Bottom Scrub in water

[markc]

Hi

Having taken the boat for a spin this weekend I think the warm summer has taken it's toll and the marine growth has knocked about 10knts off my speed. As the boat isn't going to be lifted until April and I will be using the boat over the winter, is it feasable to get a diver to scrub the hull and scrape the props whilst in the water? If so, know anyone??

Cheers!
Mark

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[jhr]

Can certainly be done, and I seem to remember some previous postings recommending specific people, so it might be worth a search.

Alternatively, there's the famous Haslar in-water boat scrubber, which seems to have had some good reports; I seem to recall that props on mobos require extra attention from a diver, so you'd be getting the best of both worlds.

I suspect, as with most other things, that Marinas will have their own "favoured supplier" diver, and that this, together with H&S regs and requirements, may mean that it's not as cheap an option as it might appear at first glance?



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[burgundyben]

isnt user name 'portsmouthbird' a diver that scrubs bottoms?

<hr width=100% size=1>Sod the Healey - I think I'll buy an E-Type.

 

[PGD]

why not consider a lift and hold , then get her preasure washed and dropped back in??

Peter

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.mssa.org.uk>http://www.mssa.org.uk</A> Marine Service Standards Assistance

 

[ArthurWood]

I don't know how your boat is constructed, but you might be able to do the props yourself if you can get under the swim platform and reach them. I did mine yesterday - it's a bit of a b----r, doing it just by feel and I would recommend wearing protective gloves, but it's the props that make the biggest difference to performance. I use a metal scraper and finish with very coarse stainless steel wool, or sandpaper.
I don't need a wet suit here, yet as the water temp is still around 80F!

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[duncan]

why not get it all done now and take advantage of it for the extra time - you won't get much fouling on a newly done boat/props between now and spring, you avoid the rush and may even get it done cheaper. You know it makes sense to have the engine oil changed now, before the lower use levels of winter, so why not go the whole hog?

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[markc]

no, don't want to do that. Engines always serviced in Nov but boat lifted in April of AF, hull polish and anodes changed so ready for season. Don't want to end up doing it twice a year!

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[longjohnsilver]

Not an easy job for a diver with your size of boat. Have you access to somewhere with fresh water for a few days, a canal is probably best, all the nasties will die and should fall off when you return to the sea.

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[duncan]

understand.

comes down to the best way to clean her off then - surely someone somewhere will lift/pressure wash/return to water for a decent price? As has been said a diver isn't going to be cheap and the waters not that clear this time of year so it's not going to be anything like as clean as a p/wash.

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[jfm]

Mark, lymington yacht haven did a cheap lift/ pressure wash in the slings/ relaunch. Twas about £80 on a sat morning for 30mins, in 2002. Your boat is bigger than their 40foot limit but mebbe see what they will do. As others have sed you need to get the props done else it will hurt your speed

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[Deleted User YDKXO]

My boat has been badly fouled this year and I have had 2 scrubs by a diver and 1 lift out. I have to say that the divers made little or no difference to the speed of the boat. If you do go down this route make sure they concentrate on the props, shafts and rudders as this will have the most beneficial effect, if any. The bowthruster (if you have one) efficiency can also be seriously affected by fouling and its worthwile getting him to clean that as well. Lifting the boat and thoroughly scrubbing it, at least in my case, had far more effect on the boat speed than the divers' scrub. IMHO, I would say, don't bother with a diver but have the boat lifted and properly scrubbed. After all whats a couple of hundred quid compared to the overall cost of maintaining a boat like yours and you can say for sure that the boat will be operating at optimum efficiency

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[jfm]

Deleted User may be right. The pics of our boat on <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.fairlineownersclub.com>http://www.fairlineownersclub.com</A> and the pic to the left of this post were taken literally the day after a diver scrub. As you can see the bottom is a bit clean but not pukka. We do tell him to do the props, rudders and trim tabs thoroughly. But as Deleted User says a diver scrub will still leave some gunk on the bottom and it's debatable how much gain you get from changing a somewhat dirty bottom for a bit dirty bottom. A lift-out is needed mid season imho

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