Diving into a Niche

There are plenty of divers who clean dirty bottoms, but this one prefers fast and clean.

DAVE REED

If you must know, it takes Marlene Plumley “about 5.3 minutes” to methodically clean the bottom of a J/70 in the water. She would know because she does every boat the same way every time, and as the diver of choice for many top teams in the class today, she could practically do it with her eyes closed. “Starboard stern first,” says Plumley, who travels around the country servicing J/70 and J/111 teams. “I start with the starboard side of the rudder, which is the first and last surface I clean. Then I go forward, take a breath, go down, and clean a 2-foot-wide swath from the middle of the boat. Come up, take a breath and go back down, rinse and repeat.” J/70 class rules prohibit bottom cleaning using…

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Sailing World (Digital) - 1 Issue, Fall 2021

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