Cleaning boats without a hose

[werewolf]

Now that the water restrictions are to a level that no hoses are allowed, how do the boaters on here get the salt of their rigs? The flush muffs won't work very well without a hose either...

But yeah I go through stages of wanting/not wanting a boat, and one of my current concerns with aquiring a boat in the near future is how to properly clean it.

Anyhow if I was to purchase a boat in the near future, it would be towards the end of this year, ready for shark season!

So how do the boaters intend to clean up now without hoses???

[Feral]

Only fish fresh water with boat, so not an issue for me.

Also there is no need to wash down the boats, aluminium dont rust! only the brakes etc on the trailer. If you have a bigger boat and have to put the trailer in the drink over the wheel hubs, (getting water into the trailer frame) you can probably afford a pressure pump to run out of a big bucket (about $200 for a normal pressure unit for 13mm hose).

Post edited by: Feral, at: 2006/06/13 13:58

[werewolf]

Some good points there feral! Do you still run your motor with the flush-muffs after a trip in case any grit has been sucked up?

Also I will be fishing in what I would consider \"brackish\" water, so salt could be an issue for me.

[Angus]

Um, yeah i face this problem with everything car wash etc.

I wash my car with a sponge and old school scrubbing brush.

I know its more work, but not really vs rust etc?

Angus,

[werewolf]

aye I hear you! I probably over-wash my car, but one neat little invention I've come across helps heaps: an enjo car mit.

This little bad boy is used with water only - no car wash - and takes bugs and grime off easy. Only needs literally a couple of buckets of water all up too:) Mind you I'll still do it the hard way occasionally with car wash for its protection properties.

I guess the same sort of thing could be done for a boat's hull, doesn't solve the flush muff prob though!

[Angus]

And i know you want more.

With this Enjo car washing mit you will get........

not one....

not two.....

but three clean boats!!!!!!

hahah Jk. But yeah i think we can all deal with it. especially being fishermen. I think we want people to use the least water possible so we can all fish big W soon!

Hahaha.

Angus,

[Brian D]

Good Question - What I now do (and it pisses me off cuase I now use more water) is:

For the motor I use the wheel burrow and bucket fill it up with water then run the motor with no muffs. I have to keep filling the burrow. I also catch the waste water and recycle it to the rose garden or the chicken shed (get salty eggs now). I did try a big plastic drum but the motor blew it to bits. But I now use heaps more water then before!

As to the outside I now have to go past the car wash and hit the hull and trailer with the preasure cleaner. It sucks.

[werewolf]

yeah the logic of some of the water restrictions is crazy, I mean, poor old gran can't hose her pumpkins anymore, put the rich kid on the block can pump a megalitre of water into his pool whenever he wants...

definately can't wait for a decent wet season!

and come warm weather, bring on the Big W catfish classic! lol

[BIG DAVE 1]

mmmm there are these massive tubs u can get and thats what my uncle uses. But he only has a 15hp.

dave

[Gary Fooks]

As with most things it pays to check the actual facts.

Under the new level 3 Restrictions you can:

1 Use a hose to connect to muffs to flush a motor according to the manufacturers recommendations. This would also cover some of the newest motors that have a direct flush connection built into the motor.

2. You can use a hose to rinse salt of brakes - that is confirmed in writing from BCC and SEQ Water. It is covered under the clause that exempts safety issues from the restrictions.

Email me if you want a copy in writing. g.fooks@uq.net.au

Gary

PS - how do you upload your photo? I may have to read the instructions and check the facts!

[werewolf]

Indeed! I can't say I've actually done any research on it other then what they regurgitate in the paper, so thats good news regardless.

Looks like you have your photo sorted out too.

ps - since we are discussing water restrictions, I was on the way to work through the week, and this woman was hosing her driveway. Some ppl are just ignorant.

[Brian D]

Gary

THANKYOU

now I can do what I am doing without feeling like a underworld crim, and the wife can get off my case.

Post edited by: Brian D, at: 2006/07/02 09:26

[Gary Fooks]

Feral

Ha ha - bring the boat into the garage or the lounge room and hose it there

Mate - we are running out or water. The spirit should be \"how can I help reduce water usage\" not \"what loophole in the law can I use so I still waste as much water\"

I know you were just joking but there are selfish people who have that attitude I suppose thats what makes your joke funny

The drum seems a good way to go. Anyway to fill it from rain water or recycle water ( maybe from the shower but not form the loo.

Gary

[rayke1938]

I am fortunate enough to live in redlands so at present it isquite ok to flush motor and wash down trailer and boat. However if we are forced to level 3 or 4 restrictions i would have severe concerns re flushing motor in tank . The main purpose of flushing motor is to get rid of salt deposits and if you flush in tank all you are doing is recycling the salt abiet in a more diluted manner.

My trailer will continue to be washed down with fresh ware reguardless of restrictions.

Whilst my capital investment in my boats and trailers may not be large the replacement value is and i cannot afford for my equipment to corrode away due to stupid regulations.

To flush a motor takes about 5 minuites max with the hose on slow which uses much less water than filling a 12 gallon tank.

If forced i would be using a bilge pump and hose to wash down my trailer from a drum but i would be claiming the necessity of washing a trailer is a safety issue as the rusting of springs and wheels and the chassis of the trailer will certainly affect the roadworthness of the trailer.

ray

[werewolf]

Interesting comments about the salt levels in recycled water! I certainly wouldn't take my new car in for a salt wash!

I will however be investing in a water tank in the very near future, that way we can still wash cars, water gardens etc. I guess one could run a hose out of such a tank to run the flush muffs if they don't need too much water pressure...

My own boating aspirations haven't advanced much lately, particulary since buying a new car, but I'm thinking of setting up a yak or canoe instead, much easier:)

[Brian D]

I changed my mind about what I wrote earlier about the car wash. I have come to enjoy it , even look forward to it.

Now every time I go boating I just go past the car wash on the way home, change into my Rambo gear and play skirmish with the water gun and soap brush. Great fun.

My wife says that I'll grow up on day but I think she's dreaming.

[werewolf]

I disagree Feral, you can still get a rebate on a tank that isn't connected to mains, and that way you can you the water as you please. (think so anway, as friends of ours have done this...)

[reef_raider]

hey ray arent we already in level 3???

[rayke1938]

sorry i live in redlands .dont know why we have any restrictions our dam is at 92percent. our council cant think justs follows the herd.

ray

[reef_raider]

o ok alright then

im in pine rivers so our local dam lake samsonvale is a bit down so we are in level 3

[Cowfish13]

Firstly, your allowed to wash anything, using a hose, if it would be a safety hazard not to. Such as you engine (which you allowed to flush for 3 minutes), brakes on the trailer, axels on the trailer etc.

Secondly, when we wash our boat, we go to a hand held car wash, like the ones at 'Car Lovers\" a for $5, we can get it cleaner that we ever could xusing a normal because the hoses at these places a high pressure.

[Cowfish13]

Probably don't. But with the bait that we wash of the bait board, salt would be the least of your worries:P

[Brian D]

How about the new motors - no need for muffs and to run the motor, they have a hose connection factory attached and you just plug the hose in for 2-3 mins on a slow drissel and it flushes the system. How cool!