How to Remove Barnacles from Inflatable Boat?

Do you leave your inflatable boat in the water for a long time? To be sure, it is much more convenient than having to constantly assemble and disassemble the inflatable floating boat. But there is a problem. Leaving the boat in the water for a long time can cause biofouling. Nature is incredible. Starting from bacterial adhesion, marine ecosystems will begin to develop on underwater objects within 24 hours. Within a week, microalgae formed. Within 2-3 weeks, large scale dirt agents will adhere. This process leads to ocean growth and barnacle formation.

 

 

1. Why Are Barnacles and Marine Growth Bad for Your Boat?

It is a bad idea to ignore the ocean growth on your treasured inflatable boat. Although they are small and seem harmless, they have a huge impact on the hydrodynamics of boats.

 

The bottom of the modern inflatable boat is very smooth. The protruding barnacles will produce hull resistance, thereby reducing the performance of the inflatable boat. This leads to more fuel consumption.

 

Tests have shown that only a small amount of barnacle accumulation can reduce the speed of the boat by 5 knots on a planing motorboat. It also increases gas consumption by 30%. This has profound economic implications. Barnacles will also become dangerous because they will become sharp and will scratch your feet underwater while swimming. Not to mention the fact that you simply cannot deflate and store your inflatable kayaks and boats with barnacles on it.

 

 

2. How to Remove Barnacles from Your Inflatable Boat?

Getting rid of biological pollution will not be a gentle process. Unfortunately, there is no quick way to do this. Here are the steps to unload the barnacle from the plastic inflatable boat. Both PVC and Hypalon barnacles are the same:

 

1) Get your floating inflatable boat out of the water. This is not evident to some people.

2)Turn the boat over to enter the hull. This is where most marine growth occurs. If you have the time and place, please spend a day in the sun. At that time, the sun will kill the marine ecosystem. However, this is optional and may not be a good idea for PVC inflatable boats.

3) Use a high pressure washer, and spray the bottom of the boats with the washer. This will remove any mucus, barnacles, and debris. I want to emphasize that the power washer needs to be set at a lower position! You can easily pierce the rubber with strong washers and even tear the seams.

4) Put on heavy work gloves and you will start close combat. You will scrape the barnacles, so you need to wear work gloves to protect your hands from cuts. It is best to use plastic objects to scratch the barnacles. I heard someone is using windshield scrapers, plastic kitchen spatulas, and even old credit cards successfully. Be careful! Excessive gouging and scraping can damage the hull.

 

After completing this stage, you should have no barnacles.

 

If you want to pack up the boat in winter, there is another option. After taking the boat out of the water, scrub the bottom with a hard brush, and then rinse the boat clean. Put it in a dry place in winter, the barnacle will dry out during this period. They should pop up suddenly in the spring.

 

In addition to inflatable boats, you should prevent other inflatable products from forming barnacles, such as inflatable pool floats, inflatable toy water slides, etc.