Hull Cleaning South FL.

[Scubabill]

I actually just recently closed down the hull cleaning part of my business. Hull cleaning goes for around $1-1.25/ft around here. At that price, there is little room for undercutting. Also, as fstbttms stated, people with boats already have someone cleaning their boats. Many boat owners have had the same person/company cleaning their boats for years, and they have a trust in those cleaners. You won't sway those boat owners with a $0.25/ft discount. Scuba Scrubbers and Barnacle Busters have a death grip on the hull cleaning biz around here. Another hurdle I came across was that much of the boat traffic in SoFla is transient. They come in from all over, are here for a week or two, then sail off elsewhere. So building a client list takes one in the knees every time you clean a boat, ask the owner about starting a cleaning plan, and he/she tells you that they won't be back in the area for another 3-6 months, so maybe they'll call next time. Last, but not least, many of the marinas here have a relationship with one of the abovementioned companies, if not another company. The harbor masters will not allow you to advertise a competing service in the marina.
The hull cleaning sector of the business was a small part of the services offered, but after over a year of guerilla marketing and trying to get it off the ground, it made more sense to focus on our other services. While trying to get it going, I had competing divers come over and 'threaten' me, I had harbor masters threaten to cut lines, etc. Not worth it to me for $1.25/ft/
I'm not trying to dissuade you, but this whole plan of collecting 4 (!) other divers to start a business like this is a little.....enthusiastic. I hope this was helpful. Good luck in whatever you decide to do.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts without sounding like a total prick.

So here is mine,

With 5 people we can go into a area and look for business better. Lets say there is a housing development that has allot of boats in the water. With 5 people we can cover more area in a short time. If we go into that area and get 3 jobs, we can do them fast with 5 people. With only one, your so limited on what you can do in a day.
With no advertising, to start, you need to focus on walk up business. That requires more people then one. You have to catch a boat owner willing to have his hull cleaned then. Not rely on calls, and word of mouth. (to start) You see a guy working in the yard, that has a 35' sailboat parked outside, if you go up and offer to do the work then, for a good price, and convince him your going to do a good job, most will get it out of the way. He doesn't have to make a call, setup a appointment, wait for the worker to arrive, deal with late arrivals, ect ect ect.....for this to work, its all about how you present yourself. If you look like a bunch of bums hes not going to give you the work, if you look like a respectfull crew, that's going to do a good job, he will.

People don't want to work, and lazy people just say ahh' shucks' that wont work.
When these lazy people try to spread their lazy negative crap into my business i get a bit defensive.

With ech person having 2000.00, equipment, and the low rent place i have for people to stay, we could network for 2 months straight. Don't even tell me doing 12 hours a day, 7 days a week for 60 days wont turn up business in S. FL! People lack time, when you have a boat worth 200000-million+ and someone offers to clean it on the spot, and frees up a half of day of the owners time for 200-300 bucks, if he feels you'll do a good job, he'll spend every-time! Plain and simple.

I offer 4 people a clean, safe place to stay in FL, few blocks from the ocean on FED. Hwy, (btw just talked to the owner, he has a 3 bedroom house next door for 1000 a month, on US 1 Ft Laud, year around 1000 a month,my friend... please!)
The plan is to make enough money for everyone to eat, sleep (good), have a ton of fun, and DIVE....take's a couple of months of hard work. If your out of work, have 2000, and love diving, this is a low expense option to get a start in FL. If you don't have the sack to try, and work hard, then don't come in my thread telling others
it can't work.

 

[fstbttms]

One last shot at civility, then I'm leaving our pal Bill to his own devices:

Nobody here, including me, wishes you anything but success. Nobody here is telling you that you shouldn't follow your dream. But you clearly have unrealistic expectations. You talk as if the market weren't already flooded with hull cleaners and that after a couple of months of beating the bushes for the clients that must simply be waiting for you to come along and offer your services, you and your crew will be living the easy life. If that is truly what you think will happen; you're gonna be in for a rude awakening. What is going to happen, I guarantee it, is that you will pick up the odd customer here and the odd customer there. It is not going to come in a big, 2-month rush. Virtually every boat owner that wants his bottom cleaned will already have one of your competitors doing it. That's just the reality of the situation. So the clients will come in dribs and drabs. Very slowly. It may take years before you have a clientele that can support even one person comfortably. Your point that 5 people can drum up business faster than one person has a big flaw- those five people need to be fed. All we are saying, well, all I am saying anyway, is don't quit your day gig (so-to-speak). Absolutely go out and build your business. But realistically, you will need something to pay the bills while you do it. The hull cleaning thing takes a lot of time to become viable, I'm telling you. I've been there. It took me 5 years before I could quit my night job and clean boats full time.

I don't think you will listen to what I have said here, but I wish you success, none-the-less.

 

[Colin Cote]

Those "Docks" you plan to hit prospecting for work, will all require you to have them named as an additional insured on your 1 Million dollar Business Liability Policy, That costs $100 for EVERY Marina you plan to work in before you can set foot in the water,, Then there is the Occupational license thing that every town and county will also require.. Then most of those docks will also want you to be on their "Approved Vendor List" before you can get in the water.
Now you are going to be competing with people who will clean hulls at 1$ - 1.50$ per foot.
Your business plan has some "Leaks" in it and it will not float as you are thinking.. at least not to get this boat floating in a month or two. If one or two of you can support yourself for a YEAR WHILE YOU DO THIS FULL TIME AND PAY FOR THE REQUIRED LICENSES AND INSURANCE. AND you are a personable and reputable business person, then MAYBE !
But as far as the "Fearless Five Hull Cleaning Service and Roomies" goes.... forget it and get a real job ..

 

[The Chairman]

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[DennisS]

With 5 people we can go into a area and look for business better. Lets say there is a housing development that has allot of boats in the water.

I used to have a marine electrical/electronics business. A lot of those waterfront "housing developments" with boats, also have gates. I had to have my name on the list to get in.

 

[fstbttms]

BTW- if anybody is interested in reading other related threads, there is a new "Commercial Divers" forum on ScubaBoard, where a lot of discussion about hull cleaning has taken place:

Commercial Divers - ScubaBoard

 

[chrisski]

go for it! dont let em tell you how.

 

[fstbttms]

Yeah! Go for it! Jump off that cliff and ignore the advice of those who tell you that you'll need a parachute to survive the fall.

 

[Underwater Locksmith]

Just curious, did it ever com together?

 

[PATRICIOBM5]

Hello please would like more information i live in tampa florida, and i am automotive and diesel tec could be a good idea and have alot plans than my work please sent me you pnone number to get in touch