Can anyone advise what type (PSI/GPH) I would need to remove bottom growth / old antifouling the way the boat yard does? Or, even better, a make/model that works for them?
What sort of pressure washer for boat bottoms?
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Pressure Washer
Bought a 2000 PSI washer from Sears on sale recently ($200). Very compact and light unit with a Briggs & Stratton gas engine. Worked great. Also used it to clean my deck recently and it did a very good job but not as good as the larger one I used to rent that drilled holes in the wood. Mine is easy to lift and fits in the trunk of the car nicely. Suggest you visit Sears/Home Depot/Lowes etc and compare. I think 2000 PSI is plenty good for this purpose but you get what you pay for here. So if you want to drill holes in your fiberglass and/or take all the paint off (and maybe some gelcoat) go for the 2500PSI ++ unit. But the higher pressure units are bulky and they weight a lot. I think it depends on how bad your bottom is, how much room you have to store and transport it.
Bought a 2000 PSI washer from Sears on sale recently ($200). Very compact and light unit with a Briggs & Stratton gas engine. Worked great. Also used it to clean my deck recently and it did a very good job but not as good as the larger one I used to rent that drilled holes in the wood. Mine is easy to lift and fits in the trunk of the car nicely. Suggest you visit Sears/Home Depot/Lowes etc and compare. I think 2000 PSI is plenty good for this purpose but you get what you pay for here. So if you want to drill holes in your fiberglass and/or take all the paint off (and maybe some gelcoat) go for the 2500PSI ++ unit. But the higher pressure units are bulky and they weight a lot. I think it depends on how bad your bottom is, how much room you have to store and transport it.
Minimum 2000 psi (2.25 GPM)
All good Pressure Washers have buit-in pressure regulators, so you can easily regulate your utilization pressure downwards (from specified maximum). A higher pressure (& flow) washer will, therefor, be capable of a MUCH wider range of applications than would a lower pressure unit. I wouldn't purchase anything smaller than 2.25 GPM at 2,000 psi. (Note: A big price break occurs at about this rating) A Little About Pressure Washers: Pounds Per Square Inch (psi) is the measurement of water pressure. Gallons per Minute (GPM) is the measure of water flow. The greater the psi, the better the cleaning efficiency. Cleaning Unit (CU or UCE) is the water pressure multiplied by the water flow. A higher number means more cleaning power. Flow rate affects the time it takes to clean something. The higher the flow, the shorter the length of time it takes to clean. Pressure is the force of the water used to break a bond. Hard and firmly attached deposits require higher pressures than soft deposits not firmly attached. Electric pressure washers are used for light- to medium-duty applications. They are portable and lightweight, operate quietly, easy to store, designed for cleaning small areas, economical to operate, can be used in nonvented areas and are usually less costly. Gasoline pressure washers are used for medium- to heavy-duty applications. They can be used in remote locations (no electricity required), have higher performance ratings than electric washers, offer faster cleaning times, are designed for cleaning large areas and feature rugged frames, long-life pumps, commercial-style spray wands and accessories. The actual cleaning is done by the nozzle or tip of the washer. The spray angle of the nozzle is adjustable to fit the cleaning need. The wider the spray, or fan, the lower its ability to cut through dirt. A zero-degree nozzle provides intense power. Fan angles of 15 to 25 degrees cover larger areas, combining stripping and washing power. Fans of 40 degrees or more are generally used for simple washing. Rotating nozzles are used for some cleaning applications. < 1500 psi (1 GPM) - Light household duty (lawn furniture, sidewalks, etc) 1500 psi — 2200 psi (2.0 - 2.5 GPM)- Medium duty (wood docks, decks, lightly fouled hulls) 2200 psi — 3500 psi (3 GPM)- Consumer Heavier duty > 3500 psi - Professional Duty (common in Boatyards) Dry ice blasting is an excellent alternative to conventional pressure-water cleaning. The dry ice cleaning process uses solid CO2 pellets propelled at hyper-velocity to safely clean surfaces. As the CO2 pellets make contact with the surface, the pellets immediately sublimate (turn directly from a solid to a gas) and expand in volume 400 times. The hyper-velocity plus the volume expansion causes the CO2 to penetrate behind and between structural members to deliver unparalleled cleaning coverage. - Removes loose or chipped paint, dirt, barnacles & scum, oil, mold, mildew etc. - Cleans faster and more thoroughly than pressure washing. - Effectively used on both interiors and exteriors. - Quicker cleaning - Improves safety and comfort by eliminating moisture for slippage - Leaves nothing to clean up except the removed contaminants because dry ice disappears on contact. - Reduces or eliminates damage associated with pressure washing (caused by water damage and entrapment).
All good Pressure Washers have buit-in pressure regulators, so you can easily regulate your utilization pressure downwards (from specified maximum). A higher pressure (& flow) washer will, therefor, be capable of a MUCH wider range of applications than would a lower pressure unit. I wouldn't purchase anything smaller than 2.25 GPM at 2,000 psi. (Note: A big price break occurs at about this rating) A Little About Pressure Washers: Pounds Per Square Inch (psi) is the measurement of water pressure. Gallons per Minute (GPM) is the measure of water flow. The greater the psi, the better the cleaning efficiency. Cleaning Unit (CU or UCE) is the water pressure multiplied by the water flow. A higher number means more cleaning power. Flow rate affects the time it takes to clean something. The higher the flow, the shorter the length of time it takes to clean. Pressure is the force of the water used to break a bond. Hard and firmly attached deposits require higher pressures than soft deposits not firmly attached. Electric pressure washers are used for light- to medium-duty applications. They are portable and lightweight, operate quietly, easy to store, designed for cleaning small areas, economical to operate, can be used in nonvented areas and are usually less costly. Gasoline pressure washers are used for medium- to heavy-duty applications. They can be used in remote locations (no electricity required), have higher performance ratings than electric washers, offer faster cleaning times, are designed for cleaning large areas and feature rugged frames, long-life pumps, commercial-style spray wands and accessories. The actual cleaning is done by the nozzle or tip of the washer. The spray angle of the nozzle is adjustable to fit the cleaning need. The wider the spray, or fan, the lower its ability to cut through dirt. A zero-degree nozzle provides intense power. Fan angles of 15 to 25 degrees cover larger areas, combining stripping and washing power. Fans of 40 degrees or more are generally used for simple washing. Rotating nozzles are used for some cleaning applications. < 1500 psi (1 GPM) - Light household duty (lawn furniture, sidewalks, etc) 1500 psi — 2200 psi (2.0 - 2.5 GPM)- Medium duty (wood docks, decks, lightly fouled hulls) 2200 psi — 3500 psi (3 GPM)- Consumer Heavier duty > 3500 psi - Professional Duty (common in Boatyards) Dry ice blasting is an excellent alternative to conventional pressure-water cleaning. The dry ice cleaning process uses solid CO2 pellets propelled at hyper-velocity to safely clean surfaces. As the CO2 pellets make contact with the surface, the pellets immediately sublimate (turn directly from a solid to a gas) and expand in volume 400 times. The hyper-velocity plus the volume expansion causes the CO2 to penetrate behind and between structural members to deliver unparalleled cleaning coverage. - Removes loose or chipped paint, dirt, barnacles & scum, oil, mold, mildew etc. - Cleans faster and more thoroughly than pressure washing. - Effectively used on both interiors and exteriors. - Quicker cleaning - Improves safety and comfort by eliminating moisture for slippage - Leaves nothing to clean up except the removed contaminants because dry ice disappears on contact. - Reduces or eliminates damage associated with pressure washing (caused by water damage and entrapment).
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