Hull Cleaning Information

[mnydvr]

I personally use a hooka set up with a band mask,I got your email and tried to reply butt it came as junk mail,I would be interested in helping you set up and possiblyworking with you to get you started if you would be interested i would be very open to a venture of this type.Lets talk ,exactly what type of work would you be interested in doing as I cover ALL repairs as well as underwater work,are you presently working or is this a first time venture.get back to me and maybe we could make some sort of arrangement .interested?:14:

 

[drrf]

I do hull cleaning and zinc changes here in Portland OR. I use a long hose on a tank rather then a hookah. I have used a gas hookah but they are so heavy and large that I am not a huge fan of them. Some small boats like Cal 20's I do with just a snorkel.
I charge $2.50 a foot for sailboats and $3.00 a foot for power boats due to the increased beam. I give breaks if you schedule regular cleanings. Most often this is with sailboat racers. I didn't really intend to get into this business but a diver friend of had too much work doing boat house / floating home flotation to do his hull cleaning stuff so he is having me do it. Every time I go to do a job I come back with more jobs to do. My friend also keeps calling with more work. I also get a lot of people who I have worked for giving my name out to others.

 

[fire5man]

To do this would you need a business license? How about insurance?

I know where I work there is tons of people looking for bottom cleaning and just can't find anyone willing to do the hard work. I would do it part time to help build up that down payment on a home however I cant find the facts that I need.

 

[underboats]

Yes, almost all marinas require a general Liability policy as well as a Workmans Comp policy even if you work alone. The price of the insurance makes it almost not possible to do it part-time. We pay about $10K a year for insurance. Please feel free to ask if you have more questions, I've been in this business a long time. Chuck

 

[fire5man]

Maybe I should see if there is a company that is around my area that does it and needs help. In my job I visit many different marina and people are always asking if I know anyone who can do it. Know of any in the Annapolis Area on Maryland that are looking for help?

 

[underboats]

Sure, Look up "Off the wall Scuba" in Maryland. He does a lot of work in that area and could steer you. He is also looking for somebody to take over the diving business as he has opened a scuba shop and wants to devote his time to that venture. He has a pretty darn good reputation in that area for hull cleaning and boat maintenance. I have actually shared a few of his clients that come down the bay where I am. It's a good business and quite a bit of money to be made for the right person. He is a regular on this site and you can probally find a lot of his posts about the business or just give him a call.

 

[offthewall1]

If you want work in AA County, I'd be more than willing to hire you in under our business, train you and set you free. Most of my current divers start at $25 per hour while training (about 1 week of training) then earn 70% of the contract when working. In other words, for each $200 job you earn $140. A job like this usually takes about 1 - 1.5 hours working alone. You save the headache of running the business side of things. I take care of that. Your job is to take KB Diver Services business cards into your local Marinas and do the work. When work comes in, we will schedule it for you (based on the availability you provide us,) and handle all billing, collections and payments to you. You'll be covered by our insurance so you can get into the Marinas no problem. You are required to wear our shirts when entering and exiting the Marinas and while on the docks and to sign in to the Marina as KB Diver Services.

KB Diver Services is currently for sale to the right buyer who wants to do heavy volume in this business. Our established clientele of more than 600 boaters awaits the right candidate. Business is for sale for $75,000 and includes company vehicle, website licensing, client list, equipment including tanks, BCD's regulators, zinc inventory and more. First year income can exceed $100,000.00 working just 30 hours a week for 8 months out of the year.. then take a 4 month vacation.

Now that I opened the dive shop... it's hard running both... and since I'm getting older... I'm considering selling the cleaning business and sitting my old self down in the store : ) Current employees and even myself are willing to help out and continue working on a regular basis and/or on special projects. Please inquire if interested.

 

[Wet Zen]

I was in this business years ago in Miami. It's a great business for a young, very fit guy. I started with my friends sailboat. Soon I had half the marina as monthly customers. A yacht captain I knew asked me to do his 105'er. That led me into other large yachts and I got a hydraulic brush system to knock them out. With that equipment I started doing cargo ships. The shipping companies called me for other u/w maintenance jobs. I specialized in sealing u/w sea chests so the ship's engineers could change out valves and piping without going into drydock. I also sealed the stern tube intakes so they could repack the stuffing box the prop shaft runs through. I also got jobs hooking cranes up to stuff the steveadore company dropped into the water when loading the ships. Becoming a shipping company's regular u/w maint. guy was where the real money was. I was getting $500 to seal a sea chest. Back in the 70's this was almost equal to the average Joe's weekly pay. Sometimes I'd get a couple of these sealing jobs a week.

I agree with what's already been said: don't mess with hooka. I always used tanks. If you're doing boats in a marina maybe a tank on the dock with a long hose to the second stage, but even that might be a hassle getting tangled. Also, don't be the cheapest guy in town. That will get you bad customers, deadbeats even. I found the more I charged the more jobs I got. Of course I always did a thorough job, no barnacle craters left on the hull. Without planning it I used hull cleaning as an entry to u/w ship maint. The business was completely unregulated back then. Now besides a business license and liability insurance you're going to need a TWIC card to get into a port facility.

Good luck to anyone trying this business. It's very physical work so you better be in good shape. Besides making a lot of money I can guarantee you won't have an ounce of fat on you if your business takes off.

 

[rzsteve]

I cleaned hulls for a company in N. Florida, and I can tell you it is not as easy and fun as it sounds. I liked the idea of earning money by diving everyday, however the hazards involved in
this type of work became too much of a risk to continue. To anyone considering this job, I would recommend working for an existing company at first. Then you will know if it is for you before investing in your own business. If you think diving solo, upside down, in zero visibility, in polluted water sounds like fun, go for it. It was a challenge, and I learned much about myself and my limits. Plus it is fun to tell stories to other divers that would never dive under those conditions. The day I almost drowned was my last day doing that kind of diving. Please don't let these comments deter anyone from giving this job a try, but I felt I had to be honest about my experience.

 

[daryl1967]

so chuck
i just moved to Sarasota,FL. and i was thinking of starting to clean boats. your info is the best i have found!
were do i get a general liability policy?is a suction cup device needed? what kind of brush do i need?
THANK YOU!!!
DARYL1967