Hull Cleaning

[GreggL]

Having a bit of a speed issue here. Some are saying that my hull not being clean will produce noticeable results. My boat was commissioned in march and has been in the water since then. Is there some way of cleaning the hull without hauling? Is this even necessary? IOW, will a hull get dirty enough after a few months to warrant a speed change of over 2 knots? If not, then I may have an engine or prop problem...
Thanks!

[Greenhand]

Your cruising grounds will make difference to the answer, so could you please include that?

[GreggL]

Originally Posted by Greenhand

Your cruising grounds will make difference to the answer, so could you please include that?

Long island, both south shore as well as the sound.

[fstbttms]

Google "hull cleaning" to find a local diver. No need to haul.

[GreggL]

Originally Posted by fstbttms

Google "hull cleaning" to find a local diver. No need to haul.

Before I call someone in, I was curious if it were possible that I needed it already. Since its a new boat, new bottom paint and only been in water for a few months.

[Bash]

Originally Posted by GreggL

Before I call someone in, I was curious if it were possible that I needed it already. Since its a new boat, new bottom paint and only been in water for a few months.

absolutely. Even with new bottom paint, my bottom needs cleaning on a monthly basis in the summer and bimonthly in the winter. Your results may vary according to sunlight, salinity, water temperature, et cetera.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by Bash

absolutely. Even with new bottom paint, my bottom needs cleaning on a monthly basis in the summer and bimonthly in the winter. Your results may vary according to sunlight, salinity, water temperature, et cetera.

+1
What Bash said.

[GreggL]

Okay, thats good to know. Thanks!

[bobconnie]

+ 2 for bash !! they all need a scrub !!

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by GreggL

Okay, thats good to know. Thanks!

I have few NY dive services bookmarked but this is the only one that still works:

Blackwater Diving

[offline]

Another +1 for Bash..

We clean monthly! The moment we put it back in the water critters started attaching...

[Celestialsailor]

Oh...I can hardly wait for the Bi-yearly,self cleaners to chime in...

[offline]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

Oh...I can hardly wait for the Bi-yearly,self cleaners to chime in...

Yeah.. well we left on vacation and let a friend use our RIB... We were gone for 4 weeks and during that time he left it in the water. When we got back there was at least an inch of growth... The dinghy was new and didn't have ablative paint. took me a full day to pressure wash the growth off...

I couldn't imagine NOT cleaning monthly.

[GreggL]

Originally Posted by offline

Yeah.. well we left on vacation and let a friend use our RIB... We were gone for 4 weeks and during that time he left it in the water. When we got back there was at least an inch of growth... The dinghy was new and didn't have ablative paint. took me a full day to pressure wash the growth off...

I couldn't imagine NOT cleaning monthly.

But even with anti fouling? Isn't that the purpose of the bottom painting

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

Oh...I can hardly wait for the Bi-yearly,self cleaners to chime in...

Ok, I'll bite.

Where our boat sits in Kemah TX, the only normal accumulation is slime. We're not racing and this stuff mostly comes off when sailing.
While we were out cruising I poked around the bottom of the boat all the time and it really needed a good scrubbing after 5 months in Isla Mujeres.
So it really depends on your local waters.