New Hull Cleaning Company

[DockRunner]

Hey All,

I recently just opened up a hull cleaning and basic dive service company in Rhode Island. I have a few questions. My business is a partnership and we will be running the business as well as being the divers. We do not intend on hiring. We understand that it is for the most part seasonal work up here with the exception of commercial fishermen, ferries, and companies that rely on the water to do their work. We are both certified through the Navy in SCUBA and through IANTD. Yes we are still active duty but with weekends off and the current ship we are assigned to in dry dock for 2 years, we have some time on our hands. I am very appreciative of all the information I have obtained by reading everyone post on the subject and through emails with Fstbttms. I have a few questions for all of you in the business. 1. What insurance do you use? For myself and my partner what insurance payments are we looking at spending per month? Is seasonal insurance offered? How do you pitch the hull cleaning service to marinas? Why would a marina allow you to work there? Doesn't that take away from their power washing/boat haul out business? Do you find that a lot of business comes from people just seeing you on the job in Marina? Anyways those are just some questions I have for now. Any information is appreciated! Also Named the company Hull Speed Ahead L.L.C. (Seemed fitting) - DockRunner

 

[Underwaterlumberjack]

I got my insurance through mariner's general. They finally figured out a payment deal for me but my premium is still $2000 yearly. To my knowledge there are no payment plans for your first year in business. SCUBA certs are typically laughed away from the average guys in marinas here in Florida, may be different up there. I have found that the marina offices aren't the most fruitful places to troll up business. Craigslist is my main outlet for getting new business as well as a website called Boatsandshore.com but they recently moved to a new site, I'm not sure of the address. Haul outs are not the main people you want to go after. The best place to start is sailboats, but sailors are cheap, so it's a double edged sword. Get some cards, walk the docks and make short, friendly conversation with the boaters that are there. I start by asking them who they use for hull cleaning, most of the time they don't know the name, so that's why you try to be helpful and memorable. They will seem uninterested because they're trying to enjoy their weekend, so quickly get a card in their hand, be courteous, and move on down the line. The live-aboards and larger motor yachts are what you'd eventually like to get the most. I have also found that a gopro is worth its weight in gold as a quality assurance technique. Video a before and after, send it to the client with the invoice and tell them that if they see any issues, you will be willing to fix them before getting paid, the bad part is that you have to mean it hahaha. I started with a partner and found that it wasn't beneficial, so it's just me now. it took over a year to get some real business. I'd say that for every fifty cards you hand out, you might get one call, and per four or five calls, you get one job.... It takes a while for word to get around. If you have any other questions, just let me know. Good luck!

 

[fstbttms]

What insurance do you use?

Mariner's General is a family-owned company that recently split up. I had used them for 20 years but went with the son to his new company, NovaMar, largely because the broker I like went with them.

https://www.novamarinsurance.com/contact-us

For myself and my partner what insurance payments are we looking at spending per month?

My premium is about $1600/year for a $1,000,000 Ship Repairer's Liability policy. Something like a $400 downpayment, the rest divvied up in payments every other month.

Is seasonal insurance offered?

I doubt it. Even if it was, insurance is cheap. You gonna pass up work because you didn't buy 12 months of insurance?

How do you pitch the hull cleaning service to marinas? Why would a marina allow you to work there? Doesn't that take away from their power washing/boat haul out business?

Not only can you do the work cheaper than the yard can, but you are more convenient. No boat owner wants to take a day off to take his boat to the yard for a quick and expensive hull cleaning. With a diver, he doesn't even have to be present for the work to be done. Don't overthink this. The marinas are used to having divers come in and do work for their tenants. You don't have to convince them of anything.

Do you find that a lot of business comes from people just seeing you on the job in Marina?

Put your business card up everywhere you can. Take advantage of free online advertising like craigslist. But word of mouth will ultimately probably be your biggest source of new clients. Cozy up to the harbormasters. They can drive lots of business your way.

 

[DockRunner]

I talked to Erin at Novamar and am getting set up this week. I didn't realize how painless it was to add a marina to the insured. Very easy and if anyone is in the same position as myself opening a new business , I highly recommend giving Novamar a call. They made the whole process very easy. The majority of the boats are being put back in the water this week so I am going to make some trips to the marina and put my business cards up. Thanks for the replies and I'll keep updating throughout the beginnings of the new business in hope to help others.

 

[captdon65]

Can anybody tell me about an older 2010 case with OSHA regarding the use of SCUBA to service hulls in shallow water. There was a case in Florida Tampa/ St Petersburg area involving SCUBA Clean, Inc. hitting them with well over $200,000 in fines for using SCUBA. Has OSHA fined or shut down any other scuba hull service comapnies? Does anybody know about this case??? I found an old thread here but it died out in 2010. Additionally, does anybody know about how the Jones Act 1920 or Unites States Harbor and Longshoreman's Act insurance plays into people like us servicing recreational boats on SCUBA??? Any help is appreciated.

Capt DON

 

[fstbttms]

Can anybody tell me about an older 2010 case with OSHA regarding the use of SCUBA to service hulls in shallow water. There was a case in Florida Tampa/ St Petersburg area involving SCUBA Clean, Inc. hitting them with well over $200,000 in fines for using SCUBA. Has OSHA fined or shut down any other scuba hull service comapnies? Does anybody know about this case??? I found an old thread here but it died out in 2010. Additionally, does anybody know about how the Jones Act 1920 or Unites States Harbor and Longshoreman's Act insurance plays into people like us servicing recreational boats on SCUBA??? Any help is appreciated

What I know is pretty much what you read in the old thread. It seems as if OSHA handles these things on a case-by-case basis. There was a hull cleaner death in the Florida Keys recently that OSHA was involved in, but none of these cases seems to bleed over into the industry at large. And that's the way we like it.

Regarding the Jones Act or Longshoremans insurance, I have never heard either term used in conjunction with hull cleaning before now.

 

[captdon65]

Thank you for that reply FSTBTTMS, much appreciated. Would you be so kind as to provide me the e Keys I googled it and zip...just recreational diving injuries. Any further assistance would be helpful!

 

[fstbttms]

Thank you for that reply FSTBTTMS, much appreciated. Would you be so kind as to provide me the e Keys I googled it and zip...just recreational diving injuries. Any further assistance would be helpful!

Google "diver Judy key west" and you will get many results, including a thread on this forum. And my mistake- the diver wasn't killed but rather, critically injured.

---------- Post added May 18th, 2015 at 05:16 AM ----------

BTW- my memory of the 2010 case was that there was no issue with using SCUBA for hull cleaning, which is 100% legal. If memory serves, a disgruntled ex-employee gave OSHA a tip about safety violations (no tenders, dive supervisors etc.)

 

[captdon65]

Again, thank you for your help!