Date: 10 May 2016. Hiring a Diver.
© janice142
Preparing
for departure takes many different forms. There are always "last
minute" items on the To-Do List that seem to be far more important
now than they were last month when there was that new book
downloaded to the
Kindle . Of late I
have spent a lot of time reading
and now it's biting me in the transom.
I am
finally knocking out the To-Do List in a more determined manner. I
spoke of this in the
Boatyard Blues
article. If nothing else, I don't learn quickly!
One of the
smartest things I did on arrival in St. Pete was find and hire a
local diver.

All of us who own vessels kept in the water are concerned about the
state of our hulls. Are the zincs in good shape? Are barnacles
growing rampant on the propeller? Is the bottom clear of plant life?
Clue: if
manatee are dining on the bottom of your boat, the hull desperately
needs a scrub.
Grass,
sponges, barnacles and more can grow quite readily in the right
marine environment. Bottom paint is one item in the arsenal of
keeping the boat clean. I also hire a diver to keep Seaweed's bottom
shiny.
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Personal
Recommendations are a Good Start |
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When arriving in a new
area finding a diver is generally one of many things on The
To-Do List. Locals know the lay of the waterfront. Generally
there are one or two that are a bit above the run-of-the-mill.
Landon is friendly and competent. He does
several boats nearby too.

My bottom was cleaned thoroughly. Coming
from brackish water, it needed it.
Originally I hired Landon
who was and is terrific. His full-time job took more and more
time thus he recommended a pal. Santiago turns out to be
reliable too. |
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You will find two varieties of diver in most locales.
There will be the cheapest dollar-a-foot guys. The next step up is
what I want. I hire the guy who has both experience and equipment.

I want him to be able to:
-
Pull a prop
-
Scrub out and thoroughly clean thru-hull strainers
-
Examine and replace zincs as
needed; also let me know when new ones are required
-
Give me a hull assessment and spot
items before they become an issue
-
Set and keep appointments for
regularly scheduled cleanings
-
Have the strength and experience
to give me a good smooth bottom when he is finished.
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I do recommend you be aboard
especially on those initial dives. The first scrubbing will be more
time consuming than normal. That is due to the growth of barnacles.
Count on paying more or tipping generously the first time your
bottom is scraped by a diver.
LISTEN CAREFULLY:
You want to hear
the shaft, propeller and rudder being scraped.

Professional divers like Santiago provide
pictures of the completed work.
Some divers will do very well the
area visible from topside and not do a great job on the metalwork
below. Being aboard will keep them honest. And yes I was ripped off,
once, a few years back.
Side Note: Our props, rudders and
shafts tend to be a perfect place for barnacle growth. There are
several coatings sold for this problem. I have had less than
spectacular results though others swear by their concoction of
choice.
This is Santiago and he is brave.
There is a bull shark that resides under the boat next to mine.

Santiago says he just shoves the sharks aside as he
scrapes boat bottoms.
One thing that I find very helpful is that Santiago
has an underwater camera. It is one thing for a diver to say "your
prop has a chip" and quite another to see the evidence.
For those in other areas and where visibility allows it, check if
your diver can take photos. It is helpful. Your diver may offer an
opinion. It is your boat and you will have to make the final
decision on replace, repair or ignore. A picture is worth 1000
words.
As I prepare to depart I'll have
Santiago come back one more time. I've got to order a Sarca zinc and
would like him to install it. Our friend on Dauntless wrote about
the Sarca and I want one. The article is
Inexpensive Line Cutter and after reading
it you'll know why I will be opening my purse yet again.
Preparing for
departure is Never inexpensive.
Those last minute Good Idea items all cost money.
Because I have a mailing address for the present I'm enjoying the
deliveries. It is like Christmas except I will get the bills next
month. Please do not forget to use the
link for your Amazon purchases. It really does help and costs you
nothing. Thanks!
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Santiago owns
Barnacles Beware
Phone: 727-674-3000
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Landon replaced zincs on the neighbor's boat. |
My guy Santiago even does Algae. That was an unexpected surprise and
pleasure. What a nice guy...
In the
meantime I'm doing all those last minute items that needed
addressing months ago. The old solar controller is back in after my
Chinese MPPT failed. The new wire for it arrived today, but that's
another article for another day.

As I build
infrastructure life progresses. It is busy here what with rehabbing
the anchor chain (half successful) and such. Plus in my spare time
I'm making anchor lights. DIY with low power consuming LED's and yes
there will be instructions upcoming.
Have I
mentioned how wonderful life is on the west coast? It truly is
beautiful here.
Do you have a regularly scheduled diver come to your
boat?
What is your area and price per foot? Here it ranges from $1 a foot to $2
on up.
Regarding the Comments Section,
found at the end of every article:
-
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