Use the form below to get hull cleaning pricing for your vessel anywhere in South Florida. Tell us the length, where the boat is kept and roughly when it was last cleaned, and we will come straight back with your number.
It covers vessels, dock and piling work, and fleets under a captain or yacht manager. If you would rather just talk it through, call (954) 256-1440.
How much does hull cleaning cost per foot?
Vessel hull cleaning starts at $5.50 per foot. Our minimum charge for any visit is $220, which is also the flat rate for vessels under 40 ft.
The per foot rate steps up with length, and catamarans carry a modest premium because two hulls, two sets of running gear and the bridgedeck are considerably more surface area than a monohull of the same length. The estimator above applies the right rate to your vessel and returns the figure.
Whatever it returns is what you pay. We do not quote one number and invoice another.
Do you charge by the hour or by the foot?
By the foot, always. The price is set by the length of your vessel before anyone gets in the water.
You will occasionally be quoted an hourly rate for hull cleaning in this market. The difficulty with hourly is that you do not know what the job costs until the diver surfaces, and the slower it goes, the more you pay. We would rather carry that risk than hand it to you.
Why does insurance matter on a hull cleaning?
A hull cleaning is a commercial dive operation. A diver working under your vessel is exposed to running gear, thru hulls, entanglement and boat traffic. Covering that properly means three separate things, not one:
- $3,000,000 in total per occurrence liability
- Ship Repairers Legal Liability, which covers your vessel while we are working on it. General liability alone does not.
- Workers compensation and USL&H on every diver, which covers the person in the water rather than the boat.
We carry all three because our divers are the business, and because a vessel owner should never be exposed to a claim arising from someone else’s crew. It is built into the rate rather than discovered later.
One practical suggestion, and it applies whoever you hire. Ask any diver you are considering for a certificate of insurance naming your vessel, and check that it covers the diver as well as the boat. It is a reasonable request, it costs nothing, and a properly covered operator will send it without hesitation. We explain what to look for on our hull cleaning insurance page.
How do I know the cleaning actually happened?
You see it. Every cleaning comes with after-photos taken on professional underwater cameras and a dive report, delivered with the invoice.
Scheduling is handled the same way. You get an on the way text and a live GPS tracking link for every job, so you can confirm the work happened without standing on the dock. We answer the phone, we show up on the day we said we would, and if something changes you hear it from us first.
What is included in every cleaning?
- Hull cleaned by trained, insured divers using manual scrapers, brushes and cavitation equipment
- Running gear cleaned on every visit at no additional charge: propellers, shafts, struts, rudders and trim tabs. Painted surfaces are cleaned by hand. Cavitation equipment is used on unpainted running gear only, never on bottom paint.
- After-photos taken on professional underwater cameras, delivered with every invoice, so you can see the work rather than take our word for it
- A dive report noting hull condition, growth level, anode wear and anything we think you should know about
- $3,000,000 in total per occurrence liability, including Ship Repairers Legal Liability
- Workers compensation and USL&H coverage on every diver
- Certificates of insurance issued to your marina or condo association on request
Running gear is part of the job here, not an add-on. A fouled propeller costs you speed and fuel on every trip, so we clean it on every visit.
Does the first cleaning cost more?
Sometimes, and we will tell you before we do it.
Our rates assume a hull on a maintenance schedule. If your vessel has not been cleaned in several months, that first visit is a materially bigger job. Heavy growth has to come off by hand, it takes considerably longer, and it is harder on both the diver and your bottom paint.
We quote that first cleaning individually and in advance. You will know the number before we get in the water, and there is no surprise on the invoice. From the second visit onward you are on the standard rate.
So tell us honestly when it was last cleaned. It changes nothing except the accuracy of the quote.
How often should a hull be cleaned in South Florida?
Growth here is faster than almost anywhere else in the country, and the right interval depends on your bottom paint and where you keep the boat.
- Every 2 weeks for bare gel coat or any hull with no bottom paint. These foul fastest and need attention at least every 10 days.
- Every 4 weeks for a painted hull in typical salt water. This is where most of our clients sit.
- Every 5 weeks for lighter seasonal use and slower growing slips.
- Every 8 weeks for lightly used vessels and boats kept in brackish water up the river, where lower salinity slows growth.
Stretching the interval does not save money. A hull on schedule needs only a light pass. A hull left through a South Florida summer becomes heavy growth: slower to clean, harder on bottom paint, and costing you fuel and speed every day it sits. Bottom paint is the expensive thing to replace, not the cleaning. Our hull protection plans cover how we set an interval for a specific vessel.
Are zinc anodes included in the price?
Anode condition is checked on every cleaning and noted in your dive report, so you find out an anode is going before it becomes a corrosion problem on your running gear.
Replacement itself is quoted with the cleaning rather than published as a rate. Anode cost varies with metal type, size, how many your vessel carries and how accessible they are, and a published number would be wrong for most boats. Our zinc anode program explains how we approach it.
Do plans cost less per cleaning?
No. Recurring plans are billed at the same per cleaning rate as a one off. There is no plan discount, and we would rather say so plainly than imply one.
What a plan buys is that it happens without you managing it: automated scheduling, on the way texts, a live GPS tracking link for every job, after-photos and a dive report with every invoice, and a full service history in your customer portal. You are paying for reliability and documentation, not a lower number.
When do you charge?
We charge after the cleaning is done, never before.
Clients on a recurring plan keep a card on file, and it is charged automatically once the work is complete. There is no invoice to open, no approval to give and no payment to remember, but nothing is charged until the service has actually been performed and documented.
We keep discounts simple, and there are two. Prepay for 6 or 12 cleanings and we will build a custom discounted protection plan priced to your vessel and interval, quoted individually. We also offer a 10% military discount to active-duty service members and veterans, applied straight to the per cleaning rate.
The two do not stack, so you take whichever works out better for you. Ask about either when you call.
What can change a quote?
Our published rates are standard retail pricing. A quote confirms final cost, and can vary with three things:
- Growth level at the first cleaning, as described above
- Bottom paint condition. Paint at the end of its life needs a gentler pass, which takes longer
- Access at your slip. Tight berths, heavy current and limited surface access all add time
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does hull cleaning cost per foot in South Florida?
Barnacle King vessel cleaning starts at $5.50 per foot, with a $220 minimum that is also the flat rate for vessels under 40 ft. The rate steps up for larger vessels, and catamarans carry a small premium for the extra surface area. The instant estimator on this page returns the exact figure for a specific vessel.
Is there a minimum charge for hull cleaning?
Yes. The minimum is $220, which is also the flat rate for any vessel under 40 ft. A 30 ft boat and a 38 ft boat are both $220.
Does hull cleaning include the propellers and running gear?
Yes, on every visit and at no additional charge. Propellers, shafts, struts, rudders and trim tabs are cleaned as part of the standard job. Painted surfaces are cleaned by hand and cavitation equipment is used on unpainted running gear only.
Will underwater cleaning damage my bottom paint?
Cleaning on a regular schedule extends the life of bottom paint rather than shortening it, because a light pass removes soft growth before it hardens. Damage comes from aggressive cleaning of heavy growth, which is what happens when a hull is left too long between visits. We clean painted surfaces by hand and never use cavitation equipment on bottom paint.
How often should I clean my boat bottom in Florida?
Every 4 weeks suits most painted hulls in South Florida salt water. Bare gel coat with no bottom paint needs cleaning at least every 10 days. Lightly used vessels and boats in brackish water can go 5 to 8 weeks.
Do you charge before or after the cleaning?
After. Recurring clients keep a card on file that is charged automatically once the work is complete and documented. Nothing is charged before the service has been performed.
Do you offer a military discount?
Yes. Active-duty service members and veterans get 10% off the per cleaning rate. Mention it when you call and we will apply it. It does not stack with the prepay plan discount, so you take whichever is better for your situation.
Are you insured, and can I see proof?
Yes. We carry $3,000,000 in total per occurrence liability including Ship Repairers Legal Liability, plus workers compensation and USL&H on every diver. We issue certificates of insurance to marinas and condo associations on request, and we would encourage you to ask any diver you consider for the same.
Get a quote
The fastest route is the estimator at the top of this page. If you would rather talk to someone, tell us your vessel length, where it is docked, and roughly when it was last cleaned. Call (954) 256-1440 or email service@barnacleking.com.
You can also read more about our hull cleaning service or, if you manage a building or marina, our condo association services. Rates for dock pilings, seawalls, ladders and boat lifts are published separately on our dock and seawall cleaning prices page.