Hull Cleaning IN the water?

[EbbTide27]

Hello, family! This is my first post here. I am the owner of a 1982 Catalina 27....and have been restoring it for a year now that I have owned it. I haven't taken her out yet, and she hasn't moved from birth in 6 or 7 years. I have the 5411 atomic running and all seems ready to go on her re-maiden voyage.

My question: she is birthed in a fresh water reservoir and we don't have a trailer for that size around. Is there a way to clean the bottom effectively without pulling her? I hate to spend that kind of money if it can be done while she sits in the water. Someone said rent a diver but someone else also said to sail to a more shallow area and scrub myself. Being a fixed keel, that sounds a bit dicey! I don't know about that!

Appreciate any guidance.

 

[dlochner]

Welcome.

If there is electric service in your marina, DO NOT ENTER the water. Freshwater and electricity are a deadly combination.

There are boat bottom cleaning devices, Davis makes on, I haven't tried it. Otherwise the time tested method is find a nice spot to anchor on a warm day and go swimming with a scrub brush. There are suction cup devices to act as handles so you can stay put. Grounding the boat on a soft sand bar and cleaning by hand also works. And there is the diver option.

Scrubbis Underwater Hull Cleaning Kit

With a 12-foot reach, the Scrubbis Underwater Hull Cleaning Kit allows the boat owner to reach rudders, keels and all underwater surfaces on boats up to 40-feet and bigger. Buoyant foam head with cleaning fins. 4.4 lbs of buoyancy (2 kg) powers scrubbing on the upstroke Use for both, power and...

www.davisinstruments.com

 

[EbbTide27]

Welcome.

If there is electric service in your marina, DO NOT ENTER the water. Freshwater and electricity are a deadly combination.

There are boat bottom cleaning devices, Davis makes on, I haven't tried it. Otherwise the time tested method is find a nice spot to anchor on a warm day and go swimming with a scrub brush. There are suction cup devices to act as handles so you can stay put. Grounding the boat on a soft sand bar and cleaning by hand also works. And there is the diver option.

Scrubbis Underwater Hull Cleaning Kit

With a 12-foot reach, the Scrubbis Underwater Hull Cleaning Kit allows the boat owner to reach rudders, keels and all underwater surfaces on boats up to 40-feet and bigger. Buoyant foam head with cleaning fins. 4.4 lbs of buoyancy (2 kg) powers scrubbing on the upstroke Use for both, power and...

www.davisinstruments.com

Dave, thanks for the information! And for sure I wouldn't enter the water in that marina....outlets all over the place! I like the soft sandbar idea and the handles....sounds like an adventure!

 

[tfox2069]

It really depends on how much, and what kind of growth you have on the bottom. Sitting still for 6-7 years is a long time for uglies to take up residence on your hull. Renting a diver is a great idea, but you really should see how much that would cost vs a short haul at a marina with a pressure washer. FYI, I'm getting ready to short haul my 36' Hunter to change zincs and pressure wash the hull and all in it will be around $300. I'll also get to inspect everything to make sure all is in order below the waterline. You really ought to do that with a new-to-you boat - inspect through hulls, clear intakes, etc.. Diving on your own boat is fine for quick looks and light cleaning, but probably more than you want to take on. If you do it, don't go to shallow water, use a mask, snorkel, and suction cup for one hand to give you leverage as you scrub. Cheapest way to diagnose how big a problem you have - launch and dive for a quick look out in the lake. You'll know how much work is ahead of you very quickly!

Lastly, are you considering hauling out at some point to do a full bottom job (at least clean, sand, and paint antifouling)? That should be on your list even if you get the bottom cleaned this year one way or another.

Edit: I tried to get a diver to come to my marina and change zincs and do a light cleaning on the hull, but couldn't get any to take on the job. And I'm in a marina south of Annapolis, MD with well over 1,000 slips in the area. Don't know if you will have the same issue. But you won't want a "guy who's SCUBA qualified", you want someone who does it for a living to change your zincs and not scrub OFF any bottom paint.

 

[EbbTide27]

It really depends on how much, and what kind of growth you have on the bottom. Sitting still for 6-7 years is a long time for uglies to take up residence on your hull. Renting a diver is a great idea, but you really should see how much that would cost vs a short haul at a marina with a pressure washer. FYI, I'm getting ready to short haul my 36' Hunter to change zincs and pressure wash the hull and all in it will be around $300. I'll also get to inspect everything to make sure all is in order below the waterline. You really ought to do that with a new-to-you boat - inspect through hulls, clear intakes, etc.. Diving on your own boat is fine for quick looks and light cleaning, but probably more than you want to take on. If you do it, don't go to shallow water, use a mask, snorkel, and suction cup for one hand to give you leverage as you scrub. Cheapest way to diagnose how big a problem you have - launch and dive for a quick look out in the lake. You'll know how much work is ahead of you very quickly!

Lastly, are you considering hauling out at some point to do a full bottom job (at least clean, sand, and paint antifouling)? That should be on your list even if you get the bottom cleaned this year one way or another.

Edit: I tried to get a diver to come to my marina and change zincs and do a light cleaning on the hull, but couldn't get any to take on the job. And I'm in a marina south of Annapolis, MD with well over 1,000 slips in the area. Don't know if you will have the same issue. But you won't want a "guy who's SCUBA qualified", you want someone who does it for a living to change your zincs and not scrub OFF any bottom paint.

Thank you, T. We seem to have a shortage of marina's and hauling services. Another member at the club says it cost him $5000 to have it hauled and placed on dry land! That seems high to me. $300 I would spend in a heartbeat. I will for sure need to pull it one day to do the "shiny hiney". Thanks again.

 

[tfox2069]

For $5,000 you could practically have a Chinook helicopter come out, sling load your boat and deposit it on land. Hopefully that's apocryphal. For a full haulout, block, winter storage and and spring launch I think I paid around $800-ish last year. Definitely under $1,000 - and that's in the very expensive Washington DC area at a very reputable and large marina. And they came and got the boat in my slip, and returned it in the spring when I wanted it launched. But hey, maybe there's just one marina there, and they charge whatever they want.

 

[EbbTide27]

For $5,000 you could practically have a Chinook helicopter come out, sling load your boat and deposit it on land. Hopefully that's apocryphal. For a full haulout, block, winter storage and and spring launch I think I paid around $800-ish last year. Definitely under $1,000 - and that's in the very expensive Washington DC area at a very reputable and large marina. And they came and got the boat in my slip, and returned it in the spring when I wanted it launched. But hey, maybe there's just one marina there, and they charge whatever they want.

We are at our Yacht Club, but we don't have lifting abilities. Some trailers about, but I don't think one for mine that I could borrow without having to modify.

Hey, I think the Chinook would atleast make me club legend!

 

[rgranger]

I use one of these and a pair of swim goggles. Anchor in a cove and go for a swim. For me the longer handle is necessary to get up inside the keel trunk.

 

[jssailem]

Welcome @EbbTide27. Great song Ebb Tide.
When the water is warm, you could dive and swim about the boat likely with out a problem. A plastic scraper and a scrub pad is fine. Note that your boat has a keel and it needs about 4 feet of water to be floating.
The shape looks something like:

Nudging it up into 4 ft of water will rest the keel on the bottom. You could walk about the boat and just lean under the water to get most of the boat clean. You could also use a brush on a stick to do most of the boat. You do not want to set the boat down on the rudder. They are not strong enough to support the boat.

This is what a bad bottom growth looks like.

This would take some serious scraping.

 

[tfox2069]

Welcome @EbbTide27. Great song Ebb Tide.
When the water is warm, you could dive and swim about the boat likely with out a problem. A plastic scraper and a scrub pad is fine. Note that your boat has a keel and it needs about 4 feet of water to be floating.
The shape looks something like:
View attachment 191985

Nudging it up into 4 ft of water will rest the keel on the bottom. You could walk about the boat and just lean under the water to get most of the boat clean. You could also use a brush on a stick to do most of the boat. You do not want to set the boat down on the rudder. They are not strong enough to support the boat.

This is what a bad bottom growth looks like.
View attachment 191986
This would take some serious scraping.

Looks like a mooring pendant I had to wrestle on deck in Maine once.

 

[EbbTide27]

Thanks, John! Yes, Ebb Tide is a great song with several great versions. My late grandpa loved the song the most, so I am naming her after that.
And thanks! Seems like I was worrying over nothing. This is in Mississippi, so we usually have great swimming water most of the year. The sons will just have to take turns on alligator and snake patrol!

 

[Rick Webb]

a good tip I got a while back was to use a long handled scrub brush, (like push broom length) attach a fender to the top of the head then you can stand on the dock and scrub way down and the fender trying to float will put pressure on the brush up against the hull so all you have to provide the back and forth effort

 

[jssailem]

Alligators and Snakes Oh My..
I thought that be an concern. But some folk jump in anyway. Isn't that how you go catfish fishing..

 

[EbbTide27]

a good tip I got a while back was to use a long handled scrub brush, (like push broom length) attach a fender to the top of the head then you can stand on the dock and scrub way down and the fender trying to float will put pressure on the brush up against the hull so all you have to provide the back and forth effort

Thanks, Rick. I think that's a great idea, as well.

 

[Michael Davis]

I use my “Scrubbis” every couple of months, haulout every couple of years. Be careful not to damage your knot meter paddle wheel. (Mine went AWOL)

 

[EbbTide27]

Alligators and Snakes Oh My..
I thought that be an concern. But some folk jump in anyway. Isn't that how you go catfish fishing..

We aren't afraid (or "scarte") down here. More like we are just mindful. Haha! But they are for sure out there in our Reservoir.

 

[Ron20324]

a good tip I got a while back was to use a long handled scrub brush, ,,,

Good idea.... You can get a deck brush attachment for a 12-foot boat hook. Can you heel the boat over to expose more bottom? /// As a starter idea, didn't your dentist tell you to FLOSS? Get a helper and length of 3-strand. With a person on each side of the boat, work the three-strand back and forth on the hull as you walk back. Hey, it's a start.

 

[shemandr]

There are some good suggestions above but I wonder if they are scaled to OP's situation. In the water for years without renewed anti fouling bottom paint - it is likely to be pretty bad. But you'll know pretty soon after starting. Make sure you have a sturdy putty knife and a few different sizes. If you're not making much progress opt for another method. Suction cups are pretty much mandatory. As you push against the hull with the brush you need something to oppose pushing your body away from the hull. These are for carrying paddle boards but may work. The ones I've used are two 3" rubber cups that screw onto a plastic handle - worked very well.

SurfStow SUPGrip SUP Suction Cup Carry Handle - 50080-3

Features: The SurfStow SUPGrip SUP Suction Cup Carry Handle Installs Instantly It is a dual suction cup handle Attaches to your standup paddleboard to provide an easier way to carry around your board A lot of today's stand up paddleboards

www.defender.com

I like a brush with a handle. It tires the hand less. It needs to be relatively stiff for significant buildup.

Sites-WestMarine-Site

West Marine

www.westmarine.com

 

[dlochner]

The boat is in freshwater so there will be few critters attached to the hull. It will mostly be slime and algae which tend to come off pretty easily until it dries out.

Zebra mussels may be attached, however they are not nearly as tenacious as barnacles, a stiff plastic scraper will make short work of them.

The hardest part will the the area just above the waterline, stuff will grow there and dry. The easiest way to remove the growth above the water line is with a mild acid. Well diluted muriatic acid will work and once it hits the water it decomposes and becomes quite benign, hydrogen and some sort of salt depending on the minerals in the water.

 

[EbbTide27]

Thanks @shemandr and @dlochner. Very helpful!