Professional "UNDERWATER" Hull and boat detailing, serving East Tennesee Rivers, lakes, and water ways!
Big Buoy Boat Bottoms
Book a cleaning, inspection, free consultation now!
Big Buoy Boat Bottoms provides hassle-free in-water hull cleaning at your marina. With our robotic and manual services, live inspections, and flexible maintenance and cleaning schedules, we ensure your boat performs at its best. We're mobile and fully insured to serve East Tennessee's lakes and marinas.
Keep Your Boat (and Feed) Clean — Follow Big Buoy
Big Buoy Boat Bottoms delivers expert in-water hull cleaning right at your slip. Enjoy hassle-free service with robotic and manual cleaning, live inspections, and tailored maintenance plans. We're your trusted choice in East Tennessee's lakes and marinas!
Who? We Are, Big Buoy Boat Bottoms, locally founded and operated fully mobile, fully insured professional hull-cleaning company based in the Knoxville area. We specialize in in-water cleaning for boats, aquaculture, aquariums, and surfaces on East Tennessee lakes and marinas—Norris Lake, Tellico Lake, Fort Loudoun Lake, and surrounding waters.
What? We Do is Professional in-water hull cleaning so your boat stays in the water and ready to go. Keelcrab robotic hull cleaning — Italian-designed remotely operated drone that travels the hull on powered tracks with rotating brushes. Removes slime, algae, and marine buildup below the waterline without hauling. Manual / SCUBA cleaning — Expert divers handle props, drives, trim tabs, and hard-to-reach areas. Live underwater inspections — Powered by Insta360 technology so you can see exactly what’s going on under your boat. Maintenance plans — Annual and biannual options for convenient, scheduled care. No lifts. No dry-docking. No unnecessary downtime. Just a cleaner hull, less drag, better performance, fuel consumption, and more time on the water. When? We Serve You! We work around your schedule and come to your location—anytime your boat needs attention. Regular cleaning every few months (or as needed based on growth) keeps fouling light and protects your bottom paint. Call or email to book a convenient time at your slip or preferred location. We’re fully mobile and ready when you are. Where? We come to you (even in your slip). We treat your boat and your property with respect and better than our own. Clean records, professional operators, and the latest Italian-designed Keelcrab robotic technology. Why? Choose Big Buoy Boat Bottoms A dirty bottom costs you fuel, speed, and fun. Less drag = better performance and fuel efficiency Cleaner hull = longer-lasting bottom paint and fewer haul-outs In-water service = zero downtime and zero hassle Robotic precision + expert manual work = thorough, professional resultsFully insured + respectful of your property Local focus on East Tennessee lakes and marinas
Who? We Are, Big Buoy Boat Bottoms, locally founded and operated fully mobile, fully insured professional hull-cleaning company based in the Knoxville area. We specialize in in-water cleaning for boats, aquaculture, aquariums, and surfaces on East Tennessee lakes and marinas—Norris Lake, Tellico Lake, Fort Loudoun Lake, and surrounding waters.
What? We Do is Professional in-water hull cleaning so your boat stays in the water and ready to go. Keelcrab robotic hull cleaning — Italian-designed remotely operated drone that travels the hull on powered tracks with rotating brushes. Removes slime, algae, and marine buildup below the waterline without hauling. Manual / SCUBA cleaning — Expert divers handle props, drives, trim tabs, and hard-to-reach areas. Live underwater inspections — Powered by Insta360 technology so you can see exactly what’s going on under your boat. Maintenance plans — Annual and biannual options for convenient, scheduled care. No lifts. No dry-docking. No unnecessary downtime. Just a cleaner hull, less drag, better performance, fuel consumption, and more time on the water. When? We Serve You! We work around your schedule and come to your location—anytime your boat needs attention. Regular cleaning every few months (or as needed based on growth) keeps fouling light and protects your bottom paint. Call or email to book a convenient time at your slip or preferred location. We’re fully mobile and ready when you are. Where? We come to you (even in your slip). We treat your boat and your property with respect and better than our own. Clean records, professional operators, and the latest Italian-designed Keelcrab robotic technology. Why? Choose Big Buoy Boat Bottoms A dirty bottom costs you fuel, speed, and fun. Less drag = better performance and fuel efficiency Cleaner hull = longer-lasting bottom paint and fewer haul-outs In-water service = zero downtime and zero hassle Robotic precision + expert manual work = thorough, professional resultsFully insured + respectful of your property Local focus on East Tennessee lakes and marinas
Keep your boat pristine with our in-water hull cleaning services, delivered right to your slip—no hassle required.
Utilize advanced Keelcrab robotic technology or skilled manual SCUBA cleaning for thorough and efficient hull maintenance.
Experience real-time inspections with our Insta360 live underwater camera, ensuring every inch of your boat is inspected.
Choose from flexible annual and biannual maintenance plans tailored to fit your boat's cleaning needs.
Our fully mobile services mean you can enjoy convenience while ensuring your vessel remains performance-ready.
Big Buoy Boat Bottoms is fully insured, providing peace of mind while delivering exceptional service.
Professional boat cleaning services
Robotic and manual cleaning options
Real-time underwater inspections
Flexible maintenance plans
Convenient mobile services
Fully insured for your safety
ARE YOU Riding Dirty?
Book a cleaning, inspection, free consultation now!
Big Buoy Boat Bottoms provides hassle-free in-water hull cleaning at your marina. With our robotic and manual services, live inspections, and flexible maintenance and cleaning schedules, we ensure your boat performs at its best. We're mobile and fully insured to serve East Tennessee's lakes and marinas.
Why you need to know what is down below!
To inspect, clean, maintain, or repair it.
The bottom of a boat (the hull below the waterline) is normally out of sight while the boat is in the water, so people intentionally look at it for practical reasons:
Check for damage or problems — cracks, dents, delamination, osmosis blisters (in fiberglass), soft spots, or impact damage from grounding or debris.
Remove marine growth — barnacles, algae, slime, and weeds slow the boat down, increase fuel use, and can damage the hull or running gear over time.
Inspect and replace sacrificial anodes (zincs) — these protect metal parts from corrosion and need periodic checking/replacement.
Examine the propeller, shaft, rudder, thru-hulls, and transducers — for damage, fouling, or wear.
Apply or refresh antifouling (bottom) paint — which only works if the surface is properly prepared and coated.
Survey or insurance purposes — pre-purchase surveys, insurance claims, or routine haul-outs often require a full bottom inspection.
Performance or racing reasons — a clean, fair bottom is faster and more efficient.
Most of the time this happens during a haul-out on a trailer, travel lift, or dry dock. Some people also use divers, underwater cameras, or clear water + snorkeling for a quick look without pulling the boat.
In short: the bottom is critical to how the boat performs, lasts, and stays safe, so seeing it is usually about keeping those things in good shape.Why would some one clean the bottom of their boat and what are the advantages to keeping a clean hullPeople clean the bottom of their boat primarily to remove marine growth (barnacles, algae, slime, weeds, and other organisms) that accumulates on the submerged hull. This growth, called fouling, builds up over time and creates problems that cleaning directly solves.
Main reasons to clean the hull
Restore performance lost to drag
Protect the hull and coatings from damage
Maintain the effectiveness of antifouling paint
Keep running gear (propeller, shaft, rudder, etc.) working properly
Comply with local rules in some areas that restrict the spread of invasive species via fouled boats
Prepare for inspections, surveys, or haul-outs
Advantages of keeping a clean hull
Better speed and performance
Fouling creates hydrodynamic drag. Even a moderate layer of growth can noticeably slow a boat. A clean, smooth hull slices through the water more efficiently, restoring top speed and improving acceleration and responsiveness.
Improved fuel economy
Less drag means the engine doesn’t have to work as hard. Many owners see meaningful reductions in fuel consumption—especially noticeable on powerboats, trawlers, and boats that cruise long distances.
Smoother handling and better control
Growth on the propeller, rudder, or around the stern can reduce thrust and make steering less precise. A clean bottom and clean running gear improve maneuverability, particularly at low speeds or when docking.
Protection of the hull and coatings
Marine growth can damage antifouling paint, promote corrosion on metal parts, and contribute to problems such as blistering (osmosis) in fiberglass hulls. Regular cleaning helps the protective coatings last longer and reduces the risk of more expensive repairs.
Longer life for anodes and underwater hardware
Sacrificial anodes (zincs), props, shafts, and thru-hulls stay more effective and corrode less when not covered in growth.
Easier future maintenance
A hull that is kept relatively clean is quicker and cheaper to haul, pressure-wash, and repaint than one that has been left heavily fouled for a long time.
Better resale value and appearance
A well-maintained bottom signals that the boat has been cared for, which can matter during surveys or when selling.
In short: cleaning the bottom is mainly about reducing drag and protecting the boat. The practical payoffs are higher speed, lower fuel use, better handling, and lower long-term maintenance costs. How often it needs doing depends on water temperature, salinity, how much the boat is used, and the quality of the antifouling paint. Manual and SCUBA cleaning for hard-to-reach areas.Conveniently serving East Tennessee lakes.No hauling, lifts, or dry-docking required.Your boat deserves the best.Keep your boat performance-ready!Live and recorded underwater inspections with Insta360 for transparency.
Keelcrab – The Smart Way to Keep Your Boat Bottom Clean
The Keelcrab is a professional Italian-made underwater cleaning robot that scrubs your boat’s hull while it stays in the water. No hauling out. No divers. No mess.
Using powerful suction and gentle counter-rotating brushes, the Keelcrab removes algae, slime, and light fouling from up to 95% of the hull — including the keel, rudder, and waterline — without damaging your antifouling paint. A built-in filter collects the debris so nothing ends up back in the lake.
Equipped with an HD camera and remote control, we can clean and inspect your hull in real time. Regular Keelcrab service keeps your boat faster, more fuel-efficient, and free of heavy barnacle growth — perfect for the lakes of East Tennessee.
Cleaner bottoms. Better performance. Less work for you.
A trained operator controls the Keelcrab from above the water using its tethered control system, allowing us to work around the hull efficiently without hauling the boat, using a lift, or scheduling a traditional dry-dock cleaning.
Your boat stays in the slip. Keelcrab goes to work below.
Less drag. Cleaner hull. More time on the water
what is a keelcrab?
Fast, fun, would recommend.
Jim I.Client, Ft LoudenFast, fun, would recommend.
Jim I.Client, Ft LoudenSuper easy to book and communicate with Will and team.
Constance S.Client, ChattanoogaQuick turnaround and excellent results. They used the Keelcrab,Pressure-washed, scraped without cutting corners. The bottom is slick and the boat feels livelier under power. They also checked the running gear and let me know it was still good. Transparent and competent
McLean KClient, KnoxvilleBooked online, owner showed up, let us know how it was going to happen, efficient, clean. Definatly call
Merdith S.Lake Norman NC
Book a cleaning, inspection, free consultation now!
Big Buoy Boat Bottoms provides hassle-free in-water hull cleaning at your marina. With our robotic and manual services, live inspections, and flexible maintenance and cleaning schedules, we ensure your boat performs at its best. We're mobile and fully insured to serve East Tennessee's lakes and marinas.
Keep your boat's performance high by SUSCRIBING for services including regular hull cleaning and maintenance plans.
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