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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

cleaning bottom in the water

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SEAN
Admiral

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USA
772 Posts

Initially Posted - 08/03/2008 : 09:44:01

does anybody clean there boats bottom ,

I did it the other week , small brush(not so good) , flippers on the feet , goggles
it would help to have breathing help ,

not a fun job , but it needed it .

does anybody do theres , or is that a job to pay out to have done ?

Edited by - on

ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 08/03/2008 : 09:57:45

I use a dri-diver... http://dridiver.com/index.html

You could make your own version with a bit of experimentation.

Edited by - on

John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3444 Posts

Response Posted - 08/03/2008 : 10:04:56

I have ablative bottom paint, won't that take the paint off too?

Edited by - on

SEAN
Admiral

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USA
772 Posts

Response Posted - 08/03/2008 : 10:42:59

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"> I have ablative bottom paint, won't that take the paint off too?<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
I have micron extra with slime -
you do have to be carefull not to stay in one spot ,you can brush the paint away .

thanks CB out of the water would be a first choice

Edited by - on

piseas
Former Treasurer

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USA
2017 Posts

Response Posted - 08/03/2008 : 12:20:13

I have a company called Scuba Duba come out once a month to clean bottom. Cost is $35. Well worth it.
Steve A

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 08/03/2008 : 13:05:54

I've read admonishments against swimming in the toxic cloud you create when scrubbing ablative bottom paint--sorta like power-sanding it on the hard. Steve: How does Scuba Duba suit themselves up?

Edited by - on

SEAN
Admiral

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USA
772 Posts

Response Posted - 08/03/2008 : 13:34:50

35 is worth it

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Steve Blackburn
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
1091 Posts

Response Posted - 08/03/2008 : 14:39:02

A guy at my sailing club uses a long piece of carpet with 2 handles on each end. On person on each handle and they "floss" the boat bottom.

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Kendall
Navigator

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USA
146 Posts

Response Posted - 08/03/2008 : 14:41:21

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Steve Blackburn
 A guy at my sailing club uses a long piece of carpet with 2 handles on each end. On person on each handle and they "floss" the boat bottom.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Is that a Sailboat? The shape of the keel might cause him to miss some spots.

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Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 08/03/2008 : 15:39:05

Sail more often and it won't need cleaning.

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SEAN
Admiral

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USA
772 Posts

Response Posted - 08/03/2008 : 18:17:57

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Sail more often and it won't need cleaning.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
frank I thought you died ? lol

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Steve Blackburn
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
1091 Posts

Response Posted - 08/03/2008 : 19:14:19

Yup it's a sailboat. Of course he misses some spots but he has a raising Keel. So I guess he can get to most of it from bow to stern.

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dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 08/03/2008 : 19:20:36

At least once a summer, I'll get in the water with mask, flippers, and a brush. In fact, I did it today, just to see how much had grown on it since I re-launched about 2 months ago. Wasn't much growth. We anchor in a nice cove, and I get in the water and brush. The C-22 was easier! Got to check my anchor locker more often, too. The hole was clogged with dirt and it had about 2" of rain water in it.

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SEAN
Admiral

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USA
772 Posts

Response Posted - 08/03/2008 : 19:44:28

the rug sounds like a good idea , it would get most of it , jump in and get the rest .

this was the first time since I put it in .
somebody said you will notice the difference (I didnt)

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JohnP
Master Marine Consultant

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1520 Posts

Response Posted - 08/04/2008 : 08:16:28

The "design secret" to the Dri-Diver is to add flotation to the back of the scotch-brite pad or the carpet piece.

Looks like it's worth making one of these. Barnacles and green slime beware!

Edited by - on

DaveR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2015 Posts

Response Posted - 08/04/2008 : 08:29:18

last year I had a guy (diver) who would power wash my hull but later I questioned like John did whether it was a good idea. I think it will/does wear the ablative paint so this year I'm not attempting to clean the bottom.

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ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 08/04/2008 : 08:55:27

In salt water an ablative paint needs a light scrubbing now and then to remove the slime.
Note the operative term is light.

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Renzo
Admiral

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USA
621 Posts

Response Posted - 08/04/2008 : 11:15:21

I use the "Dri-Diver" on a regular basis during the race season and it works great. My boat is kept in a river on the Great Lakes and I use VC-17 bottom botom paint. It only takes about 20min to do the bottom. I reciently rebuilt my dri-diver with material available from the local hardware store and a closed cell foam store so I know that you would be able to, easily, built one yourself. The only part I had to buy from Dri-diver was the scotch bright pads for about $20 for 2. It works much beter thatn the carpet and rope method.

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piseas
Former Treasurer

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USA
2017 Posts

Response Posted - 08/04/2008 : 11:29:04

I sail almost once a week, except for the last month due to a frozen shoulder, and there is still green algae build up. I would hate to think what it would be if I sailed any less!
Steve A

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aeckhart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1709 Posts

Response Posted - 08/05/2008 : 11:53:23

I usually wait for a nice calm day and anchor in shallow water with an anchor on the bow and stern. I can then walk around the boat with a long-handled brush. The stern anchor keeps the boat from moving around when brushing.

I've also tied my zodiac along side the boat at its mooring and scrubbed with a long-handled brush. I have a wing keel so I have to use goggles and fins to hand scrub the keel. It works but I prefer the shallow water approach.

I've also put the boat on the trailer at a conveneint ramp with electrical power, pumped water to my gas pressure washer using an electric submersible water pump, and power washed. This is the preferred method. It only takes about an hour to do the whole works including retrieve and relaunch. My trailer has bunks so I have to spot scrub where the boat sits on the boards. This is the system I now use once during the sailing season and when I trailer for winter storage.

Edited by - on

smoken
1st Mate

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USA
67 Posts

Response Posted - 08/05/2008 : 21:30:17

I made a device like the dri-diver pretty cheap. A piece of one inch PVC and a few fittings and a $1.99 noodle from Wal-Mart. It worked pretty good. We get a lot of growth with our warm temps in Texas!!! Sometimes the lake water reaches the mid 90's at the surface.

Edited by - on

jerlim
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1484 Posts

Response Posted - 08/05/2008 : 21:57:46

The secret is to keep it moving - I'm w/ Frank!

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GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4304 Posts

Response Posted - 08/05/2008 : 22:25:52

I agree with Frank and Jerry,

I can tell the difference before and after I go out on a windy day in the bay. I can see that some of the growth has washed away due.

I assume the wave action and the sustained 5 - 7 knots helps wash/knock off some of the growth.

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GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4304 Posts

Response Posted - 08/05/2008 : 22:27:03

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by smoken
 I made a device like the dri-diver pretty cheap. A piece of one inch PVC and a few fittings and a $1.99 noodle from Wal-Mart. It worked pretty good. We get a lot of growth with our warm temps in Texas!!! Sometimes the lake water reaches the mid 90's at the surface.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Can you post some pictures?

Edited by - on

stampeder
Master Marine Consultant

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1608 Posts

Response Posted - 08/05/2008 : 22:49:50

My marina on Vancouver Island has a couple PVC cleaners for general use. They are made quite simply of 10 or 12' lengths of PVC pipe (approx 1.5" diameter) with a 30degree elbow at one end, about 18" more of PVC pipe with a tee fitting on the end and 12" of PVC pipe extending from the T fitting. The idea is: you attach a towel, or scrubby of some sort to the T at the end and you can walk around the dock and clean the bottom of your boat without having to bend over.

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Steve Blackburn
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
1091 Posts

Response Posted - 08/06/2008 : 00:35:41

Hey Mike, you got your boat at Vancouver Island? I'm very jealous!

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