Rules to Stick to for Underwater Hull Cleaning and Maintenance

To maintain your bottom paint’s performance and to stretch the time between haul-outs for applying new bottom painting, regular cleaning of your boat’s hull should be performed on a monthly basis. You will also benefit with better fuel efficiency when your hull bottom is kept smooth and clean. All things considered, it’s easy to see how regular hull cleanings can save you a significant amount of money over the course of time.

Best Practices for Underwater Hull Cleaning and Maintenance

• Clean gently to avoid removing too much paint.
• If you have an ablative paint on your hull, only clean the running gear and zinc anodes.
• It is best to wait 60 days before the first cleaning after having a hard antifouling paint applied.
• Use the least abrasive material available; soft sponge, pieces of carpet.
• Use harder more abrasive cleaning pads only when hard growth needs to be removed.
• If the hull is still clean after 30 days, do not clean the entire hull; do the waterline, running gear and propeller only.
• Do not sand or chip hull paint underwater.
• If you can’t do these regular cleanings yourself, hire a professional hull cleaning company.