Diving to clean boat bottom

[Randall Schmidt]

I just moved from the Chesapeake (Deale MD) to New Bern on the Neuse River. I’m shopping for a marina and likely will end up keep her in Oriental. I’ve heard a few people talking about hiring a diver to clean the bottom once a quarter or more often if I keep her in New Bern vs Oriental. In the Chesapeake at Herrington Harbor North they would not permit sailors to dive clean boats at the marina for ecological reasons. Should I dive clean in NC?

 

[justsomeguy]

Should I dive clean in NC?

If you don't want to pay someone else...

 

[Brian D]

Ecological reasons? That is illogical at best since the growth on the bottom of the boat came from that very same water the boat resides in.

 

[justsomeguy]

Ecological reasons?

More like economical reasons.

 

[SG]

The issue in many marina locations is that ablative paint being scrubbed-off damages sea life.

In Annapolis and I believe in most "policed" places in Maryland's Chesapeake Bay, you can't scrub your boat unless you have a "hard" bottom paint.

I've also heard that the whole notion of ablative paint is a mistake. In order for the paint to naturally ablate from motion requires a lot more speed that 95% of the sailboats in the water will EVER see. It works for power boats, but you'll not likely be going 15 knots, or faster.

We use VC Offshore, which is a hard paint which has a very high percentage of copper content. It works a lot better than the Micron 66 we used to use (which was an ablative paint).

 

[Benny17441]

Why don't they just ban ablative paint? Seems to me there is another reason besides "ecological"

 

[Charlie Jones s/v Tehani]

interesting- I've used ablative bottom paints for years- I usually get three years between haulouts, here in south Texas waters. Normally I have some scum and maybe a few barnacles at the water line, but no serious growth.. I'll keep using it thank you.

 

[SG]

Why don't they just ban ablative paint? Seems to me there is another reason besides "ecological"

My guess: It's only a concern if you try to clean it "manually" in a harbor. If you are a powerboat running at some speed, it works fine; and, in open water, it's not material.

 

[dLj]

Why don't they just ban ablative paint? Seems to me there is another reason besides "ecological"

Some places have.

dj

 

[rpludwig]

Randall, Welcome to New Bern!....check your private messages...I can help for sure, both on marinas but bottom work/cleaning as well...!!

Ron

 

[NYSail]

The issue in many marina locations is that ablative paint being scrubbed-off damages sea life.

In Annapolis and I believe in most "policed" places in Maryland's Chesapeake Bay, you can't scrub your boat unless you have a "hard" bottom paint.

I've also heard that the whole notion of ablative paint is a mistake. In order for the paint to naturally ablate from motion requires a lot more speed that 95% of the sailboats in the water will EVER see. It works for power boats, but you'll not likely be going 15 knots, or faster.

We use VC Offshore, which is a hard paint which has a very high percentage of copper content. It works a lot better than the Micron 66 we used to use (which was an ablative paint).

I fully agree about the lack of ablading with a sailboats speed. I am going to switch to a hard paint and just dive on the boat when needed....

Here in my area most everyone (including me) is conned into thinking they have to pile the paint on every year.... it does look good but at a giant cost. I did not paint at the beginning of season as there was still plenty of paint and guess what.... I had the same performance as I did seasons past. This haul out I am going to do some serious hull cleaning to prep for a hard bottom paint and say goodbye to ablative paint.

Greg

 

[SG]

I fully agree about the lack of ablading with a sailboats speed. I am going to switch to a hard paint and just dive on the boat when needed....

Here in my area most everyone (including me) is conned into thinking they have to pile the paint on every year.... it does look good but at a giant cost. I did not paint at the beginning of season as there was still plenty of paint and guess what.... I had the same performance as I did seasons past. This haul out I am going to do some serious hull cleaning to prep for a hard bottom paint and say goodbye to ablative paint.

Greg

you will need to carefully get the ablative paint off and get down (but not through)?your barrier coat, I believe.

with VC Offshore, it has been pretty easy to get the boat wiped down. We haul every 2 years in the Chesapeake. (Others, every 3 years). We try to have a diver every 2 or three weeks to wipe the boat down.

 

[DougM]

In some areas diving within a marina is prohibited. The reason given is the hazard of stray current due to damaged or possibly improper shore power wiring. There have been at least a couple of fatalities here in Michigan, and with the present high water conditions there is a lot of potentially dangerous wiring that is actually submerged.

 

[Davidasailor26]

I disagree that ablative paints will not self-polish at sailboat speeds. In previous years I’ve applied an undercoat of red ablative below one coat of black. By fall high-wear sections of the hull were showing some of the red through.
With hard paints also remember that even though the paint itself sticks to the hull the anti fouling compounds still leach out over time, so even if they look fine they may be less effective and need to be recoated. Also keep in mind that some hard paints are only effective while left in the water, and once they are out for a winter the anti fouling agents may become ineffective.

 

[Randall Schmidt]

Ecological reasons? That is illogical at best since the growth on the bottom of the boat came from that very same water the boat resides in.

I guess the rationale was cleaning an ablative hull causes more paint to "ablat" if that is even a word. That was not my rule it is what the marina enforces as they are a "green" marina or something like that.

 

[Randall Schmidt]

If you don't want to pay someone else...

Can you offer advice on how to scrape the bottom under water without taking off too much paint? Do you use something like a plastic window scraper that one would use for taking ice off of a car windshield.

 

[Randall Schmidt]

The issue in many marina locations is that ablative paint being scrubbed-off damages sea life.

In Annapolis and I believe in most "policed" places in Maryland's Chesapeake Bay, you can't scrub your boat unless you have a "hard" bottom paint.

I've also heard that the whole notion of ablative paint is a mistake. In order for the paint to naturally ablate from motion requires a lot more speed that 95% of the sailboats in the water will EVER see. It works for power boats, but you'll not likely be going 15 knots, or faster.

We use VC Offshore, which is a hard paint which has a very high percentage of copper content. It works a lot better than the Micron 66 we used to use (which was an ablative paint).

Thanks for that input. Last year I had my boat bottom redone - peeled off fiberglass that had thousands of blisters and re-glassed then multiple epoxy coats and finally a couple of ablative coats. She looks great. Used her some for 9 months except for the Maryland winter when she sat in her wet slip and she has been on the hard in NC since mid-May. Before I splash her I'll put fresh paint on. If I want to switch to hard paint what would that entail? Do I have to remove the ablative (that is not worn out yet) first? I've heard in this area a sailor say that hydrocoat bottom paint is recommended for this area. I've not researched if that is ablative or hard. Anyone have experience with it?

 

[justsomeguy]

Can you offer advice on how to scrape the bottom under water without taking off too much paint? Do you use something like a plastic window scraper that one would use for taking ice off of a car windshield.

I use a steel drywall knife, numerous putty knives and a soft mitten to get the slime.
So, no, I can't advise on how to minimize paint removal. It is what it is, an expendable that must be renewed from time to time.

 

[rpludwig]

Randall, give me a call, I'll give you the local scoop....(chk your private msg)

Ron

 

[NYSail]

Can you offer advice on how to scrape the bottom under water without taking off too much paint? Do you use something like a plastic window scraper that one would use for taking ice off of a car windshield.

All you have to do is rub the bottom with your hand and the ablative paint will come off. And yes I also have a base color with black above and it is showing through.... but again regardless of the paint I have to get a diver at least 2 times per season and he is wiping off paint as he cleans the growth off. If the ablative worked so well on sailboats I would never need to dive on it. Mean time my dock neighbor with the 38 foot power boat never needs a diver because his bottom ablades properly with the speed he goes.

Greg