removing bottom growth

Johnb · Jun 24, 2014

When we had a trailerable we would pull it out and scrape, power wash and anti foul it ourselves.

Now with a 37 footer, it goes for a bottom job every 4 to 5 years. We have a contract with a diver who cleans the hull, propeller and maintains the zincs (if needed) 4 times a year. I see the regular cleaning as the way to go because although it is $400 per annum it extends the time between $1500 haul outs (at minimum) and it keeps the boat nice to sail.

One way or another I see pressure washing as the best way to go, whether by yourself or in a boat yard. It needs to come out anyway for anti fouling.

rardiH36 · Jun 24, 2014

Following-up to Johnb, when a boat is hauled, it's critically important that the hull be pressure-washed immediately. The marine growth is blasted off quite easily. I witnessed this with my boat a few weeks ago. And while I was at the yard (while DIY'ng there for 10 days) I observed even terribly encrusted 35-45 ft hulls being fully cleaned down to the bottom paint by the yard's pressure washer in just 10-20 minutes.

If the growth is allowed to dry, then removing requires a major effort in comparison.

You don't mention the size of the boat. Also since never had a bottom coating, the gelcoat/frp has been fully exposed to seawater. Make sure that the hull below water-line is inspected for blistering/pox. Very very expensive to fix in both cost and time.

Zzzzzz · Jun 24, 2014

hawk232 said:
I am looking at a boat that has been in the water for 3 years, only pulled once for cleaning, and has never had a coating on the bottom of the boat. it is in salt water. how big of a deal is removing the growth going to be? will scrapers do the job (for the most part) or will more drastic measures (what?) be required? I have never had the pleasure of cleaning the bottom of a boat before...

I would be very very careful buying a boat that has been in warm saltwater for three years without ever having been coated. When its pulled, you are not going to like what you see. Get a professional boat guy(just like when you buy a house) to go over over the boat from Bow to stern.

fstbttms · Jun 24, 2014

hawk232 said:
I am looking at a boat that has been in the water for 3 years, only pulled once for cleaning, and has never had a coating on the bottom of the boat. it is in salt water. how big of a deal is removing the growth going to be? will scrapers do the job (for the most part) or will more drastic measures (what?) be required? I have never had the pleasure of cleaning the bottom of a boat before...

Without a pressure washer, it is likely to be a real PITA. And as previously mentioned, DO NOT let the growth dry on the hull. Clean it immediately upon hauling.

Joe · Jun 24, 2014

Pay a diver to clean it before you haul it out of the water..... It is a thousand times easier to clean it under water than once the crud has dried.... Most divers will charge you double for a first time cleaning... so for a 20 footer expect to pay 40 to 50 bucks.

If you wait till you get home... you will be incredibly sorry.... don't do it... How much is your time worth? Once it's clean he can give you a quick assessment of the bottom.

Putting bottom paint on boat is pretty easy... fixing blisters, removing old paint, etc. is mostly labor intensive... anyone can do it. But... removing dried up growth is difficult and time consuming... especially when it's so easily done while the boat is still in the water.

rardiH36 · Jun 24, 2014

You could rent a gas-powered pressure washer and do soon after the boat is hauled (if the location will permit it environmental reasons which maybe not an issue since the boat doesn't have copper--biocide based paint on it).

Then you can do your own look-see prior to handing over the hoe. If you already know you want the boat, at least immediately power wash when you get home.

If you are planning to use the boat totally as a trailer-sailor, that will be in the water only a few days or weeks each year, then even if the bottom isn't too good, dry/sand/paint and enjoy! Do a google search, or SBO search, or look on Interlux's Yachtpaint.com for lots of info on techniques and products for boat bottom protection and repair.

fstbttms · Jun 24, 2014

Joe said:
Pay a diver to clean it before you haul it out of the water..... It is a thousand times easier to clean it under water than once the crud has dried.... Most divers will charge you double for a first time cleaning... so for a 20 footer expect to pay 40 to 50 bucks.

The OP doesn't live in San Diego and therefore cannot expect to pay the dirt cheap hull cleaning rates you are accustomed to. I would advise him to expect to pay at least $5.00/foot to clean an unpainted hull that has been in the water for years.

Zzzzzz · Jun 24, 2014

hawk232 said:
the boat is an o'day 20. it will be put on a trailer and hauled 2.5hrs to my house. I will not have the means to pressure wash it down there. I will only be able to scotch brite and scrape it.

quite frankly, the boat is not worth enough to hire a surveyor for. I am doing some horse trading with a gheenoe that I have for it. I am prepared for a project, I am just trying to make sure that this one will be less of a project than my current boat (which needs an entire deck and electrical system...

my main draw to the boat is that it has a new main and a 135 and 110 that are in great shape (supposedly). The gheenoe I am trading only cost me 900. it also has a centerboard instead of a swing keel.

Since you are trailering it, you should know that Practical Sailor ran a couple of articles(available on their website) on using Desitin baby rash ointment on the bottom(its 40% zinc oxide amonmg other things). It worked as well as any bottom paint for the first year. And you can buy a 16 oz tub of it online for $16, which should be more than enough to coat your boat. If you are trailering it, and then mooring for a good period, this is a Practical Sailor alternative to $75-$350 bottom paint prices.

Ron20324 · Jun 24, 2014

I agree- rent the power washer. And it depends if the "growth" is animal or vegetable. One thing you can do in the water, take a three-strand rope, start at the bow and lower the rope so you have it on each side- like a jump rope. Then pull the rope back and forth like you are flossing. Work your way to the stern if you can, but do as much as you can.

Benny17441 · Jun 24, 2014

With no bottom protection and after three years that marine growth is going to be really encrusted there and it might be nearly impossible to remove without inflicting some damage to the hull. The swing keel will likely be frozen in place and could make it hard to get on the trailer. I would try scraping the growth with a lot of patience and over a period of days to minimize damage. Patch and fix any damage, sand the hull and apply a fresh coat of anti-foul paint. It is also advisable to inspect and repair any damage to the swing keel and its support pivot point. You may have underestimated the cost for restoring that boat.

LANCE ON CLOUD NINE · Jun 24, 2014

as Benny said, the center board will probably be jammed up inside the keel case. You may need to raise the boat off the trailer to get at it.
When it happened to my O'Day 23 - I hung the entire boat off of 2 sections of pallet racking, using 6 padded trucker ratchet straps and rolled the trailer out from under it. It worked great! Could actually lift the boat with very little effort going back and forth a little at a time on the ratchets. Then I padded under the c/b with lots of cardboard and then pressure washed the inner keel slot - after about 15 minutes the c/b released. I cleaned and coated the inner slot with several coats of bottom paint and have had no trouble yet. I wish you the same ease. Good luck.

pacerpilot · Jun 24, 2014

Rent a power washer. I just brought a boat home that's been in the water for years and then put on a trailer. I am NOT looking forward to the cleaning but I'll still soak it and then blast it!

3rdbase · Jun 24, 2014

About the Pressure Washing

When you folks pressure wash your bottoms, do you collect and recycle the water? I understand that scrubbing the bottom while the boat is in the water is also now illegal. This is a point that I really don't understand because the paint is ablative and comes off when the boat is underway.

fstbttms · Jun 24, 2014

3rdbase said:
I understand that scrubbing the bottom while the boat is in the water is also now illegal. This is a point that I really don't understand...

You don't understand it because it isn't true.

3rdbase · Jun 24, 2014

fstbttms said:
You don't understand it because it isn't true.

A few sites you might want to visit. They are from different States. However, you'll note the paragraph that notes that this is not only the "State's" requirement, it is also a Federal Requirement. Note the following paragraph and reference the subsequent sites.

In May of 2009, the CTDEEP and CMTA negotiated a resolution that provides additional time for facility owners and operators to come into compliance with existing state and federal requirements for the management of wastewaters generated from vessel bottom pressure washing activities. The resolution extends the compliance deadline from September 30, 2009 to December 31, 2010. A facility owner/operator will be provided the extension only if they sign onto and abide by the terms and conditions of the Consent Order developed cooperatively by the CTDEEP and CMTA. Below is a summary of the terms and conditions of the Consent Order:

http://www.maine.gov/dep/water/wd/antifouling-paint/is_clean.pdf

http://www.ct.gov/deep/cwp/view.asp?A=2721&Q=442696

The above are 2 State's published requirements to comply with the Federal regulations. I don't know what your State's requirements are. You may want to research this for yourself. Or, maybe your State have not gotten to this stage yet. Who knows?

Joe · Jun 24, 2014

fstbttms said:
The OP doesn't live in San Diego and therefore cannot expect to pay the dirt cheap hull cleaning rates you are accustomed to. I would advise him to expect to pay at least $5.00/foot to clean an unpainted hull that has been in the water for years.

Nope, you're right, he doesn't live in San Diego.... he lives in FLORIDA.

fstbttms · Jun 24, 2014

3rdbase said:
A few sites you might want to visit. They are from different States. However, you'll note the paragraph that notes that this is not only the "State's" requirement, it is also a Federal Requirement. Note the following paragraph and reference the subsequent sites.

In May of 2009, the CTDEEP and CMTA negotiated a resolution that provides additional time for facility owners and operators to come into compliance with existing state and federal requirements for the management of wastewaters generated from vessel bottom pressure washing activities. The resolution extends the compliance deadline from September 30, 2009 to December 31, 2010. A facility owner/operator will be provided the extension only if they sign onto and abide by the terms and conditions of the Consent Order developed cooperatively by the CTDEEP and CMTA. Below is a summary of the terms and conditions of the Consent Order:

http://www.maine.gov/dep/water/wd/antifouling-paint/is_clean.pdf

http://www.ct.gov/deep/cwp/view.asp?A=2721&Q=442696

The above are 2 State's published requirements to comply with the Federal regulations. I don't know what your State's requirements are. You may want to research this for yourself. Or, maybe your State have not gotten to this stage yet. Who knows?

I am well aware of regulations regarding boatyard activities. However you said that it was your understanding that in-water hull cleaning is illegal. It is not.

3rdbase said:
I understand that scrubbing the bottom while the boat is in the water is also now illegal.