Question about logging hull-cleans

[The Kraken]

I do quite a few photo surveys of bottoms and props of boats. I don't count them as dives.

the K

 

[laguna230diver]

as for the change... me and my "mentor" (to be left anonamous) had a bit of a falling out after he fell through on his word

 

[fstbttms]

fstbottms do you ever use tanks if you have a remote client? One of my regulars is a 220ft casino cat.... better have a LONG hose lol

I do have tanks that I can use if no shorepower is available, but I don't wear them. Typically, if I have a boat that is too long to do from a single spot, I'll unplug, move my boat (I work out of a 12.5' Avon inflatable) and finish the job from the second position. Doesn't happen very often.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I do have tanks that I can use if no shorepower is available, but I don't wear them. Typically, if I have a boat that is too long to do from a single spot, I'll unplug, move my boat (I work out of a 12.5' Avon inflatable) and finish the job from the second position. Doesn't happen very often.

Just out of curiosity, and I'm asking purely from a neutral standpoint with nothing intended, but why are you anti tank on the back for hull cleaning?

 

[fstbttms]

Just out of curiosity, and I'm asking purely from a neutral standpoint with nothing intended, but why are you anti tank on the back for hull cleaning?

Hey, to each his own and I know at least one very experienced diver here in the Bay Area who works that way. From my own personal perspective however, wearing a tank while doing hull cleaning is not only extremely cumbersome (considering that a significant part of any hull cleaners's day is spent climbing either on or off a dock or a boat) but working in an overhead environment as we do, the potential to damage either the tank or the boat bottom seems great. In my business, I may dive 8 or more boats a day in any number of marinas. Typically I work out of my boat, but sometimes (like yesterday) I needed to work out of my van for part of the day. Laguna's experience notwithstanding, the prospect of donning a tank and all the attendant gear and hassle that goes with it for every boat you dive just seems like waaay too much trouble. This is why few hull cleaners do it.

 

[laguna230diver]

that and that it can be a pain in the butt getting between boats and docks sometimes... a few tight squeezes. the worst place to be on a boat when wearing a tank is while cleaning the struts... its easy to nick a boat with your tank knob when you are there

 

[vshearer]

It's copper paint on an aluminum boat. If you scratch the paint through the primer, the paint will eat a hole in the boat. If you scrape off all of my ablative paint, you've just ruined a $10,000 paint job. If you gouge my transducers, you've just destroyed a $5,000 or a $25,000 one.

Huh? Methinks you be mistaken.

 

[vshearer]

It's copper paint on an aluminum boat. If you scratch the paint through the primer, the paint will eat a hole in the boat. If you scrape off all of my ablative paint, you've just ruined a $10,000 paint job. If you gouge my transducers, you've just destroyed a $5,000 or a $25,000 one.

EDIT: Are people seriously using barrier coats to prevent galvanic corrosion? Jeez. I would buy some TBT black market before going that route. Or you can formulate it pretty easy, now that I think of it, I could probably make as much doing that as the tweakers do with meth.

 

[vshearer]

......

 

[Wookie]

I'd buy TBT black market too if the Florida DEP wasn't standing over me while painting, and Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary staff folks weren't part of my sometimes crew and it wasn't against the law, and if I didn't have a reputation for environmental stewardship while operating in 2 different National Marine Sanctuaries, and ABC#3 works just as well as any TBT paint I've ever used, although I came in at the end of TBT, not when you could get the good stuff.

With a fresh hull, apply 2 coats of Hempel 17639 to equal 6 mils dry. Apply the second coat within 30 days of the first. Apply the first coat of Hempel 7660 Olympic within 4 days of the second barrier coat, and apply the second coat (of a different color) when the boat is just ready to get set over. I like a little cayenne pepper in the paint, it makes the oysters tastier under the boat. In subsequent years, just 2 coats of the Olympic are sufficient, as long as the rest of the top coat of the ablative came fully off with the pressure washer.

This December will be my 7th haul. I guess I know what paint I'm putting on my boat. But, hey, thanks for asking.