To keep the bottom of boats clean without using chemicals, the Swedish company Drive-In Boatwash has taken a close look at the brush technique used in car washes. They developed a car wash for boats.

The hull of a boat can be cleaned in 15 minutes while the boat is in the water. According to the Swedes of Drive-in Boatwash, it is a breeze thanks to a semi-automatic cleaning robot.

Website zeilen.nl has figured out how it works: the captain docks in the U-shaped box that closes itself off. Six rotating polymer brushes move along the keel and hull to remove the fouling. The brushes are hydraulically driven and no chemicals are used. The loose fouling is collected at the bottom of the basin.

This ‘carwash’ is suitable for boats with a length up to 15 metres. Drive-in Boatwash has locations in Europe in Scandinavia, France and Croatia. According to the sailing website, they are currently looking for suitable locations in the Netherlands.