Power wash bottom and shirink wrap

[frank2644]

A couple of questions:

1) My transporter can use a nearby ramp for free or I can pay the marina to lift the boat for about $250 which includes power washing the bottom.

If I power wash the bottom myself at home will it make a mess or smell badly?


2) Should I shrink wrap the boat or just use a standard boat cover?

If I shrink wrap should I get one with a zipper to allow easy access to the interior?

Thanks

 

[dpvandy01]

The mess is all relative. If your bottom is seriously fouled perhaps. What is your time worth to you? What is your price for "pride of ownership" and the feeling of satisfaction from hard work and a job well done? Where do you boat? If you are storing outside and in snow-prone areas, covers need to be reinforced. If you shrinkwrap and want access to the cockpit and boat interior a zipper door is a must. I don't think any interior access is possible otherwise.

 

[frank2644]

Thanks for the reply DP.

I'm retired so I have plenty of time.

The boat has only been in the water since July so I assume a power wash at home should not be too messy.

I read some other threads on shrink wrap and I think I'm leaning toward a well reinforced cover.

 

[Skip]

It would be helpful to know if this is fresh or salt water, how much buildup is on the bottom, condition of the bottom paint, etc.
I shrink wrap every winter with a zipper door-my boat stays in the water so a cover is not an option.

regards

 

[Four Suns]

You want to wash the bottom of the boat as soon as you lift it out of the water. If barnacles or other growth dries, it's impossible to get off short of sandblasting.

 

[frank2644]

I'll try and respond to the points contained in several notes.

The boat is in salt water and the bottom was painted in July.

I'm not sure how bad the barnacles are, but they should not be too bad given it's in the water less than 4 months.

Good point about not letting the barnacles die. I should be able to power wash within 6 hours of leaving the water.

Thanks for the responses.

Frank

 

[wkearney99]

If you plan on doing any work on the boat over the winter you'll want to have the zipper installed.

As for the bottom, take care about pressure washing as too much pressure can strip the paint. Unless you plan on repainting again in the spring.

 

[Four Suns]

The paint will be dead anyway after sitting out of the water that long. It will need to be repainted.

 

[comsnark]

If I am going through the pain and expense of a haulout for the season. . .I am going to paint!

My 280SS takes about two hours to fully powerwash. Not hard work. $250 is a heck of a large price for powerwashing a boat that size. If you don't already own a powerwasher. . this is a real good excuse to buy one.

Aside from everything getting wet, not much of a mess. Bigger mess comes from winterinzing the engines in the driveway.

If the powerwasher starts to remove paint. . .that means the paint needs to come off anyway.