Bottom buildup on boat

[dunn782]

I have a 2075 Tyee, aluminum boat. I have always trailered it and keep it at home. I have been thinking about getting a dock this year at my favorite place rather than just a ramp pass. I figure if I kept it at a dock for certain stretches of time I could fish a lot more by myself since it's hard to find someone to go at the last minute and solo launching is a bit of a pain. I would be in the Besse area and probably dock 3 or 4 weeks early during the jig bite but then pull it out since I fish up north frequently. Then maybe in the fall might dock again for a few weeks for perch season. I doubt I would dock as long as 2 months in one stretch.

So the question I have is, how much crud would build/grow on my boat bottom is a few weeks and how hard would it be to remove it. Would it clean up like new or would the bottom be permanently messed up. I'm pretty picky about keeping my boat nice. I have never docked any of my boats for more than a week while on a trip and then it's usually been on a really clear lake so I'm not familiar with the bottom maintenance of a boat.

[sherman51]

from what I understand if you leave it in the water longer than a week in most waters it will start fouling your hull. the only thing I know of that retards or stops growth is bottom paint. if you leave it for 3 or 4 weeks at a time you should do a search for bottom of boat cleaning or check out U-TUBE and watch a few videos.

[Phatphil]

I have a 2075 Tyee, aluminum boat. I have always trailered it and keep it at home. I have been thinking about getting a dock this year at my favorite place rather than just a ramp pass. I figure if I kept it at a dock for certain stretches of time I could fish a lot more by myself since it's hard to find someone to go at the last minute and solo launching is a bit of a pain. I would be in the Besse area and probably dock 3 or 4 weeks early during the jig bite but then pull it out since I fish up north frequently. Then maybe in the fall might dock again for a few weeks for perch season. I doubt I would dock as long as 2 months in one stretch.

So the question I have is, how much crud would build/grow on my boat bottom is a few weeks and how hard would it be to remove it. Would it clean up like new or would the bottom be permanently messed up. I'm pretty picky about keeping my boat nice. I have never docked any of my boats for more than a week while on a trip and then it's usually been on a really clear lake so I'm not familiar with the bottom maintenance of a boat.

Dunn782...I leave my 16' Aluminum Starcraft in the water from April to November in West Harbor. I pull it around July 4th and wash and spray it off and then again at the final pullout in early Nov. Each time I use Muiratic acid found at Menards, Meijers, Lowes, Walmart, etc., which is about 30% hydrochloric acid in a 2 gallon garden sprayer to remove the marine growth. I spray the hull first with hi-pressure water then spray from the waterline down with the HCl soln., then follow up with another hi-pressure rinse. Do this outside preferably with a good breeze blowing as the fumes are quite nasty. My hull looks as good as ever when finished. The acid will discolor any unpainted parts of my trailer but it does not discolor painted areas. I would spray a test area first just to be sure. Good luck.

[dunn782]

Thanks for the feedback. Phatphil I would be too nervous to use HCl on an aluminum boat. I worked 30+ years for a company that makes HCl so know a lot about it. It's hard to make it stronger than about 38% and it will flat out dissolve aluminum. Drop a piece of aluminum it 30% HCl and it will fizz like Alka-Seltzer and gives off hydrogen gas. If you dilute it to 25% or less it won't fume but is still pretty potent. Any little imperfections in the paint may let the acid contact the bare aluminum and probably pit it so be careful.

I think if I go the dock route I'd probably have to pull it after a week and see what I got. I've had it in the water a week at a time but always cleaner water like the St. Clair river or a clear lake. Never had anything on the hull after that but Erie is a lot different. My old boat had a lot of white on it and in lakes with tannin stained water it would stain the white areas after a week but it would wash off after a while once I was in different water or washed it.

[Phatphil]

Dunn...Coincidence, I too worked in a lab for BP. I was worried about the consequences of using HCL on my aluminum hull but after 5 years of spraying it twice a year I am noticing no pitting. One of the large marinas in our area uses muiratic acid on fiberglass hulls but they do dilute it to keep the fuming down. I may try that this year just to reduce the fumes, it does an amazing job and I don't know anything else that comes even remotely close to keeping my hull this clean. My buddy has barrier coated and antifouling paint on his aluminum hulled Crestliner and it has prevented buildup on his boat as another option.