Herrington Harbor North-bottom cleaning

[Jason Flare]

From Connecticut:

3. Never clean your boat bottom when it is in the water because toxic paint may be removed.

http://www.ct.gov/deep/lib/deep/long...tenance_08.pdf

[Bill O]

Well thank you for the clarification and not keeping my boat in a marina, can just pass along what marina owners told me. Don't even know if HHN is a "certified" marina.

Can't see you wouldn't put up a plume cleaning off an ablative bottom. but so be it.

Still would be jumping into that marina if they were afraid of the liability of an electrocution.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by Jason Flare

From Connecticut:

3. Never clean your boat bottom when it is in the water because toxic paint may be removed.]

I guess the framers of the Connecticut Clean Marina program didn't understand that anti fouling paints leach their biocides into the water 24/7/365, whether or not a diver cleans them.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by Bill O

Still would be jumping into that marina if they were afraid of the liability of an electrocution.

Freshwater or saltwater marina?

[Bill O]

Brackish with salinity ~ 11 psu currently

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by Bill O

Brackish with salinity ~ 11 psu currently

FYI- Electric Shock Drowing (ESD) is pretty much exclusively a freshwater phenomena. It rarely (if ever) happens in saltwater.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by fstbttms

FYI- Electric Shock Drowning (ESD) is pretty much exclusively a freshwater phenomena. It rarely (if ever) happens in saltwater.

I would be interested in hearing about any documents saltwater case. Even around Deale (HHN) the water conducts so well you will burn the end off a plug in a few minutes (if it is not GFI). I know this from direct experience.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by thinwater

I would be interested in hearing about any documents saltwater case.

There aren't any that I am aware of.

[Bill O]

Guess then there is no reason that divers would ever need to disconnect the shore power (even though its practice to do so) then if they are cleaning the boat in brackish/salt water.

While it's all the same, I'd go for the safety over the theoretical that an electrocution shouldn't happen in a brackish/ saltwater marina due to the better conductivity. Better to be alive than an oops.

Here are the links to the MD clean divers info of which we were apparently only given selective tidbits. Diver's Pledge and Best Practices Not all divers sign or follow these guidelines and why some marinas don't allow divers in their marina.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by Bill O

Guess then there is no reason that divers would ever need to disconnect the shore power (even though its practice to do so) then if they are cleaning the boat in brackish/salt water.

While it's all the same, I'd go for the safety over the theoretical that an electrocution shouldn't happen in a brackish/ saltwater marina due to the better conductivity. Better to be alive than an oops.

Don't get me wrong. It's always a good idea to unplug the boat, regardless of where you are working.

Originally Posted by Bill O

Here are the links to the MD clean divers info of which we were apparently only given selective tidbits.

Yes, well you stated that in-water hull cleaning was prohibited in Maryland by that state's Clean Marina program. Obviously that not the case. I simply presented statements confirming that.

BTW- all Clean Marina programs (regardless of state) are voluntary in nature. Marinas are not required to participate. Here in the Bay Area, I have worked in dozens of marinas over the last 22 years, many of which are "Clean Marina" certified. Never once in all that time have I as a hull cleaner been asked to even review the in-water hull cleaning recommendations, much less to sign any "pledge" or agreement. I suspect that in Maryland, the case is much the same. Even if it isn't, there certainly isn't any enforcement of in-water hull cleaning recommendations. While I support the Clean Marina program, when it comes to hull cleaning, it is largely a toothless, "feel-good" document.

[Suijin]

Originally Posted by Bill O

Here are the links to the MD clean divers info of which we were apparently only given selective tidbits. Diver's Pledge and Best Practices Not all divers sign or follow these guidelines and why some marinas don't allow divers in their marina.

I count eleven Clean Marinas in Annapolis, and not one of them disallows diver boat cleaning.

I any discussion I've ever been in with marina personnel, they always cite insurance and financial liability as reasons why some dive contractors are not allowed to clean boats in their marina. In each case excluded contractors simply don't carry enough coverage, which can be quite high.

I suspect your marina owners were loathe to admit that they were disallowing it due to legal liability reasons. Easier to frame it as being virtuous and not allowing "bad practices" lol.

[RickG]

Good question. We are moving to HHN and would love to hear what you come up with.

Cheers, RickG

[Bill O]

For my own curiosity, just got off the phone w/HHN and they don't allow divers to clean boats bottoms. Primary reason was not to have any bottom paint scraped off in the water. Secondary reason was possible electrocution.

They do short hauls for $7.50/ft for <44' so they can capture any bottom paint in special collectors under the power wash areas.

So it's a case by case basis if they allow divers.

[Deltasailor]

Originally Posted by fstbttms

Pardon my ignorance, but why do you need to paint annually?

It's a good idea to lift a boat and leave to dry out over winter to avoid osmosis. The boat also gets a hammering when left in the water over winter.

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by rognvald

Hi, Suijin,
This is not my boat but a friend's who was told by the marina that they do not allow bottom cleaning at the marina due to liabilities issues, specifically electrocution. He needs to have the bottom cleaned monthly and wonders what other boaters in the area do in re: this service. Best, R

Why doesn't he just ask the other boaters in the marina? They are all in the same situation. Certainly they don't all take their boats somewhere else once a month to get the bottoms cleaned!