Hull Cleaning

[jzame001]

My name is Jake and I live in Norfolk,VA. I am interested in getting back into the hull cleaning business. Does anyone have some useful information? Anything is greatly appreciated. I have prior experience. Thanks alot. Great board!

Jake

[mnydvr]

3.00 per ft in N.J. bottom line,no lifting ,no waiting make sure you got insurance!!
All I can tell you is this up here we believe in competetion but we also help each other out,if I get sick or can't make a call,I send them to some one else.There is plenty of work and you have to handle dockmasters withkid gloves.I find that cleaning the yacht club committee boat for free is a big help.It takes all of about a half hour ,but make sure they notice and it will go a looonng way,yes,oyu do have to kiss a little butt,but I always get the first call and I ALWAYS get the calls on millionaires row !why? because I am good,dependable and reliable.And just remember one thing,if you ccut corners and for some reason they haul out,that bottom BETTER be done right.It takes YEARS to build a good rep,and only one screw up to sink it all.And try to offer other services,I started cleaning bottoms,now I work year round all over the counrty doing everything from bottoms to installs to mechanical.Its a hell of a way to make a living,but I started out 5yrs ago as a smll fish in a big lake,now I'm one of the big fish in the pond!!good luck,dive safe !~!

[URSA78244]

JUst a question, how do you clean a hull? I'm thinking about doing this as well in Houston...

[august_heim]

IS that linear foot or square foot? Please excuse any ignorance on my part. I really don't know!

[bell47]

$6/ft overall length of the boat in Maine. Don't sell yourself short on price.

[Lee Taylor]

JUst a question, how do you clean a hull? I'm thinking about doing this as well in Houston...

Tip: I havn't done it but I have been around it. Cleaning a hull generates billions of particles of barnacles in the water. If, you are wearing a wetsuit and these particles find their way into your wetsuit they will ITCH you to DEATH. Take precautions.

[grouchyturtle]

So, is that $12/ft for a catamaran?
Are those prices just for the hull?
Do you charge extra to clean the prop(s)?
What's the going rate in Florida...anyone?

It's getting cold, I need to get the hell out of NJ.

[bell47]

I do catamarans for $7/foot. Overall length of boat size. Single hull boats are $6/foot, $100 minimum, if it's over 50 feet I'll have to look at it first. I clean the hull, polish the propeller, clean all running gear, and remove any rope from propeller and shaft. I'll also replace zincs, at the same time( if needed) for the cost of the zincs). I use the LEAST abrasive material that will clean it well, as I want to remove as little bottom paint as possible. I have to do a lot of these with a dry suit because of water temps, and I wear a AGA Divator II pos. pressure full face mask so I don't get copper paint in my mouth(very toxic). Those two pieces of equipment alone are about $3000. That doesn't count a first stage reg., tanks, BCD, gloves, hood, and tools that get worn out. Oh, I also have a 18 work boat to get me out to the mooring fields. This is what I have to charge to make anything, and it's about half of what it cost to haul the boat out. I have no shortage of business. Don't wear your gear out for free! Check me out..... Home

[grouchyturtle]

Thanks for the info!

I guess the only thing I'd need from what you're saying is the full face mask.
I already have most of that equipment...even I 9' v-hull Zodiac, which is plenty big enough, since if/when I start doing this I'll be one of the guys in the mooring field.

[bell47]

Yeah, that's a must. After you clean a few with a regular mask and taste copper bottom paint the rest of the day you'll know how much you actually get in your mouth. Plus most harbors are really nasty with fuel, oil, fish, trash, ect....