MacGregorSailors.com

Hi, any preferred methods for removing various marine growths from the keel? Thanks, Larry

Power Washer would be a good start. Then depending on the level of growth you may have to sand, and repaint. What type of growth are we talking about here? Mild algee or gooseneck barnacles and muscles?

Rich

I have had good luck with Baer Deck Brightener. It contains Oxalic
Acid. Thins one gallon to five. Put on with stiff deck brush and a little
scrub. Rinse with power washer if you have one.

Paul Drew. DE MASTER

My boat just got lifted out of the Med after a year. Quite a bit of mess on the water line such as mussels,barnacles and growth. The ballast valve was so covered I could'nt see it ,let alone open it. Used a high pressure sprayer. Took it off like butter.

when in college, I was weekend dockmaster at local marina.

a trick they used, when pulling boats for bottom jobs, was to hit the barnacles with a propane torch (fan flame) to kill the barnacles.

this resulted in much less work, as the barnacles would dry, and could be scraped (mostly) off with a scraper.

not so sure it will work on a mac, as they are much thinner than the yachts done at this yard.

but you may want to give it a shot...

however, it has to be done within 1 hour of pulling the boat.

My boat had been an lake water for two years then removed without cleaning for about 6 months put back in the water for about another year . I then purchased a house on the lake with a boat lift , When I lifted the boat a pressure washer didnt touch the stuff. It was like concrete . I had some starbrite hull and deck cleaner I tried some diluted 50% from directions and as I sprayed it on Red streaks appeared ( MY hull is red )where it use to be black ,cause the scum was running off .It cleaned 75% off by itself and I put on gloves got in the water under the boat and scrubbed with a scotchbrite pad and cleaned it all off . [/img]