Bad Barnacle Year on the Bay

alnav

Well-Known Member
GOLD Sponsor
Sep 16, 2009
2,771
West River, MD
Boat Info
40 MY
Engines
QSB 425
I keep my boat in the water in the West River over the winter. Due to covid restrictions and getting some work done she has not left the slip as yet. I went to start engines the other day but only got trickles on both sides.

After checking impellers and such, I asked a friend to help. He immediately opined that the intakes were probably clogged with barnacles having just gotten back from having his single propeller pulled due to severe vibration. He had thought he hit a log but it turned out his prop was completely covered with barnacles despite having been zinc-painted just last fall. We both use the same diver for regular cleaning who flaked out on us this year (he told me he was hitting me in May).

My friend told me he had heard of a diver from the Eastern Shore who was going to be working our club this week and was going to get me the contact info. I lucked out and ran into the diver in the parking lot on my way home this morning. He didn't have time to clean my boat but offered to check the intakes. The diver just called and told me he had cleared the through hulls but that he recommended I get hauled soonest as the extent of the barnacle coverage was beyond what a diver ought to try to clean. He told me he is seeing the same problem everywhere he goes on the Bay this year and had not ever seen it this bad. He also refused to let me pay him for today but to keep him in mind after the haul.

Just posting to let all in the area know about the potential problem. Have others seen this? I've got a haulout scheduled at the local Sea Ray dealer next week and will be interested to see what the hull and running gear looks like. My bottom paint and Prop Speed coating are just over one year old.
 
What did the haulout look like? I’m in the process of buying a 280DA and the bottom shows significant barnacle presence (since removed). First “to do” when I pick it up is a new bottom paint job.
 
What did the haulout look like? I’m in the process of buying a 280DA and the bottom shows significant barnacle presence (since removed). First “to do” when I pick it up is a new bottom paint job.
It was ugly but cleaned up real well with a pressure wash. The marina crew verified that they have seen lots more growth on the boats they have seen this year.
 
One of the guys at our marina that keeps his center console with no bottom paint on a lift had to keep it floating for 5 days because one of the motors on his lift slip died. After only 5 days in the water, he had hundreds of baby barnacles. I've never seen them accumulate that quickly up here.
 
The longer you let it go the harder it is to remove.

My fishing friends who stay slipped in the middle lower bay with a place near Kilmarnock have an unusual abundance of barnacles this year.

The jellyfish haven’t been too great either.
 
I’m in the process of buying a 280DA from a guy in southern MD and it’s going to need an immediate bottom job, partially due to barnacles. He doesn’t even keep it in the water.
 
I'm in the mid James River, when I came out last month the shafts, props, rudders, tabs, and struts were loaded. The bottom paint had done its job very well!

The guys next to me were loaded! We all pull out in the same month and help each other prep and paint.
 
I am on the Severn River and it was terrible this year. Had the boat hauled and repainted. The marina said its been one of the worst years they can remember (as they swiped my credit card with a smile). Used Micron CSC bottom paint after asking around. Hoping it holds up and lasts a good two years. We will see!
 
Same, we are on the Severn River in Annapolis. Fresh bottom/running gear paint and late last summer 2019.

Stayed in the water all winter and pulled in July to power wash, change zincs, and check everything.

Bottom paint looked good, all running gear was loaded with barnacles. Literally they used a bobcat to take away the pile of them. We have lots of underwater metal with the hydraulic lift but the barnacles were bad.

2020 was a jelly fish laden, barnacle haven, COVID mess!!!

We still boated are tails off; going from Annapolis to Cape May NJ twice, Annapolis to Rudy’s Inlet VA Beach and Williamsburg VA once.... and many places in between.

When was the last meet up on the Chesapeake Bay? Maybe a 2021 plan???
 

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