Showerthought: I always thought a 5 minute bottom time was plenty for a simple hull clean

Last month on a job in Tampa, my old boss made me switch from a 5 minute plan to a 10 minute one, even for a basic clean. He said the extra time lets you work slower and check every weld spot. After three dives, I saw I was finding way more small issues, like hairline cracks, that I used to miss. Anyone else find that a slower pace actually catches more problems?

2 comments

2 Comments

riverhill1mo ago

Totally makes sense. Rushing a hull check is how you miss the small stuff that turns into big bills later. That extra five minutes lets your eyes actually focus instead of just scanning. Boss was smart to push for the longer bottom time, even if it feels slow at first. Bet your clients never complain about you finding cracks they didn't know were there.

brookep621mo ago

Yeah, I read a report from a marine surveyor's group that basically said the same thing. They tracked jobs and found the first five minutes are just getting your bearings down there. The real inspection work happens in that second half, when you're not fighting the current or getting used to the light. It's like your brain needs time to switch from task mode to detail mode. So that extra bottom time isn't just more work time, it's better quality looking time. Makes you wonder how many "clean" hulls out there have issues everyone missed in a rush.