DIY clean hull without diving

[jimdelane]

Davis Instruments has a new product out for cleaning the bottom - no diving required
Called Scrubbis boat hull care

https://www.davisinstruments.com/product/scrubbis/

[mghorton]

I have used my Dri diver on four different fin keel type boats here in the Chesapeake over the years and get reasonable results with no significant ablative paint loss as long as I maintain a light touch. The user guide says that if you are sweating you are working too hard and that is clearly good advice from several points of view.
Checked it several years ago by just doing one side two days before the winter haul out and was pleasantly surprised at the results. Some accumulation on the keel but not excessive.

Also clean the rudder and poke around the sail drive and prop with the same pole and a small brush, sitting on the dock aft of the boat. I used to go under with the Hookah in mid season but the water visibility has been so cruddy these past years I won't get into that stuff anymore.
Consequently, my Dufour GL325 gets a Dri Diver clean every six to eight weeks in from April to late Nov. and stays acceptably clean for the year, together with regular use and giving the prop some exercise at least once week.

Two passes on each side takes about an hour in total, including cleaning up the pads etc on completion.

Not the perfect solution, but not really labor intensive and makes me feel better knowing that I am not towing all that wildlife around the bay with me.

This is not meant to be propaganda for the DD, as there are others that also do a fair job. It has just worked for me, their service is good and getting replacement pads etc is still possible.

[Simon B]

has any one had experience with this product?
https://www.finsulate.com/en/antifou...ucts/seagrade/

[rubis]

30 years ago we used the onboard Hookah
200 years ago we laid it on her side and do the other side next day
Since that time All workboats and fishermen do that
That is the advantage of the monohull, and it costs nothing
Where have you been taught you all?

[ejjawhite]

On my Cal 35, with a 5’ keel, I use a telescopic aluminum pole that is threaded to accept a brush head. All can be found at a decent hardware store. I float around the boat on my inflatable and can easily reach to the keel. I can also reach the side of the keel and push downward, but there is typically a lot of current at my mooring, so I always shoot for hitting slack tide with 20 min or so on either side of the tide. The brush end of the pole wants to float, so I may run an old zinc or two over that end of the pole.
I can’t reach the bottom of the keel. But it’s better than spending $150 for the diver and I have checked with goggles to confirm the job is well done.

[Suijin]

I was able to keep my hard paint clean with just a brush on a pole when I was in clean ocean water, and went two years like that, but I was in the water with mask and fins and did it once a week. I did dive and scrape the running gear. Then I was in a bay for a bit and that was the end of that.

I agree that trying to do it without going in the water is totally ineffective. Even in the water, I'll find spots I missed or did not do well or was stubborn during a previous cleaning. I think anyone who dives in their own boat to clean it will agree that rigging up sticks and brushes to stay out of the water will lead to comical results.

[Old fella]

Originally Posted by Kiwi Dave

I didn't get wet

Hell, your keen, the harbour master is normally all over people doing that, seems like every do gooder around likes to ring him, I sometimes do mine on anchor in Muroe bay, cheers Brian .

[olaf hart]

Originally Posted by fstbttms

Of course individual marinas can make their own policy regarding this. But I assure you that in general, hull cleaning is not banned or otherwise restricted (beyond the ablative paint issue) in Washington. I have spoken to the Department of Ecology about it and know this to be the case.

The other marina in Point Hudson wouldn’t even let me wash my boats bottom on the hard,

[Clubfooted Jib]

Guys,
The Remora Solo underwater battery powered rotary brush does require getting in the water with snorkel and is expensive to buy but works great for me. We pull our shallow draft catamaran in to shallow water and walk or swim around with the machine. With a 5 or 6 foot draft you would work harder but the rotating brush sucks itself to the hull some.
Clubfooted Jib

[betwys1]

Snorkel with a 5 ft extension? Why not! But first, do a test.
Lie on the floor and ask a 200 lb friend to stand on your chest - while you push a scraper or brush up or down for JUST TWO MINUTES.
Managed that no problem? - then a long snorkel is the method for you.

Every 32 ft down is an extra 14.7 psi on your chest.
But this is just four feet down, right?
That's 4/32 X 14.7 psi = 1.84 psi Say your chest is 10 X 10 inches - that's 184 lb pushing in on your chest, with another 184 lb on your back.
/end

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by Clubfooted Jib

Guys,

The Remora Solo underwater battery powered rotary brush does require getting in the water with snorkel and is expensive to buy but works great for me.

https://youtu.be/6pVERSH58Io

[paralog]

Originally Posted by bailsout

I careen or beach Rosy. Nothing is better than an out of the water, wash and inspect. I’ve had State Park Rangers try to cite me and then had to back off when another authority told them tat I wasn’t doing anything more harmful than what a diver does. Also good time to check/replace zincs or swap props. Get to know your tides.

As an ex park ranger here in BC I had a california boat doing that in one of the marine parks I managed. He tried to bs me while he was covered in Antifouling.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by rubis

30 years ago we used the onboard Hookah
200 years ago we laid it on her side and do the other side next day
Since that time All workboats and fishermen do that
That is the advantage of the monohull, and it costs nothing
Where have you been taught you all?

You only know what you know.


Most of the posters sail in areas where the tidal range is far to little (0.5-1.5 feet) to make careening of a keel boat practical.

[charliehows]

what is the balance between keeping the hull cleanish and scrubbing off antifoul? I've noticed over the years that the heavy growth on my hull is concentrated in a few areas - mostly around the prop area, probably due to the effect of cavitation on the antifoul. The large flat surfaces pick up a little bit of slime and sporadic crustaceans and I suspect trying to clean them would just dislodge useful antifoul. I do have to clean the prop every 6 months or so, regardless of what i paint it with.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by charliehows

what is the balance between keeping the hull cleanish and scrubbing off antifoul?

As far as removing anti fouling paint goes, relatively frequent, (and therefore gentle) in-water cleanings are preferable to less frequent, more abrasive cleanings. For example, in Southern California 15 in-water hull cleanings per year is a typical maintenance regimen and quality anti fouling paints, properly applied provide good performance for 3-4 years between haulouts.