The Importance of Cleaning the Bottom of Your Boat in South Florida

When a boat is submerged in water most of the time it becomes vulnerable to marine life build-up. This build-up, referred to as biofouling or fouling, is the accumulation of microorganisms, plants, algae, or small animals on wet surfaces that have a mechanical function. Without proper monitoring and cleaning, this fouling can wreak havoc on a boat left in the water.

Boats are designed to be hydrodynamic, meaning they're built to move quickly through the water. Drag created by marine growth will affect the ease at which your boat is intended to move. Having your boat's bottom and running gear cleaned on a regularly scheduled basis will keep it free of drag creating marine growth that slows it down. This allows it to move smoothly through the water at optimal speed and ease at all times. 

Fouling on the bottom of a boat in Palm Beach, Florida

Your boat will burn more fuel when it can't move as easily through the water due to resistance created by marine growth. Regularly scheduled hull cleaning eliminates excess resistance created by the build-up of marine growth. This leads to a smoother hull and better fuel economy. 

With an ideal boat bottom cleaning frequency, soft pads are used to remove light to medium levels of marine growth. Longer intervals between cleaning result in heavier levels of marine growth that require more abrasive tools and techniques to remove. These more abrasive tools also remove more bottom paint during the cleaning process. When your boat is on a properly assessed cleaning schedule, this should eliminate the need to use the more abrasive tools and methods to remove the growth, ultimately allowing more of the paint to remain, adding longevity to the life of your paint. 

Additional systems such as air conditioners, generators, water makers, ice makers, chillers, live wells, etc., require adequate water flow to properly function. If through-hull fittings and intakes are not properly maintained, barnacles and other marine growth will reduce or restrict water flow, causing systems to work harder, overheat, or shut down. Transducers that are fouled with marine growth could give inaccurate readings. Keeping intakes free from marine growth with regularly scheduled cleanings helps to ensure proper water flow and could help to avoid costly maintenance issues.

South Florida has some of the fastest and heaviest marine growth rates in the world. Having a boat in the water in areas such as Jupiter, Palm Beach Gardens, or Palm Beach without regular bottom cleaning can be very detrimental to your boat's speed, performance, handling, fuel economy, and appearance. 

Diver from Palm Beach Underwater Services cleaning a heavily fouled sail drive on the bottom of a boat in Palm Beach, Florida.

At Palm Beach Underwater Services our divers will keep your boat's bottom, running gear, and all other underwater surfaces free from hard and soft marine growth allowing for optimal performance.

Contact us to schedule your next hull cleaning!