Acid Washing the Hull of Your Boat

As your boat sits in water, the hull is naturally going to accumulate growth, which will slow your boat mph-wise. Whether you plan to stow your boat at indoor storage in Lake Elsinore or at indoor storage in Orange County, or even at your home, before you do, it's time for a good acid wash of the hull.

The proven approach is to use Muratic acid, which can be purchased at Home Depot, K-Mart, pool supply stores, Lowe's and lots of places. You should look for a concentration of 6 to 8 percent (12 percent is the legal over-the-counter limit), and mix it 50/50 with water. You'll then need a good sprayer.

First, after you get your boat out of water and onto a lift, spray the hull with just water. After that presoak, use the Muratic acid-water combination and spray the hull. Let it soak for a few minutes. The acid should do the trick and eat away the algae. If there's still some grime left, do a second Muratic combination soak.

After each soak, spray it off with water and use a good brush to finish things up. You may have to use a smaller scrubber with the tinier, more compact areas around the drive system and other nooks and crannies, but the process will definitely do the work.

Those who have used this procedure recommend that you do it one side at a time, which seems eminently sensible.

Will this process also remove paint? Yes, it's entirely possible, and in that case, you'll need to sand down and try repainting the chipped spot, or sanding everything and painting the hull all over again.

Either way, you don't want algae eating away at your hull and slowing your progress in the water. A good cleaning is advised after every boating season.

Again, whether you're planning to stow your boat at indoor storage facilities or in your own residential solution, a good acid washing is needed after a good boating season, and if you boat year-round, whenever the hull needs it.

Happy boating!