Hull Cleaning

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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....
True, except I plan on heading South to warmer clearer waters. Which should be a picnic after the 3+ hour dive I did trying recover a rudder in Keyport last summer.
 
big fish? if you really want to do some hull cleaning...try some of the container ships with a brush cart. unless ur doing that ur just one of the minows out there.
 
get your commcial cert and you can do some real hull cleaning up here in nj
 
yeah, I guess I'm just one of the minnows, but I don't have to live in NJ either! Besides going to a commercial school for 20 grand to clean hulls would be stupid. There is no regulation that says you can't do it with scuba gear, just depends on what you want to do with your business. Why would I need an ADCI(?) card or pay union dues to do what I'm already doing, with a lot less hassle. Commercial dive schools, and diver unions can :kiss2: my :mooner:! hahaha
 
I just started doing bottom cleaning in Naples FL. about a year ago. I've found what works best is a multi use paint scraper from walmart for the metal parts such as intake grates, struts, shafts, and props (depending on the prop) as far as cleaning the bottom paint, I use a course pad (also available at walmart) and use it lightly. I bought a hookah system which just consists of a non-oiled air compressor, a 50 ft hose, and a reg. Business has been picking up, as I am getting more and more referrals from customers I have. For anyone looking to get into this kind of business, I gotta warn ya, it's not a very clean and exciting career. It's a bit boring down there, and being under a yacht is not like pleasure diving. Most of the time it's very dark and dirty. I was looking at getting an underwater MP3 player. most of what I have seen go to 10 ft. which is fine, as most of the boats I do go under around 4 or 5 feet. Does anyone have any suggestions of a good MP3 player to get?
 
...as far as cleaning the bottom paint, I use a course pad (also available at walmart) and use it lightly.
You use one pad for every boat? :no: This is not a Best Management Practice. This is a Worst Management Practice. Certainly, boats with paint in fair or poor condition may require a coarse scrubber, but every single boat you clean? Regardless of what you think you are doing or how lightly you use it, by using a coarse pad for every boat/every anti fouling paint, in many (if not most cases) you are removing paint unneccessarily. Not only is this bad for the environment, but you are shortening the lifespan of your customer's bottom paint. You should always use the softest implement that will get the bottom clean. There is no reason that a hull cleaner can't show up at a boat with a variety of pads and use the appropriate one for the job. Sure, it's easier just to use the most abrasive one you can find for every single boat, but it's not the right thing to do.
 
no.. not for every boat.. a pad usually lasts me 4 or 5 boats... along with the gear after I scrape it. I have tried many different pads, and the one I have found works the best is the green one I am using. Believe me, I don't wanna take off much paint as it makes it easier for me to clean the next time I hit it.
 

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