Zebra mussles

[Ken Honeycutt]

I did a bad thing and left my Mariner on a mooring buoy on Lake Michigan a past summer. When I pulled it out at the end of the summer - the hull was covered with Zebra Mussles. Not being acquainted with these critters - I wasn't expecting the havoc they played with my hull. I water blasted them off and tried to clean the residue off with some hull cleaner but I wasn't able to clean off everything. I would like to clean up the hull and this time coat it with VC-17 or some other product to keep it looking half way decent and protect it should I put it back in the lake again. Has anyone had experience with cleaning up after something like this - I was amazed at how they quickly overran every inch below the waterline.

 

[paul]

zebra mussels

Ken - My boat is in Lake Erie all summer and we have plenty of zebra mussels. I've never had to clean off any because I use Interlux Micron CSC as the bottom paint. The mussels will not attach themselves to this. Clean the bottom as best you can and put this on. Good luck. paul

 

[John]

marine growths

Ken,With my first boat, I left in the salt water for two years without bottom paint. I thought I'd give it a treat and clean the bottom. I pulled it out on its trailer and let it dry out (error number 2) before I tried to clean it. I used a very stiff putty knife to get most of the barnicle off but had to resort to a belt sander (use a fery light touch) to get the last bit off so the hull was smooth. I have painted my hull regurlarly ever since. I also take my boat out where they have a high presure wash (worth every penny).My 2 cents - for what they may be worth.John

 

[callnab]

bottom critters

Ken:I have my Mariner on a buoy in the Wareham river, Brackish salt water at Buzzards Bay. The first year I left it on the mooring for the summer and pulled it at the end of the season I could not beleave the barnicles etc that I had. I let it dry and then had to power wash, scrape, sand and swear for days.The second year before I pulled the boat I asked a friend who has a boat in the same water what he did. His answer was pretty simple. As soon as you get the boat out of the water spray the bottom with Bleach and water wait 1/2 hour and power wash. I was amazed. the crusty critters let go and come right off with high pressure water.I will recoat the bottom this spring before I put it in the water for the season but the cure at the end is fixed in my mind.