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Reinventing Boat Maintenance

Boat Cleaning Made Easy

Founded in Sweden in 2009, Drive-in Boatwash produces automated hull cleaning machines for fresh and salt water boating markets. Drive-in Boatwash machines work like a car wash for boats – the boat operator drives into the Boatwash where the boat is safely secured by Drive-in Boatwash staff and our patented rotating brushes thoroughly clean the hull from bow to stern in about 15 minutes. A true innovation in boat hull and pontoon maintenance, Drive-in Boatwash provides an alternative to hiring divers to clean the hull and removes the need to apply anti-fouling paint. This saves boat owners time and money in maintenance and operational costs. Since it is so convenient, boat owners can use it regularly to keep their boat looking and performing like new. Installed in seven countries around the world, Drive-in Boatwash machines have been tested and proven in a wide variety of water conditions. Drive-in Boatwash is now available in the United States through Drive-in Boatwash USA and its network of exclusive distributor partners.

Environmentally Friendly Boat Cleaning

Unlike traditional hull cleaning methods, no chemicals are used in the Drive-in Boatwash process. Drive-in Boatwash machines clean boats with brushes, using only the water they’re floating in. Every machine includes a basin to collect any debris removed during the boat cleaning process.
With Drive-in Boatwash, boats can be cleaned frequently and consistently. This eliminates the need to scrape or sand which releases particles

into the air. It also eliminates the need for hull etching acids and toxic anti-fouling paint that can leach into local waterways. A clean boat is also a more efficient boat and improved fuel efficiency means reduced carbon emissions. Because of all this, Drive-in Boatwash machines have gained widespread recognition for their positive environmental impact and have been approved for use in some of the most protected waterways in the United States including California.
Unlike traditional hull cleaning methods, no chemicals are used in the Drive-in Boatwash process. Drive-in Boatwash machines clean boats with brushes, using only the water they’re floating in. Every machine includes a basin to collect any debris removed during the boat cleaning process. With Drive-in Boatwash, boats can be cleaned frequently and consistently. This eliminates the need to scrape or sand which releases particles into the air. It also eliminates the need for hull etching acids and toxic anti-fouling paint that can leach into local waterways. A clean boat is also a more efficient boat and improved fuel efficiency means reduced carbon emissions. Because of all this, Drive-in Boatwash machines have gained widespread recognition for their positive environmental impact and have been approved for use in some of the most protected waterways in the United States including California.

You Probably Have Questions...

Drive-in Boatwash FAQ

As simple as a car wash for your boat – you drive your boat into a Drive-in Boatwash machine, staff will secure and tie off your boat, then our patented rotating brushes will travel the hull from bow to stern, removing fouling from the boat. Find out more.
Pricing varies by location, boat size and type. Contact your local Drive-in Boatwash for pricing – most locations offer single wash and membership options.
Drive-in Boatwash can clean most boats (up to 30’) in about 15 minutes. Larger boats can take a little longer.
Drive-in Boatwash machines can clean 90% of all boats under 53 ft. in length. If you have specific questions please contact your local Drive-in Boatwash for more information.
Yes. Drive-in Boatwash brushes are specifically engineered to clean the hull surface without damaging it.
Yes, but with regular Drive-in Boatwash cleanings you can eliminate the need to apply anti-fouling paint! In fact, you can purchase a full-year membership to Drive-in Boatwash for roughly the cost of a single paint application.
Regularly using Drive-in Boatwash to clean your boat’s hull can prevent fouling stains but will not remove stains already present in a boat’s fiberglass.
Drive-in Boatwash can remove early stage barnacles and regular use can prevent future barnacles from forming. However, barnacles that have already been growing on the boat for too long will need to be removed by scraping.
We recommend using Drive-in Boatwash to clean your boat every 4-6 weeks in most marine environments. However, many factors can impact hull fouling – water temperature, salinity, location – so you may need to adjust your cleaning schedule based on your location.
Our customers have reported significant improvements in their boat’s efficiency after using Drive-in Boatwash. Improving efficiency can help improve boat speed AND save money on fuel costs.
Drive-in Boatwash is an eco-friendly way to clean your boat. No chemicals are used in the process – our machines only use the water they’re operating in and our patented brushes to clean the boat surface.
Drive-in Boatwash operators can inspect the boat zincs and spot clean any hard to reach areas like the running gear and props. Some locations also offer zinc replacement and other “Top-Side” services such as interior wipe downs. Services are being added all the time – please contact your local Drive-in Boatwash for a complete list of the services they provide.

See What Customers Are Saying

Thrilled with the service, the quality of the work
that they’ve done…phenomenal service, strongly
recommend you guys.

Derick, Drive-in Boatwash
customer

Great job.Ā In and out in 30 minutes.Ā The owner
was super friendly!! Membership = unlimited
cleanings!!

Nicky, Drive-in Boatwash
Galveston Bay customer

Before, my boat would not plane and wouldn’t go faster than 20 mph….after the Boatwash I was able to plane and going 40 plus without issues. The staff was professional and courteous.

Jeff, Drive-in Boatwash customer

The best experience I’ve had! My boat went from next to nothing to where she’s supposed to be brand new! I’m ecstatic! I highly recommend it!

Drive-in Boatwash Fort Myers
customer

At 4200 rpm I gained 2.3 mph and dropped 3 gph
in fuel consumption
after I had my boat cleaned

Marty, Drive-in Boatwash
customer

Convenience, low price and, most important,
reducing water pollution.

Clyde, Drive-in Boatwash
customer

We love the guys! We’ve partnered with them and
they do a great job keeping our fleet spotless!

Sue, Boat Club operator

Great service for a great price! Love it!

Frank, Drive-in Boatwash
Galveston Bay customer

I drove across the lake, only able to reach 14 1/2 mph because of the growth on the bottom of my boat…10 minutes after driving my boat into the Boatwash, I left the marina with a completely different boat! I pushed both throttles up and the boat was on plane in less than 10 seconds, without full power! Amazing!

Tom, Drive-in Boatwash customer

They did a great job and customer service was outstanding. Cleaned my boat bottom and outdrive better than I could by taking it out and doing it myself. Now it planes out faster and picked up several knots as well. Everyone with a boat that is stored in the water should visit this place regularly.

Mark, Drive-in Boatwash
Galveston Bay customer

This was an incredibly affordable, easy, and fast experience and the owner was very informative and hands on. For the level of detail and the thorough cleaning, the cost is awesome!! I would highly recommend this to anyone!

Randy, Drive-in Boatwash Galveston Bay customer

Boat from Behind
Firedept-2L

Permitting Outside the Box – Drive
in Boatwash

AUGUST 25, 2020
Gina Chiello
Cummins | Cederberg Coastal & Marine Engineering
Published March 18, 2020 at www.cumminscederberg.com
Miami 1

Drive-in Boatwash is a new and innovative machinery resembling a car wash, but for the boating community, with an overall purpose of providing boaters an environmentally friendly way to clean boat hulls and reduce the need for toxic anti-fouling paint. Cummins Cederberg successfully completed environmental permitting for two new Drive-in Boatwash systems in South Florida at Sweetwater Landing Marina, situated along the Caloosahatchee River in Fort Myers, and Sea Isle Marina, located within the Biscayne Bay Aquatic Preserve in Miami.

The boatwash is a fully contained floating system that washes the hull of the boat mechanically with the use of brushes and sea water only, without the use of chemicals. The brushes are composed of a plastic, which have the shape of long straws and can bend relatively easily when under pressure, providing a gentle cleaning method. The entire wash takes about 15-20 minutes. This new hull cleaning technology is intended to reduce the use of anti-fouling paint on boat hulls which can release toxic metals into the water contributing to the degradation of water quality.

Cummins Cederberg led the complex permitting process with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) to secure the regulatory permits required to install and operate the Drive-in Boatwash at both locations. In addition to these permits, a Miami-Dade County Division of Environmental Resource Management (DERM) Class 1 Permit was also required to install and operate the boatwash at Sea Isle Marina. This location was more difficult to permit, as it is located within the Biscayne Bay Aquatic Preserve, which has very strict regulations because the concern for water quality is very high.

Agencies were initially hesitant, but Cummins Cederberg staff worked with the regulatory agencies to develop and incorporate into the permit conditions an appropriate water quality and sediment monitoring plan to determine whether the boatwash would negatively impact the surrounding environment. Water and sediment quality monitoring was conducted for turbidity and metals. The Drive-in Boatwash was installed August 2018 at Sea Isle Marina and results indicated the boatwash operation does not result in adverse impacts to water or sediment quality and the Drive-in Boatwash remains operating and in full compliance with all environmental regulatory agencies.

This environmentally friendly boatwash method has become rapidly popular among the boating community because of its accessibility, time savings and economic benefits to the consumer. Cummins Cederberg is pleased to continue its environmental consulting services for the permitting of several Drive-in Boatwashā€˜s located around the country including Texas (Lake Texoma, Clear Lake and Lake Minnetonka), Missouri (Lake of the Ozarks), Puerto Rico (Salinas), and South Carolina.

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