thelog.com Dock Lines With Capt. Nicole
Tips on selecting a diver
Story and photo by Capt. Nicole Sours Larson When Arv and I moved our boat
west from the Chesapeake Bay we had no idea how different hull maintenance and care was in Southern California, where warm temperatures encourage bottom growth, diminishing hull speed and fuel effi ciency. Like fellow boat owners at our
Maryland marina, every spring we had our boat hauled and its bottom power- washed and painted and its sacrifi cial zincs replaced. In San Diego, with its year-round
temperate climate and electrolysis rampant in its boat-dense urban harbor, we quickly learned we’d need to have a diver regularly remove the plant and animal growth buildup and replace zincs more frequently.
water hull-cleaning r ng regulations. A diving
fi rm’s membership in CPDA, Rocco explained, signifi es divers are trained in and comply with all relevant state and local environmental regulations. Throughout SoCal most boat bot-
toms kept in water full-time need to be cleaned about 15 times a year, every three weeks in summer and monthly in winter, allowing release of growth-inhib- iting biocides in most bottom paints. “Frequent hull cleaning prolongs the
life of the bottom paint,” Rocco said. High quality bottom paint with
multiple coats should last about three years. With our hull’s gentle cleaning, our bottom paint has lasted over four years between haulouts. Rocco explained there are two
main types of effective hand cleaning: Employing scrubbies or a powered fi ne rotary brush. The effectiveness of each depends upon the diver’s training and skill. “You want to make sure the diving company has an (in-house) quality control offi cer who inspects the bottoms from time-to-time,” he said. Divers also oversee
Burgundy rests on the blocks following her haulout and awaits fresh bottom paint. After more than four years with regularly scheduled hull cleanings by a skilled diver her bottom paint shows distinct signs of wear, but less than we expected to see.
We were fortunate new friends on
our dock recommended a well-estab- lished diving company, Aquarius Yacht Maintenance, whose gentle cleaning techniques, using “scrubbies” rather than scrapers, impressed us. At the San Diego Port District’s
recent Clean and Green Boating Expo I ran into Aquarius’ CEO, Bill Rocco, also the long-serving president of the California Professional Divers Association (CPDA) and I asked him to share a few tips on how to choose a competent diver. Rocco’s fi rst recommendation mir-
rored our experience — ask fellow boat owners whom they’ve used and liked. He suggested also asking marina staff, as they know which divers to avoid because of poor environmental or busi- ness practices. If you’re based in San Diego Bay
make sure any diver you’re using has a current Port permit, Rocco urged. The Port District, as part of their anti-pollu- tion and copper reduction efforts, now requires all hull-cleaning businesses to obtain permits and comply with best management practices under their in-
replacement of the sacrifi cial zincs, which are applied to underwater metal compo- nents to protect against electrolysis-induced corro- sion. Zincs are changed when about half disintegrated. “An experienced diver will notice also if there’s a bond-
ing issue and active corrosion. He can usually suggest remedies to the boat owner to correct the problem,” Rocco added. Rocco’s divers use three different
types of scrubbies depending on the age and condition of the bottom paint. They start with a soft scrubby on new bottom paint before moving onto successively tougher scrubbies in later years. Aquarius divers receive initial train- ing of about four to six weeks, followed by a two-year apprenticeship with additional training before becoming fully qualifi ed.
Sustained experience is what’s most
critical, he emphasized. “You want experienced eyes on the
bottom of your boat.” And what should a qualifi ed diving
company charge, per visit? Between $1.25 and $2 a foot for regularly sched- uled cleaning, Rocco said. “Under $1 a foot, something is
wrong, and over $2 is too much, unless there are complicated conditions.” With conscientious care you can reduce avoidable maintenance costs.
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CALIFORNIA YACHT MARINA - CHULA VISTA 640 MARINA PARKWAY
CHULA VISTA, CA 91910 619.422.2595
slips@cymchulavis ta. com
“Tis place reminds me of Balboa Park because it is so clean, the trees are beautiful and everything is so well maintained...you can tell they really take pride in it.”
Ron H - CYM Chula Vista Boater since 1992 A diving
The Log • May 20 - June 2, 2016 • 17 SAN DIEGO BAY
because you deserve the best
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Slip Rates:
25’ - $1241 per l.f. 30’ - $1330 per l.f. 40’ - $1467 per l.f. 50’ - $1594 per l.f. 60’ - $1715 per l.f.
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