How to Clean the Bottom of a Sailboat Underwater! (Tips from the Pros #4 /Patrick Childress #55)

How to Clean your sailboat bottom (a sailboat hull), under water. These are hull cleaning tips from a professional who has been cleaning boat boat bottoms for decades. Boat owners now how to save money by cleaning your boat bottom / hull in the marina or at anchor, and this should be part of the sailboat maintenance routine. Whether you use a scuba tank to clean the hull, a Sea breathe hookah, underwater breathing apparatus, or just snorkels, fins and a mask, regular underwater bottom cleaning is something all boat owners who want to save money can do. It’s just part of maintaining a sailboat, if you are sailing around the world. Some antifouling paints are better than others at keeping the bottom clean. Coppercoat can offer a solution too, though regular bottom scrubbing, and hull cleaning is necessary even with this...there are no free rides it seems! Boat owners save money by doing regular underwater hull cleaning, but you can also pay a diver to clean the bottom of your sailboat too. But if there are many barnacles on your boat, then it’s probably time to haul the boat, and apply new antifouling paint.

Hank Schmitt, owner of Offshore Passage Opportunities, and a professional scuba diver, demonstrates how he keeps the bottom of his Swan 48, Avocation, free from barnacles and other marine growth. He demonstrates cleaning around the waterline by using a suction cup, and then how he uses a scuba tank, that he leaves on deck, to clean the sailboat prop and the sailboat keel. Patrick Childress shows a link to his hull cleaning process with using a 12 volt powered hookah. The video finishes up with some scenes from the hookah cleaning.

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DISCLAIMER Specifically, in regards to this video... When working in the water on your boat, in a salt water marina, it is a wise precaution to disconnect all shore power and have neighboring boats do as well. This is even more true in a fresh water marina. Do not run an on board generator when swimmers are in the water. Swimming can be dangerous, Boating and sailing can be dangerous, cleaning your boat in a marina where there is a stray current, microbes bacteria or wild animals and fish can be dangerous, in the open ocean or an enclosed bay. All of them can be dangerous with both animals and pollution in the water. Swimming under your boat can present dangers. We take no responsibility for anything you do or don’t do in connection with what you have learned in this video or on this channel. Get a SCUBA certification before using any compressed air underwater. Read all tool manuals and thoroughly understand their use and safety precautions before using.

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[lukewallace]

Great video! Looking to get into boat cleaning this summer so I’m watching these videos and getting PADI certified this winter

[hullpros]

If your boat is sitting in a slip or at anchor for a while. Sea life will attach to the bottom of your hull no matter what type of bottom paint you have. It does not mean you have to haul out. Cleaning the bottom is just part of the monthly maintenance a boat owner should keep up with, just like everything else. Cleaning the hull is not that bad, plus no one can bug/talk to you while you work! 😜

[Powers]

Thank you for showing how to keep your bottom clean.

[sailingoasis]

Great video! This helps a lot. Our sailboat really needs to be cleaned soon!

[jsims]

Great! What kind of prop is that? How about a complete video on that-which one, why you chose it, pros & cons, etc - Thanks!!!

[chrisguice]

A wetsuit with no weight belt holds you to the bottom and you just crawl along. Can also put an inner tube around the tank and let it float.
I use the same rig for zinc replacement and pulling wheels.

[pateallan]

I've heard stories about divers getting bit (on the arm) by Baracuda in marinas with shinny scrapers. They are attracted to the flashing action of the scrapper. Painting it black or using a non flashy type may be a good idea.

[RiggingDoctor]

I’ve had good luck with Hemple Olympic + paint. I bought it because it was available and it turned out to be wonderful. I haven’t had to clean the bottom in 6 months and somehow it still looks clean! Most of the time has been spent anchored in dirty harbors or slowly sailing to the next place in calm weather.

[garyleonard]

Great video Patrick. Merry Christmas and a happy new year to both of you. Thanks for sharing 👍😎🍺🇿🇦

[moriver]

The visibility underwater is a big contrast from one video another. I was once at a marina where if I didn't move the boat, I had to call a diver every 4 to 5 weeks and there not just slime, but barnacles as well. I need to recertify to get scuba tank service but I'm naturally buoyant so I need a 50 lbs minimum to go and stay under. Nice to be able to change your zinc anodes as well. Thanks for sharing.

[soggybottom]

Genius..Many thanks to Hank, the man clearly knows his business, thanks and applause!!

[PopleBackyardFarm]

This looks pretty interesting loved watching the Maintenance! Have a Merry Christmas new friend Ruthie

[scotsteenson]

Ah, brings back great memories! This is what I did...

- used a single suction cup. They make them with a handle. Cheaper and easier to maneuver.
- buy buffer pads to use as scrubbers. You can cut them to size and save a lot of money.
- I used a glazier scraper. The half-round cutout was great for quickly scraping shafts. The pointy part was great for outboards, changing zincs and cleaning other places that were hard to get.
- hookah is great. But if you can get a pattern down, you can do almost the whole boat by holding your breath. Probably not the smartest, but I did it to save money as I hookahed off bottles.

Wow, you two are YouTube experts! Love what you’re doing!

[rickgillis]

I have to ask this question ...As someone who dove commercially years ago, who has cleaned hulls then and often since then as family know ' you can dive' .
Why are you not using a snorkel for the surface areas? 
Many times working a snorkel would be useless, but being basically on the surface cleaning that hull, a snorkel would be way better than holding your breath for a minute then lifting your head out of the water to breathe. I remember way back to teachings of proper equipment to do a job & working near the surface a snorkel would be perfect.

[daredevilskydiver]

Great video sir, do let me know if you up for taking an extra hand when you sail.

[russellcole]

Fore years I had three sailboats, a Cal 20, Cal 25 and a Ranger 33, that were kept in the water in Southern California. I started with a hookah, because that is what the professional boat cleaners did. Must be right, right? No. If you are only doing one boat, it is much easier to use a scuba tank on a bouyancy compensator. You can become positively bouyant to push up against the bottom for more pressure on the pad, and you are not restricted by the hose. Handling a hose underwater around the keel and rudder is a pain in the butt. Pro boat cleaners use a hookah because they want to run a compressor instead of having to get a bunch of tanks filled and transported to their jobs. If you are only cleaning your own boat, ditch the hookah. An added benefit? If you are actually a scuba diver, handling your actual equipment while cleaning your boat will really increase your competence, and therefore your safety, when you finally get to dive for fun. --Russ, Sailing Vessel Coyote, ABYC, Long Beach, California

[keeldragger]

Nice video. Admittedly, I've taken this for granted having hired divers at the marina the last few years.

[twistedrace]

Hey Patrick,
Very Nice job on the video and cleaning your bottom in an organized way . Also How long you can expect to get out of ... Prop Speed ... I just used that on my prop on my Pacific Seacraft and did not know how long of life I would get form it's use. As we all know.. Prop Speed is very expensive but seems to work very well and worth the money if you get two years out of one application.

Robert
North Star

[rustyshackleford]

Here in South Florida during summer after a week or two there’s barnacles

[budsvjourney]

Thank you for another interesting vid.

It seems that using a tank and long hose is very similar to the hookah except with less/simpler gear.
Do you need scuba certification to do this? What are the general pros and cons.