Apr 3, 2023

Storing, cleaning and maintaining a boat takes time, money and effort. Now the boating public has an exciting new tool to help with their upkeep: underwater drone technology.

This revolutionary way of cleaning a boat hull utilizes robotic drones, operated remotely from the dock.

Why Clean My Hull?
If you trailer your boat or have it on a lift, your hull is generally kept clean, but if your boat goes in the water in May, by July you’re guaranteed to have growth on your hull under the waterline. This growth of 3-5 mm is enough to rob power boats and yachts of 15-20% of their fuel economy. Sailors, especially racers will notice the loss of speed, wondering where that ½ knot went? KeelCrab won’t remove the anti-fouling, but instead re-exposes it, extending the effective life.

The KeelCrab drone is equipped with powerful motors. One is used to provide thrust and create suction allowing it to stick to the hull. Others are used to maneuver on the hull, driving the tracks and powering the brushes that clean the hull. In addition, it is equipped with a high-resolution camera that allows operators to see while operating the drone underwater. This makes it possible for operators to navigate around the boat’s hull and inspect their work to ensure a thorough cleaning.

The KeelCrab can also be used to inspect for any damage on the boat’s hull. The inspection can be recorded, and stills taken for purposes of an in-water survey.

Benefits

Using an underwater drone for boat hull cleaning offers many advantages over traditional cleaning methods such as manual scrubbing or pressure washing. For starters, it requires much less labor and time compared to manually scrubbing a boat hull which can often take hours depending on its size and shape. Additionally, since operators do not need to be in the water themselves when using an underwater drone there is no risk of injury or fatigue associated with manual scrubbing which can be dangerous.

Having the boat hauled is generally time consuming and expensive. Alaso, once in the slings, pressure washing generally removes 30%+ of the anti-fouling.

Conclusion:
Using an underwater drone for your boat’s maintenance needs can save you both time and money while ensuring your vessel always performs its best and without putting yourself or a diver at risk of injury.

These next gen drones are available for sale through the Canadian dealer Exosea Inc. exosea.ca or you can schedule a hull cleaning at your dock with Buff Bottoms at buffbottoms.ca.