Scraping off shell

[rigpigpaul]

Hi All, what tools do you use to scrape off shell on the hull. I was thinking of an ice scraper which I use on my car windscreen.
thanks in advance. RPP

 

[TQA]

If you are talking about barnacles then I find a one inch wood chisel slightly dulled and with the corners rounds works best.

For less tenacious denizens I use an eight inch slightly flexible scraper mounted on an eight foot pole and used in the water

 

[AndrewB]

TQA's answer is good if in the water. Don't get in the water yourself to do it though because you'll soon be swimming in antifouling soup - not healthy.

For most people though, its a high pressure hose run over the hull within half an hour of lifting out. Only acorn barnacles will resist this and have to be scraped off. Don't leave it longer than half an hour, because as fouling dries out it gets much tougher to remove.

I

 

[BobnLesley]

...I was thinking of an ice scraper which I use on my car windscreen.RPP

I tried that twice (hope over expectation the second time) and the barnacles destroyed the edge on a plastic scraper by about the fifth scrape; it'dbounced over any well adhered ones even on those passes. I generally use metal bladed 50 or 75mm paint scrapers and keep a knackered old 1" wood chisel in reserve for the really recalcitrant ones.

 

[vyv_cox]

The boatyard guys at Leros use a metal scraper about 3 inches wide on a pole. Just a bit of flat bar with an edge ground onto it. They scrape tubeworm as soon as the boat is out, hanging in slings, then pressure wash.

 

[DoubleEnder]

Nice sharp garden hoe

 

[Seashoreman]

https://www.screwfix.com/p/no-nonsense-long-handled-scraper-6/87299
These have replaceable blades. They are sharp so need to be used with care.

 

[rigpigpaul]

Thanks for the replies. I will be in the water, so I will go for the hand held metal painter scraper.

 

[Baggywrinkle]

If you have easy access to a freshwater estuary then go and anchor there for a few days .... they come off alot easier if they are bathed in freshwater for a while.

 

[Roberto]

Thanks for the replies. I will be in the water, so I will go for the hand held metal painter scraper.

I usually hang a couple of ropes around the hull, bulwark to bulwark, and use them to go down and hanging on when coming out of the water.
Also, an old t shirt and leather gloves will protect you a bit from scratches.

On my 40' I usually need two sessions in separate days, I find it to be one of the most exhausting thing to do on the boat.

 

[rivonia]

I used a hand-held metal paint scraper, the flexible one and attached it to a long broom handle. It really worked and after a couple of days the hull's are clean -Catamaran.

 

[truscott]

A 12 inch Drywall Taping Scraper with a handle works wonders. Keeps your knuckles away from the hull and sharp barnacles and the thin blade makes short work of the barnacles base too.

 

[rigpigpaul]

Hi All, thanks for all the advice. ,I have cleaned the hull on both sides about 1.5m below the water line. Now I want to clean the keel and prop. I will use a couple of ropes as Roberto suggests. I would like to stay under water to clean the prop. I thought of extending my snorkel with a hose and making or buying a weight belt. What are your thoughts?

 

[greeny]

Hi All, thanks for all the advice. ,I have cleaned the hull on both sides about 1.5m below the water line. Now I want to clean the keel and prop. I will use a couple of ropes as Roberto suggests. I would like to stay under water to clean the prop. I thought of extending my snorkel with a hose and making or buying a weight belt. What are your thoughts?

Be careful with the snorkel and hose. If you inhale and exhale through the tube you will never clear the used air and just be re breathing it. Dependant on the length of hose of course. If you choose to use this method, the hose needs to be strong so it doesn't collapse with the water pressure. Weight belt makes it a lot easier.

 

[Roberto]

Be careful with the snorkel and hose. If you inhale and exhale through the tube you will never clear the used air and just be re breathing it. Dependant on the length of hose of course. If you choose to use this method, the hose needs to be strong so it doesn't collapse with the water pressure. Weight belt makes it a lot easier.

Also, one needs to have *very* strong chest muscles, I find personnally impossible to inhale air at normal pressure just 50-70cm under water.

If you use fixed ropes, be very careful with tools (scrapers etc) which may have a safety lanyard around your wrist. If the tool/lanyard entangles with the fixed rope, or propeller blades, etc, you'll sure have one of the worst moments of your life (at least I did).

 

[TQA]

Do not extend a snorkel. The CO2 build up is life threatening.

Use a mask and conventional snorkel. Mount the scraper on a pole. Mine is 8 ft long this enables me to clean the entire keel and centerboard [ 10 ft draft ] working entirely from the surface. NO DIVING IS REQUIRED!

I can clean my 44 ft mono in an hour using this method.