How Much More Gas is Being Used Now With the Mussels?

[Cliff]

With the pictures I've seen of houseboat bottoms, I'm wondering how much more gas is being used to drive the boats this year than years previous?
With the current state of affairs nationally, maybe it won't be long before someone comes along trying to limit the use of gas on lakes with mussels as an environmental issue. Maybe some crusading politician trying to make a name for themselves.

 

[Keith Stockman]

And it will probably be one who wants to drain Lake Powell!

 

[Leardriver]

Are you referring to the additional drag created by a contaminated hull?
The other Cliff

 

[Ryan]

I'm sure there is additional drag from the mussels. But the photos you see online seem to be (now) typical journalism where they take the most extreme examples of boats that have been left on the water for long periods of time and not used or maintained.

The houseboats I have been partners on have all been out of the water at least once over the last several years. They have some mussels attached where the hull isn't smooth, but they certainly aren't covered the way one might think after viewing the sensational journalist photos.

 

[Cliff]

YUP additional drag

And I have a Lear rating also!

 

[Pegasus]

Attached are photos of the bottom on a houseboat slipped at APM. This is two years of mussel growth since it was last cleaned. I don't know the mussel impact on GPH of fuel used, but it must have some impact. The bigger impact, I believe, is the potential for the mussels to clog the water intakes and cause an overheat condition and potentially a fire.

 

[birdsnest]

Alot more fuel use. My guess...10-15 percent. But the impact on the mechanical expenses is way more..imho

 

[Ryan]

@Pegasus do you know how much that boat was used? It is in much worse shape than the boats I have been partners on.

 

[Cliff]

Just curious. as I don't know, are there any private companies set up to hydroblast boat bottoms on haul out?
Or is it all tied to the few on lake boat yards we have? I used to work for a company that did that to cruise ships when they hauled out for repairs. We used 10,000 psi water guns and it cleaned them right down to the metal.

 

[Pegasus]

@Pegasus do you know how much that boat was used? It is in much worse shape than the boats I have been partners on.

It is a single owner boat, so it doesn't leave the slip as often as a multi owner boat would. I'm guessing 3-4 uplake trips per year.

 

[birdsnest]

Just curious. as I don't know, are there any private companies set up to hydroblast boat bottoms on haul out?
Or is it all tied to the few on lake boat yards we have? I used to work for a company that did that to cruise ships when they hauled out for repairs. We used 10,000 psi water guns and it cleaned them right down to the metal.

I wouldn't dare use that spray gun on any steel pontoons cause the paint may be the only thing hiding the swiss cheese. I guess one would want to know the condition of the boat below waterline though. Kind of like sand blasting an old car before restoration. Could be quite a shock.