When we tell you to imagine cleaning a boat, what do you
picture? In all likelihood, a lot of chores. Primary among those chores:
bringing the boat out of the water so you can clean and dry it in open air. But
what if you didn’t have to retrieve your boat from the water to clean its hull?
What if there was an easy way to clean your boat that didn’t affect the marine
life around it? Here’s how to clean a boat hull in the water.
What You’ll Need to
Clean Underwater
There are a few things you’ll need to clean underwater:
- Good
conditions. Choppy water can make for an unstable marine atmosphere, so
make sure that the water is clear, the weather forecasts are stable, and that
you can rely on a calm environment when you go underwater. - Equipment.
Sturdy work gloves, leak-free goggles, and a hookah diving system will help you
have everything you need while you work. A hookah diving system is a more
affordable alternative to traditional diving gear, which makes it ideal for
cleaning use only. - Comfort. Why
do the work under the water if you’re not very comfortable with that underwater
work in the first place? You can always hire an underwater boat cleaner to
handle the work for you. - Know-how.
For example, did you know that you shouldn’t scrub away paint when cleaning
underwater? It can release toxic substances into the water, which is exactly
the kind of thing you want to avoid as you clean your hull. - Safe,
marine-grade cleaners. Much of your work will be manual, but if you do need
to use cleaners, make sure you use marine-grade cleaners that won’t affect the
marine environment.
Making the Most of
Your Diving Session
Cleaning your boat hull while it’s still in water means that
if your boat won’t move, you’re going to have to be the one to move. The listings
above give you an idea of what to do, but here are a few tips for making the
most of a hull cleaning session:
- Clean the
waterline with a soft brush. Regular cleaning of the waterline is imperative
for a hull that looks clean and streamlined. Using a soft brush to clean the
waterline is easy and will be gentle on the underlying paint and gel coat. - Keep all
boat elements off (lights, radio, etc). Although you’re only cleaning the
hull here, you don’t want any surprises while you’re still underwater. - Try to
work with good lighting. Working on the side of the sun, for example, will
give you plenty of good lighting from which to work and evaluate your process
on the hull.
Of course, none of these tips work unless you have the right
products to make your next dive easier. Browse the boat cleaning and
restoration products here at Boat LIFE to ensure you have everything
you need.
