Below The Waterline Diving Service |
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- Services »
- Hull Cleaning
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Did you know that by regularly investing a small amount in hull cleaning, you stand to save over 40% of fuel costs? Moreover, habitually cleaning the bottom of your boat helps heighten the performance of your vessel. In effect, boat hull cleaning is a process that pays for itself because you not only save on fuel, but also on other anti-corrosion precautions such as zinc anode monitoring and installation.
Boat hull cleaning in Marina Del Rey is a task best left to the experts and that’s precisely where we, at Below the Waterline Dive Services come into the picture. The warm climate encourages the proliferation of marine growth on your boat’s bottom. Professionally cleaning the hull of these micro-organisms ensures that your hull paint is able to last its entire life cycle.
Our divers inspect your boat as they clean. Divers are trained in corrosion control and problem recognition and a diver report is forwarded to management and you are informed accordingly. Our divers specialize in dealing with tricky underwater hull cleaning situations including dirty water and marine pollutants like oily bilge water among other things. They battle everyday risks such as ear and throat infection caused by polluted water. Divers are a hardy bunch and only a few choose bottom cleaning in Marina Del Rey as full time employment.
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We advise against customers opting to perform underwater maintenance themselves—it’s not only a frustrating experience, but also leads to poor quality work. Having Below the Waterline Dive Services in Marina Del Rey perform your underwater boat hull cleaning is the best solution to put your mind at ease. We use only the best and most gentle products to clean your hull so that your expensive paint coat is not adversely affected.
When you choose Below the Waterline Dive Service in Marina Del Rey, you bargain for much more. You get knowledge, professional service and peace of mind.
FACTS:
Your boat in Marina Del Rey is a perfect feeding and breeding ground for organisms such as the tube worm, which are
small coral-like strands that grow on unpainted areas of your boat, or areas that have weak anti-fouling paint. The
worms rapid growth and colonization can seriously affect the performance of your vessel, especially during the summer
months.
The winter months will bring very dirty rainwater into the marina that affects the look of your vessel, but worse still, this
run off has a high nitrogen content, from agriculture use, and fertilizes the algae, allowing it to bloom out of control.
This wide spread growth will attach to your waterline and exposed trailing edge area of your boat, making your boat
look unsightly. We are often asked, "why has my boat not been cleaned this month" during the winter months, when in
fact it has. The algae, after cleaning, will grow back in days.
If your vessel is not cleaned on a regular basis, you will use a considerable amount of extra fuel (20 - 25% tests show,
increasing the longer your boat is left uncleaned) getting to your destination, overheat engines due to lack of water
flow into cooling systems. And possibly not have adequate safe control of your vessel.
FAQ'S Hull Cleaning
Q:
What does the diver do besides cleaning?
A: Our divers inspect your boat as they clean. Divers are trained in corrosion control and problem recognition, a diver report is forwarded to management and you are informed accordingly.
A: Our divers inspect your boat as they clean. Divers are trained in corrosion control and problem recognition, a diver report is forwarded to management and you are informed accordingly.
Q: What do you clean my boat with?
A: For hull cleaning we use four different types of 3M cleaning pads, each one corresponds to the condition of your anti-fouling paint. If your paint is excellent, we use very soft cotton like cleaning pad, as your paint gets thinner over time, the grade of pad gets slightly courser. Our very careful treatment of your paint will help your paint last as long as possible. We use dry wall scrapers to remove hard growth from unprotected areas such as props and shafts, and wire-brushes and steel wool on metal areas only.
A: For hull cleaning we use four different types of 3M cleaning pads, each one corresponds to the condition of your anti-fouling paint. If your paint is excellent, we use very soft cotton like cleaning pad, as your paint gets thinner over time, the grade of pad gets slightly courser. Our very careful treatment of your paint will help your paint last as long as possible. We use dry wall scrapers to remove hard growth from unprotected areas such as props and shafts, and wire-brushes and steel wool on metal areas only.
Q:
How often do you need to clean my boat?
A: Once a month, if a boat has enough anti-fouling properties left in the paint (usually in the first twelve to eighteen months). During the summer, two-week cycles begin on boats with weak anti-fouling paint and we also clean props, shafts, trim-tabs and intakes, mid-cycle (every 2 weeks) on all boats, due to the rapid growth on unpainted surfaces. If you want a cleaner vessel, try our year round two-week cleaning program, you will receive a discounted rate and always have a much cleaner vessel. Boats with aluminum stern-drives need the drives and trim tabs cleaned mid-cycle (every two weeks) all year. Aluminum drives unfortunately cannot be painted with regular anti-fouling paint (used on hulls) due to the paints chemical properties attacking the aluminum and causing a reaction corrosion, only special paint can be used. The paint has very weak anti-fouling properties and is very thin, making it's life minimal (six months at the most). Cleaning programs can be customized to suit your needs. For example, you may choose to have the waterline and trim-tabs cleaned mid cycle (every two weeks) during the winter, due to the algae problems and we will implement a discounted rate..Some customers choose to have their boat cleaned every week; it's up to you! However, If a program you choose takes us longer than it would on our suggested regular cleaning cycle, we will implement a 'time cleaning rate".which is only fair! Remember - More frequent cleaning is softer on the the bottom and good for the paint making it last longer
A: Once a month, if a boat has enough anti-fouling properties left in the paint (usually in the first twelve to eighteen months). During the summer, two-week cycles begin on boats with weak anti-fouling paint and we also clean props, shafts, trim-tabs and intakes, mid-cycle (every 2 weeks) on all boats, due to the rapid growth on unpainted surfaces. If you want a cleaner vessel, try our year round two-week cleaning program, you will receive a discounted rate and always have a much cleaner vessel. Boats with aluminum stern-drives need the drives and trim tabs cleaned mid-cycle (every two weeks) all year. Aluminum drives unfortunately cannot be painted with regular anti-fouling paint (used on hulls) due to the paints chemical properties attacking the aluminum and causing a reaction corrosion, only special paint can be used. The paint has very weak anti-fouling properties and is very thin, making it's life minimal (six months at the most). Cleaning programs can be customized to suit your needs. For example, you may choose to have the waterline and trim-tabs cleaned mid cycle (every two weeks) during the winter, due to the algae problems and we will implement a discounted rate..Some customers choose to have their boat cleaned every week; it's up to you! However, If a program you choose takes us longer than it would on our suggested regular cleaning cycle, we will implement a 'time cleaning rate".which is only fair! Remember - More frequent cleaning is softer on the the bottom and good for the paint making it last longer
Q:
Why two week cleaning in Marina Del Rey when I have not been asked to do that in other marinas?
A: Marina Del Rey is a warmer environment than most other marinas in Southern California due to its enclosure and isolation from the cooler ocean. The marine growth rate here is very high.
A: Marina Del Rey is a warmer environment than most other marinas in Southern California due to its enclosure and isolation from the cooler ocean. The marine growth rate here is very high.
Q:
Do you check the divers work?
A: Yes, our quality control is "top notch". A high volume of boats gets checked and we demand the best workmanship from our divers, they have other added incentives to perform well.
A: Yes, our quality control is "top notch". A high volume of boats gets checked and we demand the best workmanship from our divers, they have other added incentives to perform well.
Q:
How am I billed?
A: A monthly report and statement will be sent to you via e-mail, fax or regular mail. Payment can be made using credit or debit card, check, regular check or cash, or online using Pay-Pal.:
A: A monthly report and statement will be sent to you via e-mail, fax or regular mail. Payment can be made using credit or debit card, check, regular check or cash, or online using Pay-Pal.:
Diving Seasons - What to Expect!
Monitor your boat from the day we clean onwards - See how fast the growth accumulates!!
Monitor your boat from the day we clean onwards - See how fast the growth accumulates!!
Summer Madness:
April 1st.- October 31st.
"Hard Growth" colonizes in areas of your boat that have little or no anti-fouling paint and spreads rapidly and in as little as two weeks affects performance. The maturing Coral Worm grows rapidly. By week 3 & 4 the boat will be sluggish in the water, throttles are simply advanced to compensate for the speed loss. Increases in RPMs to attain speed in spite of fouling will create a great deal of strain on the engine, demanding that it work progressively harder. Generally, this adds to fuel costs and reduces the life of the engine and other moving parts. Newly painted boats will suffer on unpainted propellers, hampering performance. Do not underestimate the seriousness of this problem. Get your vessel cleaned at least every two weeks during the summer season. If the bottom paint is good we will perform a 1/2 clean on all unpainted areas - Props, Shafts Intakes, Speed wheels, Trim Tabs and Waterline at only 1/2 the regular cost. More frequent cleaning is lighter on and good for your paint. Always call before a trip and go with a clean bottom.
April 1st.- October 31st.
"Hard Growth" colonizes in areas of your boat that have little or no anti-fouling paint and spreads rapidly and in as little as two weeks affects performance. The maturing Coral Worm grows rapidly. By week 3 & 4 the boat will be sluggish in the water, throttles are simply advanced to compensate for the speed loss. Increases in RPMs to attain speed in spite of fouling will create a great deal of strain on the engine, demanding that it work progressively harder. Generally, this adds to fuel costs and reduces the life of the engine and other moving parts. Newly painted boats will suffer on unpainted propellers, hampering performance. Do not underestimate the seriousness of this problem. Get your vessel cleaned at least every two weeks during the summer season. If the bottom paint is good we will perform a 1/2 clean on all unpainted areas - Props, Shafts Intakes, Speed wheels, Trim Tabs and Waterline at only 1/2 the regular cost. More frequent cleaning is lighter on and good for your paint. Always call before a trip and go with a clean bottom.
Unfortunately Out-Drive paint is very thin, weak and cannot access enough coverage of the intricate underwater
areas , therefore summer growth is always bad. If your hull bottom paint is good we can exclude that if you so wish,
and perform a 1/2 clean - Out-Drive, Trim Tabs, Intakes and Waterline at 1/2 the regular cost.
All boats with “Poor” or “No Paint”. See your Services Report, as they require 100% scraping of the hull.
Winter - Rainy Season - October - March 31St.:
“Why is my boat looking so dirty”
The winter rain flushes the streets and fields allowing filthy water, bacteria plus a high nitrogen content (from agriculture use) to enter the marina, unsightly waterline scum will attach to your boat, but worse still, the waters new nitrogen content fertilizes the algae causing it to bloom out of control. Now, the stubborn algae, embedded in the waterline and trailing edge areas around your boat, will grow back in days after cleaning ...Try a mid-cycle waterline clean!
“Why is my boat looking so dirty”
The winter rain flushes the streets and fields allowing filthy water, bacteria plus a high nitrogen content (from agriculture use) to enter the marina, unsightly waterline scum will attach to your boat, but worse still, the waters new nitrogen content fertilizes the algae causing it to bloom out of control. Now, the stubborn algae, embedded in the waterline and trailing edge areas around your boat, will grow back in days after cleaning ...Try a mid-cycle waterline clean!
Stern/out-drives will continue to be cleaned on the 2-week cycle due to this continual problem (unless you inform us
otherwise).
Remember, we can only do so much. Nature takes its course, there comes a time when it’s your decision to have a
clean or dirty vessel.
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Copyright BTW Dive Serv. 2011 |
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