My Tender has growth, should I clean it before it drys

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by mvmojo

Not sure. My guess is that while the bottom is wet, the bleach partially dissolves the glue excreted by the barnacles as well as killing the little suckers. Once the glue dries, it's a a bear to get off the hull.

They made dental fillings replicating barnacle glue. As a kid I spent hours with a hook scraper.

[Dave_S]

Thanks everyone.

[Dave_S]

Just following up on this post for anyone looking it up. Thank you all for your advice 🙂

I just pulled the tender out, that will give you some idea of the growth in a sub-tropical climate. I mixed hydrochloric acid at 5:1 water/acid and sprayed it on. It may have been a bit strong 🙂 it foamed a little, the foaming had me a bit worried so I started scrapping after about 10 minutes.

I scraped what I could first with a metal and plastic flat scrapper and it came off very easily. Hosed it down then scrapped and scoured with scotchbrite and bleach. It came up quite nicely initially. The last section was much harder than the first and didn't come up as well even though it kept it wet.

So my take is that get into it as quickly as possible once out of the water, the acid is perhaps a little better than the bleach.

Overall, a much better result than I had expected.

[letsgetsailing3]

Wet, with a scraper, works. Do it immediately after removal from the water.

Maybe depends on what bottom you have, but not sure you need the heavy chemicals.

[LittleWing77]

Originally Posted by rwidman

Ever notice that when a boat yard lifts a boat out of the water they immediately pressure wash it? That's why.

Originally Posted by marcjsmith

That's because they are getting paid to do it, not out of the kindness of their hearts that's for sure.

It's also for runoff/catchment reasons. At the marina where I used to work, we had achieved a Clean Marine rating. One of the assessments has to do with not allowing environmental toxins like bottom paint forced off under pressure wash + diesel, gasoline and oil not to flow in the local water. We had some sort of grate and catchment in the haulout platform that prevented it, so boats were immediately pressure washed while there.

LW77

[JPA Cate]

Thanks for the feedback on the dinghy cleaning. Glad it worked out well.

Ann