Yachts are inherently significant investments.
Aside from the cost, maintenance poses another challenge. A skilled crew is essential for maintaining vessels in prime condition.
However, time spent in the water can damage a yacht’s exterior. When this occurs, it’s necessary to call in the barnacle removers.
Visual journalist Damon Higgins recently met with such a team working on a luxury yacht on August 13 at the Palm Beach Marina. The crew, from Atlantic Underwater Diving Services in Riviera Beach, dedicated about an hour and 15 minutes to removing barnacles and other marine growth from the yacht’s hull.
“These growths create drag on the underside of boats, preventing them from performing optimally,” explained diver Robin Reed.
What are barnacles?
Barnacles (Balanus glandula) are small crustaceans closely related to crabs, lobsters, and shrimp.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA): “Among the over 1,400 barnacle species found in the world’s waters, acorn barnacles are the most prevalent. Anyone who has maintained a vessel knows that removing barnacles takes considerable effort (or a powerful pressure washer). That’s why many boaters refer to them by their slang term: ‘crusty foulers.’
“How do barnacles adhere to the undersides of boats, to other marine life, to each other, and to nearly everything they encounter? They produce a rapid-curing adhesive that ranks among the strongest natural glues known — this glue is so potent that researchers are exploring its commercial applications.”