Removal of SUPER HULK barnacles and oysters?

Hey yall,
I picked up a Grady White a little over a month ago and I have redone my guts and floors with what I would call "relative ease". I now have the boat on the hoist and I am having the woabsolute worst time getting off the barnacles. The guy I bought it from kept it in the water with no bottom paint and then after he pulled it out he let it sit. I have removed as much of the barnacles as would come off and I have some on there that look like freaking oysters. They literally may be oysters. I have tried scraping, pressure washing, muriatic acid, and even ground some of these bohemeths with my grinder and 80 grit paper. What do I do? Should I just take the grinder to whole bottom and hope for the best or what? I can barely lift my arms over my head anymore. haha! Please help fellas! Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Oh, I also tried hat on/off stuff that I had lying around which works well on old crab boats that I have done, but I have never seen anything like this! HELP!!

Re: Removal of SUPER HULK barnacles and oysters?

I had to sand mine off with an orbital sander. Tough little suckers!

Re: Removal of SUPER HULK barnacles and oysters?

Man that's what I have been using. You just always run the risk of putting cuts and scuffs along the bottom. This guy literally let this thing sit, with these monsters on there, for over a year. I can't complain though. It's a jewel I got. Boat, motor and trailer for $500 bucks. Guess I shouldn't whine so much! Just looking for an easier way!

Re: Removal of SUPER HULK barnacles and oysters?

I have found that barnacles are quite easy to remove once they are - shall we say "passed away". I usually wait until Spring to remove barnacles, etc. and they just pop right off. If I try to remove them in the Fall it is nearly impossible to get them off completely.

Since I live in the north, the winter cold may have something to do with it as well.

So, you may just have to play a waiting game :noidea: The big concern in trying to remove them is doing damage to the hull with all the scraping, sanding, grinding, etc.

Re: Removal of SUPER HULK barnacles and oysters?

Back in my saltwater days we would douse the little creatures with bleach while they were still alive. Then scraped them off. The calcium deposit rings would still be there but not as bad.

But your past that point. I dont know of anything that will take off the left over deposits other than sanding.

Wear a resporator if you need to scrape or sand. You dont want that stuff in your lungs.

Do you plan putting bottom paint on the hull ? If so then your going to be sanding with 80 grit for prep anyways.

YD.