Your Boat is Collecting Unwanted Friends

Zebra Mussel Maintenance

Published: Wednesday, October 17, 2012 7:00 am
By: Ohio Department of Natural Resources

Zebra mussels frequently attach themselves to boat hulls, but they also infiltrate water cooling systems and intakes, engine compartments, and bilges. Any part of a boat that comes into contact with waters infested with these mollusks is capable of retaining zebra mussels.

The mussels will not damage boat hulls, but heavy encrustation will slow speed, impair handling capability, and reduce your boat's fuel economy. Larval zebra mussels can attach to the insides of motors where they then grow. This will result in blockages, decreased water flow, and overheating of your boat's motor. Zebra mussel colonies can also clog intake systems for water and power plants, cover and sink navigation buoys, and create maintenance problems for docks.

The zebra mussels are not naturally occurring species of Ohio's waterways. The mussels need to be contained to the waters they currently infest. It is necessary for the sake of the aquatic environment and boating maintenance to take action. If you normally boat in an area where zebra mussels have been identified, and especially if you plan on trailering your boat to a new lake, the following precautions will help prevent the spread of this exotic mollusk.

How to Deal with Zebra Mussels

Thoroughly clean and scrape the hull of your boat. An alternative is to leave the boat out of the water for 10 days or more, as zebra mussels cannot live long without water.
All live wells, bilge areas, etc. should be drained and dried. Chlorine bleach added at the rate of one part bleach to 10 parts water is recommended for areas where trapped water remains. A chlorine/water mixture at the above recommended dilution will not affect the aquatic environment. Caution: Chlorine bleach is corrosive to electronics. Do not use chlorine/water mix in areas housing electronics or electrical circuits.
Other items to disinfect: anchors and anchor ropes, out drive units, trailer frames, raw water engine cooling systems, minnow buckets, etc.
Approved anti-foulants should be applied to boat hulls to discourage zebra mussels from attaching. (See "Boat Maintenance..." on anti-fouling agents) Because zebra mussels are present year round in Lake Erie, the entire boating season on the lake presents a concern to boaters. The length of time your boat is in the lake does not make a difference since zebra mussels can settle on boat hulls and enter boat intake systems within a matter of minutes.

For more information please visit www.ohiodnr.com.