Nasty barnacle season in Chesapeake

Dr. D

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Nov 3, 2018
272
Beneteau Oceanis 35.1 Herrington Harbour North
From my observation of the condition of my boat's bottom and the comments I have heard from a few people, it appears we are having a nasty season for barnacles in the Chesapeake Bay.

Those of you with boats in the Bay, are you noticing this also?
 
Dec 7, 2016
66
Beneteau Oceanis 45 Annapolis
Yes indeed! Our Micron CSC is hardly a year old and the bottom is covered in huge clusters of tiny barnacles. We have a diver in our marina who is supposed to be diving on our boat today and he told me this years barnacle bloom is especially nasty and lasted about 4 weeks compared to the normal one week. He said the bottom paint on his boat which is in the same marina as ours is only 2 months old and barnacles are already taking to it.
 
Apr 8, 2011
768
Hunter 40 Deale, MD
Anyone with ablative fresh this year seeing the same thing, mid-bay (we're out of Deale)? Launched in May with 2 fresh coats of PCA Gold and zinc paint on the running gear. Sounds like I need to dive on the boat and see what's happening next time I'm out.
 

Dr. D

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Nov 3, 2018
272
Beneteau Oceanis 35.1 Herrington Harbour North
The boat was hauled today. Yeah, got some barnacles allright. Most of them came off with the powerwash and the ones left were easy to scrape off with a plastic blade. Below are the before and after pics of the propeller. No wonder I didn't have much power....
IMG_0253.jpeg
IMG_0261.jpeg
 
May 1, 2011
4,189
Pearson 37 Lusby MD
This is what my prop and shaft looked like after three months sitting. The hull was clean. Yep, they are bad this year!
Fouled_prop_20200703.jpg
Fouled_Prop&Shaft_20200703.jpg
 
Apr 8, 2011
768
Hunter 40 Deale, MD
Dr. D and KappyKaplan - WOW. Do either of you paint your running gear with zinc paint (Pettit sells it, you can buy the same thing much cheaper at Home Depot)? I'm at Shipwright, across from Herrington North. I get out on the bay every week or two during the season, so I thought a fresh two coats of CSC Gold Ablative and zinc paint on my running gear should protect me pretty well. I haven't dove on my bottom since launching in May (and can't now with all the Sea Nettles in the water), but I did pull my paddlewheel blank last weekend and it had 1/4" of biocarpet on it. I didn't paint is, so its just bare plastic, but I was surprised. I didn't see that the last two seasons. Is it particularly bad this year, in your estimation?
 

Dr. D

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Nov 3, 2018
272
Beneteau Oceanis 35.1 Herrington Harbour North
Yes, this season is much worse than average; that is from several sources including a diver. On my dock there are two boats that had the bottom painted early in the spring, but had to have a diver clean the bottom last month.

The sea nettles are bad already? Nuts. I was hoping to try snorkling under my boat soon, but maybe not.
 
Apr 8, 2011
768
Hunter 40 Deale, MD
Yes, this season is much worse than average; that is from several sources including a diver. On my dock there are two boats that had the bottom painted early in the spring, but had to have a diver clean the bottom last month.

The sea nettles are bad already? Nuts. I was hoping to try snorkling under my boat soon, but maybe not.
That's really concerning about above normal growth. Yikes. Would love to get a referral on a reliable and reasonably priced diver in the Deale area if you have one.

We saw nettles in Herring Bay over 2 weeks ago - but not a lot. This past weekend they were thick on the Eastern side of the bay from Tilghman Island up into Eastern Bay, and when we were sailing after dark I shined the spotlight in the water and they were thick enough you couldn't have put your hand in the water and pulled it back underway without touching one. I think they may have been spawning as there were a LOT of little ones and relatively few adults. The Sea Nettle Probability chart is ugly right now:

 

Dr. D

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Nov 3, 2018
272
Beneteau Oceanis 35.1 Herrington Harbour North
A few weeks back I bought a Crosstour video camera which came with a waterproof case and wifi. I mounted it on the end of a curved pole and inspected the bottom. That is what convinced me to haul the boat. The reason for wifi is with the camera in the case I could turn on the wifi and check the video without bothering with taking the camera out of the case. Don't expect perfection: Due to the murkiness of the water there is a range of 2" (minimum camera focus) to 6" (can't see through the crud) where the camera exposes the bottom.

Thanks for the chart!
 
Apr 8, 2011
768
Hunter 40 Deale, MD
A few weeks back I bought a Crosstour video camera which came with a waterproof case and wifi. I mounted it on the end of a curved pole and inspected the bottom. That is what convinced me to haul the boat. The reason for wifi is with the camera in the case I could turn on the wifi and check the video without bothering with taking the camera out of the case. Don't expect perfection: Due to the murkiness of the water there is a range of 2" (minimum camera focus) to 6" (can't see through the crud) where the camera exposes the bottom.

Thanks for the chart!
Yeah I've tried that with my GoPro mounted on a boat hook at the dock - have not had usable results yet. Probably not enough light under the boats at the dock. I think I'll be giving it a real effort this weekend.
 
May 1, 2011
4,189
Pearson 37 Lusby MD
KappyKaplan - WOW. Do either of you paint your running gear with zinc paint
I use a product called Barnacle Barrier. It might have stood a chance if the boat had been underway, but it sat for three months - no recreational boating, Momma Duck issue, and medical issue for me. The barnacles are particularly bad this year. And so are the "jellies"!
 

arf145

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Nov 4, 2010
484
Beneteau 331 Deale, MD
My boat is at Herrington North. I haven't been able to look at my prop yet, but was out twice last week and the boat ran well under power so mine can't be too bad. Sailing in light wind seemed OK too. I do use Barnacle Barrier on the prop, and WM CPP ablative bottom paint.