Diving vs. hauling

[Braxton]

So growing up on the Chesapeake I'm used to having to haul a boat out every winter.   There the problem is barnacles while here my impression is that they major issue is plant growth.   It seems to me that I could haul much less frequently if the bottom got a good scrubbing  and the zincs got replaced with the boat still in the water.

What to people typically do around here?   Do people haul the boat every year, do they substitute a dive for a haul out?

If you use divers what do they typically charge for a cleaning and a zinc replacement dive?

[Craig Illman]

Maybe I'm over-doing it or maybe I need different bottom paint. ~$150, three times a year. There are lots of dive services about. I don't have any recommendations for down your way.

Craig

[wind dancer]

Pull, pressure-wash and paint every other year.

Probably twice a year, I take a soft bristle brush and clean what I can reach from the dink.  The water's cold enough that plant growth on the hull isn't too bad.

[Braxton]

That was I was basically thinking of doing.   I'll throw in brief dip to check the zincs.   Unfortunately I don't think I can hold my breath long enough to change them myself (not to mention the hypothermia risk).   So if the zincs need replacing it seems I'll be hiring some divers.   

Does anyone have any recommendations for divers in the Tacoma area?

[Ray & Sandy Erps]

I get three years out of our bottom paint.  I dive on it about twice a year for zincs and scrubbing.  One of those dives is up in Desolation Sound each summer where you don't need a wet suit.

You might check the web for putting together a home made hooka diving outfit made from a small compressor and regulator.  I've seen directions on building them on the SSCA website and I've noticed that a couple of our local profession dock divers are using them instead of SCUBA tanks.  They just plug the compressor into the shore power outlet and jump in the water on the air hose.

[Braxton]

I thought about getting an AC powered SuperSnorkel (http://www.supersnorkel.com/modelSSE.htm), but the anticipated price was an order of magnitude off of reality.   I'll look around for the built it your self plans.

[Braxton]

Wow, now that I know to search on "Hookah" there are many more options.   There all still a bit pricey. 

[Braxton]

BTW:   If you search eBay for "Hookah" you get a dramatically different product set 

[winterdreams]

I keep my boat at Tyee Marina in Tacoma, not to bad for growth or zincs. I have Isler Diving (253) 891-8707 clean the boat twice a year. He also replaces the zincs at the same time. We have been able to get close to two years out of the bottom paint.  The last time I checked it cost just as much to haul out as having someone dive on the boat.

[Randy and Mary Davison]

I'm in Anacortes.  We pull the boat every two years and put on two coats of Trinidad SR.  I have a diver change the zincs, give the bottom a quick brushing, and clean the prop every 9 months to a year.  The anti slime compound in this paint seems to work pretty well and there is never any hard growth on the hull.  We could problably do three years.

The only problem we run into is that there is usually barnacle growth on the prop. This spring, the yard coated it with one of the new paints designed for the job.  We'll see how it works.  It only takes one or two barnacles to kill the prop's performance, especially in reverse.

Randy

[kjmessner]

We keep our boat in the Foss Harbor Marina - In the past we've had a diver wipe the bottom twice a year and check the zincs.  Can't to the bottom wipe anymore with the new rules though...  Still have the diver check/change the zincs every 8 months now.  I also use the trinidad bottom paint, and expect to haul after two full years.

[Braxton]

"Can't to the bottom wipe anymore with the new rules though"

...


Pardon my ignorance, what new rules? Can you not do in the water scrubbing anymore???