How to get barnacles off....

paulburton44

paulburton44

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29 Jul 2004
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Location
Sleaford
www.withamsailingclub.co.uk
My Parker 235 has been afloat for a year in an area of high barnacle fouling.....
I am expecting a coating of crustations when she is lifted out in the next few weeks..

The boat yard will use a preasure washer, but will this get them all off ??
If I need to scrape what is the best tool to use...

She was antifouled with Trilux from new.
 
I find that a firm hand ith a non-aggressive scraper after high pressure scrub (which will remove some/lot) will do the job. You need the equivalent of a finger-nail, which works fine but is not recommended for large areas /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
 
They usually come off easily. A scraper made from a piece of wood will work and not do any damage. A wallpaper stripping knife with the corners rounded off bolted to a length of wood to form a long handle is what I use but don't make the same mistake that I made and buy one that is very flexible.

Sometimes they seem to stick themselves on tightly if left over the winter and then pull the old a/f away in little circles.

I think it would need a high powered pressure washer to shift them, not one of the little domestic ones. IMHO the scraper is easier, quieter, does not make every thing around soaking wet and does not use precious water supplies. There may also be health and safety implications when using a pressure washer if the boat has been moored in contaminated water and you will have to prevent spray drift onto other people or there property. You should aso be wearing a mask and eye protection to protect yourself.
 
I garden Hoe from the B&Q chandlers around the corner. Again, make sure the sharp corners are taken off if tehre are any.

Wayne
 
Much depends on the surface properties of the antifoul. I usually treat SWMBO to a new wooden pan scraper, and make off with the old one. Edges have been pre-rounded off by cooking hearty breakfasts, and the wood is a bit fire-hardened...
 
If the boat is attacked with pressure washer when still wet and just lifted - that is best and near all will be removed including the "white ring" which is the "glue they excrete to stick on with".
Scrape and wash - that white ring 'll be there !

As to scraper - I am dead against any metal scrapers for this and advise to get a handful of the plastic ice scrapers for car windshields. They cannot gouge grp and can also be nailed / screwed to a broom handle etc. for length of reach. If you attach the actual handle of the scraper - you'll find a lot of them are actually 3 scraper edges - as they are a triangle and can be pulled out, turned and put back with new edge. Once all 3 edges are blunted off ... a cheapo file will restore a straight edge again ...
 
I and my sons used to clean boats in water. Them for pocket money, me to make sure they didn't let anyone down. Usually the boats were masively covered. (we have warm waters)
Paint scraper is the usual approach. Althought they can be flimsy. My favourite for heavy encrustacion is a "briklayers bolster" used for cracking bricks. It is a very wide cold chisel. It has enough strength and inertia to smash the shells of the barnacles. Mussels of course are saved and eaten. The bolster is relatively blunt.
An acid is the best for cleaning up the residue from the barnacles.

Now if it is a minor encrustacion then start with the most benign scraper (plastic) then steel. On a large boat on the hard I found a Dutch Hoe with a long handle very usefull.
Scouring pads and wet and dry sandpaper are all usefull.
If you are away from home I suggest you take all these things plus very old clothes (including hat and googgles) and good luck to you.
Sorry this is the downside of boating olewill
 
Found the heads sink blocked today so we lifted the keel and headed for a sand bank....
The skin fitting was full of the bleeders....

Nobody told me how sharp they are....fingers are cut to shreads..

Going to get lifted out next week and try some pond (Rutland) sailing for the winter.

Going to be armed with gloves and a plastic/wooden scraper.....
 
The fresh water will kill 'em but I'm not sure if they fall off or whether you still have to scrape them off.

I dont suppose you meant you'll be sailing the same boat on Rutland tho'.

It's somewhere I have always wanted to take the old Mirror 10.
 
6 friends each equipped with 2 50p plastic fish slices from the Pound Shop. We only broke one last time..... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Wire brush and Dettol™ /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
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"Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity"
sailroom <span style="color:red">The place to auction your previously loved boatie bits</span>
 
don,t forget to drop a line at night for the rainbow trout /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

allegedly sweet corn works /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

cheers Joe
 
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