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Bottom cleaning business

Discussion in 'General Yachting Discussion' started by tirekicker11, Aug 12, 2010.

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  1. tirekicker11, Aug 12, 2010
    #1
    tirekicker11

    tirekicker11 Senior Member

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    Recently I received a number of e-mails from shipping companies enquiring for hull cleanings of large container ships. Most of them say that the ship has been sitting at anchor for months which I guess is because of the financial situation recently. Obviously these boats are slowly getting back in active service now.

    As we're not geared up to do hull cleanings of commercial vessels I have to decline but it made me think about the possibilities to invest in decent equipment to do these jobs as there are no companies here who do this work.
    Does anybody have any experience in this field? Or knows what you'd spend on equipment from Armada or similar. And what do other hull cleaning services charge? I guess it has to be more than my usual US$ 2.50 a foot.

    Cheers.
  2. Capt J, Aug 13, 2010
    #2
    Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    I've seen large jobs being quoted by time.....$150-300 per hour per diver......I don't think you'd need much in the way of stuff to do a freighter.......maybe a brownie's 3rd lung, 150' of hose, and a way of staying secured to the freighter yet movable......suction cup things with a rope attached maybe.....
  3. Fishtigua, Aug 13, 2010
    #3
    Fishtigua

    Fishtigua Senior Member

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    A friend of mine has just had his bottom stripped of years of paint build-up. The system he choose was Soda Blasting. This system uses Bicarbonate of Soda crystals, which are very fine, blasted with compressed air in a hallow cone of water.

    The finish on the gel-coat was as if it had been sanded with 280 Wet & Dry, the paint was easy to clean up and the best part is that the crystals simply dissolve and are non toxic.

    I was very impressed.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodablasting
  4. tirekicker11, Aug 13, 2010
    #4
    tirekicker11

    tirekicker11 Senior Member

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    I usually dive in normal scuba gear. I scrape with a paintscraper while holding on to the hull with suction cups but this won't do for really large boats with a draft over 30'.
    The job will take to long and therefore become to expensive, the draft is to deep (decompression time) and I'll lose direction when the visibility is not great.

    I read on all the other hull cleaning sites that they use the armada system or something similar. This is a powered system that brushes the hull while sucking on to it and driving forward. With this equipment you can clean a hull like you would mow the lawn. It looks impressive but I'm sure the purchase price of this equipment will be impressive as well and I might not recoperate this.
    I just wonder whether there are other possibilities or whether this equipment would be a good investment.
  5. Capt J, Aug 13, 2010
    #5
    Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    I cannot tell you if it would be worthwhile. If you can secure one job and it pays for the price of the machine, then go for it. I have no idea when it comes to ships.......Usually they move far too much to get barnacle growth.