More Barnacles on the Bottom . . .

24 Sep More Barnacles on the Bottom . . .

Posted at 00:00h in About MV Starr, Blog, Japan by
More Barnacles on the Bottom . . .

September 24, 2010

We just returned from a 250nm run thru the Setto Nakai, from Ashiya to Onomichi and back to Ashiya.

James and Kat Petron went back to Hawaii last night and I thought I would tidy up the engine room. I checked the sea strainers, and would you believe it, the main engine strainer basket was full again…this is the third time since doing the Clorox treatment.

 
 
The Sea Strainer Assembly



 
 
The Sea Strainer Basket



 
 
Barnacles

James (the seal) and I had already spent the better part of two days under Starr, shaving barnacles from the bottom. James is an excellent free diver, but I used almost 5 tanks of air. Between the two of us we got the bottom fairly clean.

 
 
James, “the seal”



 
 
James diving

The tools of our trade worked out well.

I picked up some hand trowels at the local hardware store (right next door to Starr at Bellport Ashiya), and between those and …. are you ready?

OUR BRAND NEW power bottom scraper the WAVEBLADE (Yeah!).

 
 
The tools



 
 
The Waveblade



 
 
Don & The Waveblade

The Waveblade is a 12 volt DC tool with an action similar to an tiny jackhammer. It is made in England and is sold in Washington State in Port Angles by Wendy Benge. The Waveblade works amazingly well, with the only negative that it is tiring to have to keep pushing the “ON” button while working. We cleaned off these incredibly hard barnacles in much less time than if we had only used the hand tools.

****Thank you Brooke Stabbert for telling me about it, and Wendy Benge for shipping it to James and Kat in Honolulu in time for them to bring it to me.

If you want one of these handy tools, go to: Wendy Benge info@wavecraftusa.com
1 Comment
  • Carmen Jordan
    Posted at 10:55h, 28 September Reply

    SUBJECT: Fascinating Stuff

    You two sound and look great during your latest adventure!  You’ve been
    interested in things Japanese a long time.  It’s a truly interesting culture –
    especially to us Europhiles.  Lots of incredible beauty along with lots of
    brutality in their history.  Glad you’re enjoying it so much.

    Don, can’t your inventive mind find an industrial use for barnacles?  Our
    summertime water temperatures here in the Gulf of Mexico are similar – sometimes
    a touch higher but haven’t heard of the kind of plague you’re experiencing. 
    Wonder if the chemistry of the water is different.  Wish I could be helpful –
    will ask around.

    Keep on keeping on you two.  And Godspeed!

    Carmen

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