On a recent job here in the Jacksonville and St. Augustine area, the hull itself was heavily covered in soft growth — thick enough that you could see it was starting to impact performance. The sail drive had it even worse, with significant hard buildup that doesn’t come off as easily. Overall though, it was a good reminder of how quickly things can change this time of year.

And that’s the thing — marine growth removal isn’t something you can afford to put off once the water warms. Growth doesn’t gradually creep up. It accelerates. What was manageable a few weeks ago can turn into dense fouling before you know it. A few degrees of water temperature is all it takes to flip the switch.