina 310 Elk River
Depending on the type of keel (wing keel work best), with a strip of carpet give her a back scratch with your mate, gets most of it.
 
catsailor

catsailor

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Jan 10, 2009
590
PDQ 32 Deale, MD
Stray electric current

Not much of a hazard in salt water (too conductive) but something to consider. However, I did get a tingle at a marina once, so I always look around and enter the water VERY carefully.
 
O

Old Skool Neil

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Jan 22, 2008
880
Fed up w/ personal attacks I'm done with SBO
What the others said

Been diving since 1980 and cleaned my previous boat myself (Westsail 32). Never again, the $35 my diver charges for the job is the best money I ever spent.
 
zeehag

zeehag

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Mar 26, 2009
3,198
1976 formosa 41 yankee clipper santa barbara. ca.(not there)
ALLIGATORS----- dinner if ye win the rassling contest......
 
DanM

DanM

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Mar 28, 2011
155
Catalina 30 Galveston Bay
Last year a young man was cleaning the bottom of a large boat in my marina and when the owner realized he hadn't heard much from him in a while he went to check and found that he had apparently drowned.

I talked to my diver about it and he talked about a few different scenerios that sounded pretty bad, oil in the compressor I think was the general thinking of what might of happened. His point was that just because it's only 8 feet deep it's not without danger and you have to really know what you are doing to do it safely.

You mentioned you were a diver so you'd know the risks. Our water is just to murky for me to get in... I've seen some creepy stuff in there, I'll just keep paying my guy!
 
S

Squadron

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Nov 8, 2009
35
Hunter 22 Charleston, SC
Thanks for the tips. The biggest things I'm worried about would be the current (the deadman's lines would take care of that) and getting electrocuted (careful examination of the surrounding area would help). It's a pretty simple 23' with an outboard, so I wouldn't be too worried about the engine causing me many problems. I might try cleaning a small area first and seeing how I feel about the rest.

Thanks!
 
RAD

RAD

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Jun 3, 2004
2,330
Catalina 30 Bay Shore, N.Y.
catsailor said:
Not much of a hazard in salt water (too conductive) but something to consider. However, I did get a tingle at a marina once, so I always look around and enter the water VERY carefully.
Click to expand
I try not to enter the water in the marina but if you must.... turn off the electricity at the boats on either side of you
 
kloudie1

kloudie1

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Nov 6, 2006
10,048
Hunter 34 Mandeville Louisiana
I anchor out in about 8 feet of water on a calm day and set lines like Zee says.. It is a lot of work.. it is tough because you fight all the time for something to hold you steady as you brush/scrape.. but a cool brew in the cockpit afterwards makes it OK..
 
Tom J

Tom J

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Sep 30, 2008
2,319
Catalina 310 Quincy, MA
When I lived in Florida, I cleaned the bottom of my boat regularly. Snorkeling worked fine for light jobs, but SCUBA was definitely best for the tough jobs. Scotchbrite pads worked fine for the slime, and a plastic scraper worked for the barnacles. And, as we all know, the alligators were only in fresh water, right? You definitely want to be aware of stray electrical current in a marina, though. Often , I anchored out in the bay to do the bottom. No boats around, and better visibility.
 
J

jackhartjr

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Dec 9, 2006
694
Oday 22 Hickory, NC
If you try it on a snorkle, make sure you breathe long, deep breaths, otherwise you keep breathing the same air, not good!
Jack
 
fstbttms

fstbttms

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Feb 26, 2011
1,440
Achilles SD-130 Alameda, CA
Do not use a scraper unless the hull is extremely foul. Unplug the boat from the shorepower. Never clean a boat without wearing a hood, regardless of water temperature.

Here are a professional's hull cleaning tools:





 
Joe

Joe

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Jun 1, 2004
8,158
Catalina 27 Mission Bay, San Diego
Does a hunter 22 have a fixed keel? What does she draw. Have you thoughr of careening the boat.. or just drag her into shallow water where you can wade around one side, thenthe other, and clean with a deck brush.
 
T

tommays

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Oct 2, 2006
1,517
Jboat J24 commack
We clean a J24 at 4' draft and a C&C 35 at 7' draft weekly or bi-weekly with nothing but a REALLY soft brush and a snorkel

My biggest issue with the J24 is if somebody sends a big wave through the mooring field i have to be careful not to get thumped by the boat
 
DStegs49

DStegs49

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Feb 22, 2011
76
Hunter Legend 37 Muskegon, MI
First off, if the boat was trailerable, pull it and either power wash it or use a good strong toilet bowl cleaner. I have used "the Works" with great success. Of course if you wait too long you might need an air hammer or dynomite to get the stuff off.

Beaching or grounding the boat would work also and then use a deck brush on the bottom.

I cleaned a boat bottom in the water once using my dive gear and a burlap bag. Just be careful of the sending units. A tooth brush would work on the paddle wheel. It could be done with a snorkel also but would be a bit more tiring that way. I see where the "professionals tools" would work as well. Although, I can't see how to keep the water out of the beer without a cover and a straw.

Trouble is when you rub the bottom, you push yourself away from the boat. The lines around the hull or suction cup holders would keep you near the boat. Or a contiuous kick with the fins would work too, freeing up one hand.

Living and sailing in Michigan we don't have dinner invitations out for gators, sharks or cudas so that is not a concern. The electrical current in the marina would be a major concer. Regarding stray electrical current in a marina when in the water... Do they make a measuring device (as in a volt meter) to determine if there is stray electricity in the water?

Paying someone is also and alternative and use your dive time for fun.

Dave
 
inarathree

inarathree

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Jun 16, 2010
495
In search of my next boat Palm Harbor, FL
Around here most of the owners who have boats under 23/24' just pull up to any of the islands next to the IC and scrape it themselves. Metal or plastic scrapers. I don't like the look of the water in most of the marinas, especially when I can sail out to clear water. And yes there are dangers from alligators in brackish water in FL, and VERY rarely have been found on the barrier islands, some 1.5 to 2 miles from mainland. I would be more worried about electricity, and all the things you can't see.
 
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