Future of Robotic Vessel Hull Cleaning

Boat cleaning is tough, especially the hull. When inventors help entrepreneurs to find better technologies and robotic systems to clean hulls of vessels the fist thing they ask is: “How big are the Vessels you intend to clean?” Generally boat cleaners are looking for a robotic type unit, which cleans without the use of people or a unit which requires no one to be underwater cleaning and to clean these boats in the water.

There are several ways to do this and this may include robotic underwater UUVs (underwater unmanned vehicles). There are a couple of companies in Florida using some MIT equipment cleaning large ships. Also a former Stanford Student who is getting contracts for cargo ship and cruise ship industry currently in LA.

If you are taking about small vessels, then there are several units and you will still need a platform to work from and some areas the EPA will be upset because removing some of that old crud will cause issues with oxygen levels and thus it also becomes a fish and games issue. Using rollers on a system underwater and bringing the boats to the system is another way to do it.

Many do not use these in-place systems and apparently those Marina's who do have problems with sizes and shapes of the various different types of boat hulls. For instance a sail boat, tri hull, catamaran, etc. This limits your market base.

Additionally a harbor in CA, WA, OR, MA, VA, MD, FL would never let you put one of these roller systems in, and even if you got permission, it would be shut down by the first environmentalist who came by claiming you are removing oxygen from the water when you take algae and debris off the boat hull. These environmentalists are dogs, they are completely out of control.

http://www.p2pays.org/ref/04/03708/text/ch14.html

http://www.p2pays.org/ref/04/03708/text/ch21.html

http://www.epa.gov/owow/nps/mmsp/section4.13.pdf

There is a Marine Catalog and Boating Magazine, which has them for sale and you can see pictures of them. Most operators of marinas will not buy one, due to environmental issues. The best roller type units adjust for each size of vessel and scrub like a rollover robotic car wash. Here is a designer of such a system in the UK.

http://www.initialcleaning.co.uk/ws/index.html

Here is some older information for cleaning bigger vessels.

http://parthe.net/_cwg0802/00000039.htm

http://www.parthe.net/_cwg1003/0000001e.htm

http://www.parthe.net/_cwg1003/00000063.htm

Some of this is old information and personal research, but a good place to start when looking for a system to clean ships or boat hulls. Good luck cleaning those boats.

"Lance Winslow" - If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs