With the warm year-round Caribbean waters, it's no surprise that barnacle growth in South Florida is explosive and is one of the most active areas in the world for accelerated growth. Barnacle growth rate wanes only slightly during the winter months but compared to other parts of the world it is still notably higher.
Barnacle growth can increase weight and drag of your vessel by up to 60%.
What does barnacle growth mean for the performance of your boat or yacht if left unmitigated? The U.S. Navy estimates that heavy barnacle growth on ships increases weight and drag by up to 60%! In turn, that reduces your fuel efficiency. Fuel consumption can increase by as much as 40% and that is a big hit to your wallet. In addition to increased weight and drag, barnacles can also obstruct the volume of water that reaches critical areas of your vessel such as the engine and cooling system. Removing barnacle growth often can prolong the life of your bottom paint, as well. By removing barnacles more frequently less hard scraping will need to be done thereby preserving the paint.
Removing barnacle growth often can prolong the life of your bottom paint.
In many geographic areas boat owners can get by with Hull Cleanings every 2 months but that is not a recommended schedule for South Florida. We recommend hull cleanings every 3 - 4 weeks. Barnacles can start to form as quickly as 1 week after a cleaning - we've seen it. The growth rate is extremely aggressive in Southeast Florida and requires routine cleanings as frequently as possible.
DiverXTRM Marine Services provide clients in the area with all-inclusive hull cleanings. What does that mean to you? Unlike other companies that charge al-a-carte pricing we include all of the below points in our hull cleanings as well as a free hull inspection with every cleaning.
Our complete Hull Cleaning service includes:
Scrape and wipe down of hull bottom and waterline
Cleaning of:
props
struts
shafts
trim tabs
engine bracketry
intake & through-hull
bow thruster
All submerged of port and starboard sides from the water surface to bilge keels and from bulb to sternpost
Both sides of propeller blades
Propeller boss
Both sides of the rudder blade
Both lateral bilge keels
The flat bottom area from bilge keels to the central keel and from bulb to sternpost
anode inspection *replacement additional cost
hull inspection and report noting any anomalous conditions
If you own a vessel in South Florida, you definitely want to consider hiring a professional underwater dive team that specializes in boat services to ensure your investment is in top performance and well taken care of.
DiverXTRM Marine Services is located in Palm Beach County FL and services all of Palm Beach County as well as some areas in Martin County and Broward County. We know that your vessel is an investment and, as such, treat it as if it were our own. We pride ourselves in exceptional customer service and professionalism in all areas of our work.
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