Boat slow tonight

[mraz72]

just for a quick update, i have the boat in my driveway, the bottom really doesn't look that bad, I wouldn't expect a 10-15 mph drop from what I am seeing.

But, I picked up some starbright instance hull cleaner, I'll be cleaning the hull tonight and back in the water tomorrow. We'll see

 

[jlcj7]

Take a picture of what it looks like... Before and After

 

[Julian]

When I talk about a dirty boat...this is what I mean:

 

[2nazt]

That's scary @Julian haha. Could be a poster for the next Star Wars movie.

 

[mraz72]

here it is

 

[mraz72]

I cleaned the hull with star bright hull cleaner

https://www.amazon.com/Star-brite-Instant-Hull-Cleaner/dp/B00EXIVUFO?ie=UTF8&*Version*=1&*entries*=0

I sprayed it on with a chemical sprayer you would use for your yard. I let it sit for a few minutes and then I power washed it off with a 2000psi washer with a 40 degree tip.

After letting it dry, it didn't look like it did much, I could still see the stains of the waterline, but it felt a lot smoother, so I am sure it took off some of the crap. I also noticed it left which patches everywhere.

I got the boat back in the water, and throttled up to 40 mph with room to spare, the boat actually felt quicker, so I guess it was the bottom residue.

Moral of the story, take the boat out every month or 6 weeks to clean it or deal with a 10 mph top end loss.

 

[Chillypilot]

Power washer doesn't get everything off You need to srcub with a soft brush.

 

[mraz72]

yeah I know, its hard to get under the trailer. It got enough off which proved to me that it was the dirty hull, not a mechanical issue causing a 10+ mph slowdown

 

[Nick Hughes]

So after my first multi-day weekend out on the water, I came back to search for this exact issue. 1/4 tank of fuel, 2 people on the boat, with some light chop, I was only able to get to 35 MPH at WOT. First time Ive been to WOT because my little one wont let me go above 25. I wet slip in central Ohio and Ive got a good amount of growth. 2 weekends ago I took a bristle brush to it last weekend and couldnt even break thru the funk to get it down to the hull again. Its been in the slip since late April. Would everyone agree this is my 15MPH drop as well? Pulling mine out and acid washing is a hassle since my slip, trailer and ramp are at 3 different locations, but I may need to do it 1-2 times mid season. Assuming theres no really good way to clean with product while in the water?

 

[itsdgm]

@Nick Hughes im pretty sure if your engines and pumps are running good that your loss of speed would either be caused by a lot of water in the bilge or a dirty hull. So I think you're on the right path.

 

[Nick Hughes]

My bilge is always bone dry, but I do notice the outlet on the starboard side always drains water when the boats running. And seems to have a stronger stream at higher RPMs. Thats normal right? I assumed it was the cooling system water.

 

[OperationROL]

So after my first multi-day weekend out on the water, I came back to search for this exact issue. 1/4 tank of fuel, 2 people on the boat, with some light chop, I was only able to get to 35 MPH at WOT. First time Ive been to WOT because my little one wont let me go above 25. I wet slip in central Ohio and Ive got a good amount of growth. 2 weekends ago I took a bristle brush to it last weekend and couldnt even break thru the funk to get it down to the hull again. Its been in the slip since late April. Would everyone agree this is my 15MPH drop as well? Pulling mine out and acid washing is a hassle since my slip, trailer and ramp are at 3 different locations, but I may need to do it 1-2 times mid season. Assuming theres no really good way to clean with product while in the water?

That is definitely your issue. Nothing like a good acid wash. I get on a creeper with a spray bottle of 100% muriatic acid. I have goggles over my eyes and rubber gloves on my hands. My wife has the hose with her and follows me. I do a 3 foot by 3 foot area at a time and then she sprays to neutralize. Yes, the acid gets on my arm a few times, but she sprays my are right away. I have been doing this for 10 years; at least once a season. Even though we trailer our boat, at certain times, the river we boat in leaves a scum that does not come off with anything else.

 

[mraz72]

my experience is that your issue is exactly what my issue was, a dirty hull. My hull didn't even look that bad, but it was enough to crush the top speed.

I used a less aggressive approach (no acid). I put the boat in my driveway on the trailer, I used a garden sprayer to spray star bright hull cleaner, and then power washed it off with a 45 degree tip.

What was strange is my hull looked about the same, it was still stained, BUT, feeling the hull, it felt MUCH smoother.

End result, my speed is back

 

[swatski]

Guys - great to hear, thanks for sharing, it all makes sense!
Still best to wax the hull before putting the boat back in, acid wash is great but opens up micropores that need to be sealed to slow down the re-growth and schmutz.

 

[Glassman]

So after my first multi-day weekend out on the water, I came back to search for this exact issue. 1/4 tank of fuel, 2 people on the boat, with some light chop, I was only able to get to 35 MPH at WOT. First time Ive been to WOT because my little one wont let me go above 25. I wet slip in central Ohio and Ive got a good amount of growth. 2 weekends ago I took a bristle brush to it last weekend and couldnt even break thru the funk to get it down to the hull again. Its been in the slip since late April. Would everyone agree this is my 15MPH drop as well? Pulling mine out and acid washing is a hassle since my slip, trailer and ramp are at 3 different locations, but I may need to do it 1-2 times mid season. Assuming theres no really good way to clean with product while in the water?

@Nick Hughes , it's not that hard...you can do it with a few simple things. You may already have a mask and snorkel or have a friend who can lend those to you. And you may even have a scotch pad or two laying around - otherwise pick up a few the next time you go to a hardware or home supply store - the big pads. Then all you need is a good brush and a handle:


You can get one of those at West Marine for under 20 bucks. It will allow you to stay close to the boat while you scrub with the brush and Scotchbrite pads. Tie a string through it and around your wrist so you don't lose it.
Of course, if you are anchored in shallow water and you can stand you probably won't need the handle. Just some elbow grease.

 

[OperationROL]

Guys - great to hear, thanks for sharing, it all makes sense!
Still best to wax the hull before putting the boat back in, acid wash is great but opens up micropores that need to be sealed to slow down the re-growth and schmutz.

I agree. After acid washing, I always wash with soap to remove any acid that may not have been neutralized. Then I wax her. Additionally, as I am acid washing, I spray a lot of water on the bunks, to make sure the acid does not damage to them.