surf rake frequently asked questions
faq
We’ve assembled an exhaustive list of the most frequently asked questions we’re regularly asked about our Surf Rake line of beach cleaners. If you don’t find an answer you’re seeking, don’t hesitate to contact us with your specific questions.
pricing, quotes, and purchase options
The Surf Rake starts around $30,000 for our smallest unit, the Model 400, right up to $100,000+ for the maximum-capacity Surf Rake 600XL.
If you’d like to receive a quote for a specific Surf Rake model or a range, please fill out our quote request form, so our team can provide you with the most accurate quotes and recommendations.
We do sometimes have used and refurbished machines in stock.
That being said, our used inventory of beach cleaners changes regularly, and machines typically do not stay in stock for long.
To check if we have any used machines in stock, please reach out to our team via our contact form or give us a call at +1 (203) 729-9000.
The average lead time to ship a Surf Rake is typically around 2-4 weeks but can be longer during peak seasons.
We aim to maintain Surf Rakes in stock and can often deliver sooner.
We also make Surf Rakes to order, if special options or modifications are requested, like offering custom paint colors, lights, or other attachments.
Our machines are made to fit in standard container sizes, so they can be shipped quickly around the world without extra overage charges or delays. If delivering within the U.S., machines are typically shipped via flatbed truck, which can be arranged immediately upon completion of purchase.
Rentals for select Surf Rake models are often available. Rental fees can then be applied towards the purchase of the machine, if desired.
To discuss a possible Surf Rake rental, please reach out to our team.
You can find numerous case studies and examples of the Surf Rake’s cleaning ability across a variety of types of debris and beaches, as well as for specific types of beach organizations.
We also offer demonstrations and provide references. To inquire about these options, please reach out to our team to be connected with the team member who can best assist you.
We do not offer direct financing or leasing for the Surf Rake. However we regularly work with customers’ lending institutions to make machines accessible and payable over time.
how the surf rake performs in real-world conditions
Absolutely! Removing man-made litter to ensure a safe, instagram-worthy beach experience for visitors is the primary function of our beach cleaner lineup.
Our Surf Rake models remove tiny litter as small as ⅜ of an inch (1 cm)– like cigarette butts, bottle caps, and glass shards from broken bottles–to larger litter, like plastic bottles, cans, buckets, and bags.
For examples of how the Surf Rake removes litter from beach sand, visit our beach litter cleanup Surf Rake application page.
Our beach cleaning machines can remove rocks, stones, and pebbles incredibly effectively and can be adjusted to remove the specific size of rock you need and leave the rest for beach development, if desired.
In fact, the Surf Rakes are so effective at removing rock and stone that our turf grooming and stone picking equipment line (the Turf Rake) is based on the same tine & conveyor technology.
For examples and more in-depth information about how the Surf Rake removes undesired rocks & stones from the sand, see our stone & rock application page.
The Surf Rake is the most effective machine made for removing seaweed. It’s patented tine raking design easily removes even heavy layers of weed quickly and easily.
Seaweed is snatched off the sand and elevated to a material hopper at the back of the machine. Any sand that may be stuck to the weed is shaken off falling back to the beach through the perforated conveyor.
For seaweed removal examples, visit our seaweed beach cleaning application page.
The Surf Rake is the most popular and effective beach cleaning machine in the world for removing Sargassum from beaches. Our machines have been deployed by governments, resorts, and environmental agencies to help with the growing sargassum problem in the Caribbean and elsewhere in the world.
Unlike being overwhelmed by daily surges in sargassum with manual cleanup teams or employing loaders to remove heavy sargassum, which remove sand and hurt beach ecosystems, the Surf rake employs our tine raking cleaning methodology and patented s-belt technology to ensure that we can remove the sargassum (and not the sand!) in massive quantities and less time.
To see examples of the Surf Rake removing massive amounts of sargassum visit our sargassum cleanup page.
While shells become the future sand of the beach, and we encourage you not to remove all of them, the Surf Rake can be used to remove excessive shell to make a beach more desirable and easy on the feet. The Surf Rake can be adjusted to remove shells as small as 3/8” (1 cm).
You can view examples of how the Surf Rake has restored shell-heavy beaches into premium beach destinations on our shell removal application page.
Part of the versatility of the Surf Rake is that it can clean at a variety of depths, depending on the type and quantity of materials you’re trying to clean, as well as the beach sand conditions.
The Surf Rake can clean from 0-6 inches (0-15 cm) by adjusting the moldboard in the front of the machine. This moldboard determines how much of the tines are exposed to dig into the sand and maintains this depth consistently, regardless of the contour of the beach.
To learn more about determining and controlling cleaning depth, you can reference our Surf Rake Operation video, which explores the topic in more detail.
Cleaning at the tideline is one of the distinct cleaning advantages of the Surf Rake. Unlike sifting machines, which tend to clog when cleaning wet sand at the tideline, the Surf Rake can remove surface materials and clean below the surface without clogging, due to its tine raking technology. This is what allows us to be so effective removing excess seaweed and sargassum.
This cleaning ability, aside, we do recommend complying with your local environmental regulations to not disturb the ecosystem below the sand’s surface when it can be avoided and to stick to deep cleaning farther up the beach.
Each Surf Rake can clean the beach at different speeds. Here are the cleaning speeds of each model of Surf Rake under ideal cleaning conditions (dry sand, moderate-low debris)
400: Up to 4 acres/hr / 1.6 hectares/hr
400HD: Up to 7 acres/hr / 2.8 hectares/hr
600HD: Up to 8 acres/hr / 3.3 hectares/hr
600XL: Up to 16 acres/hr, 6.6 hectares/hr
If you’d like to know how quickly different models of the Surf Rake could clean your specific beach, try out our beach cleaning speed calculator. Simply trace the outline of your beach on a map and answer a few questions to get a detailed estimate of cleaning time under different cleaning conditions!
The Surf Rake does not remove primary microplastics (smaller than 5 mm) from the sand, nor do any industrial-sized beach cleaners. The only beach cleaners that currently remove microplastics are smaller walk-behind units (like the Barber Sand Man 850), which can be fitted with especially fine sifting screens. This type of cleaning, while effective for smaller areas, is typically not sustainable for larger, high traffic beaches, which require larger cleaning units.
The Surf Rake does fit into a microplastic cleaning program, however, in that it excels at removing secondary microplastics, which are larger microplastics that then break down into microplastics, as they stay on your beach. By removing this source of primary microplastics, you can cut down on the amount of them in your beach.
We’ve compiled an in-depth microplastic beach cleaning guide, if you’d like to learn how to start a microplastic beach cleaning program.
choosing the right surf rake for your beach type & conditions
The right beach cleaning model for your beach depends on many factors.
Key considerations include your beach’s size, typical debris type & amounts, sand type, debris disposal options, and the amount of time you have to clean the beach during peak seasons.
You’ll also want to choose a machine that matches the existing resources of your organization; including, available tractors, the width of beach access points, storage options, and desired cleaning frequency.
If you already know you’re in the market for a Surf Rake, you can try our Surf Rake Recommendation Tool, which will walk you through the key considerations and then use logic that is based on our over 60 years of experience to suggest a model that will likely be a good fit for your beach.
Or you can simply reach out to our team for a no-pressure consultation, so we can walk you through the nuances of choosing the right machine and provide you with quotes, if desired.
The tractor size and power requirements vary by model of Surf Rake. You can view them on our Surf Rake technical specification page.
It’s important to note that the power ranges are provided as estimates, since the conditions of your specific beach can alter the power requirements slightly. For example a beach with very soft sand will require a more powerful tractor with larger tires for increased traction, floatation, and towing power. Whereas a smaller tractor can sometimes be used on firmer sand and beaches that are level.
The best way to get a personalized tractor recommendation is to contact our team, who’s helped match thousands of tractors, beaches, and Surf Rakes, and can confidently guide you through the process.
Absolutely. The Surf Rake is by far the most popular beach cleaning machine with municipal operations in the United States. Over 95% of municipalities that own and operate beach cleaners in the U.S. use a Barber Surf Rake–not to mention the hundreds of other municipalities around the world that rely on the Surf Rake to keep their beaches clean, safe, and desirable for tourists and residents. This is mostly because the Surf Rake is the fastest beach cleaner on the market, easy to operate, simple maintain, and is tried and true reliable. Of all the models, our large 600HD is the most popular models for municipals and public works.
The Surf Rake beach cleaners are an essential tool in resort managers’ tool kits, as they ensure the economic engine of the resort (the beach!) is clean and enticing every day, regardless of what humans or mother nature throw at it.
The Surf Rake removes man-made litter, like plastics, glass, and cigarette buts, to not only ensure the beach appears pristine, but also that it is safe for guests.
As the #1 choice for removing sargassum, seaweed, and unexpected organic matter that can wash up over the night, the Surf Rake also makes sure that the beach is ready when guests wake up and want to enjoy a cup of coffee as the sun rises.
The Surf Rake’s speed of cleaning, effectiveness with all kinds of materials, ease of operation, and low maintenance have made it the top choice for hundreds of resorts around the world.
Parts, Maintenance, and global support
Barber machines are active on six continents and over 90 countries around the world. Our dealer network plays an important part in ensuring customers can access quality service & parts wherever they are.
We have dealers in Europe, Central & South America, the Middle East, Central and East Asia, Canada, and Australia, who can assist with servicing the machine and who stock parts for quick deployment. Meanwhile, we support customers in the United States and parts of Canada directly from our factory in Connecticut.
If you’re curious about how we support your area of the world, reach out to our headquarters, and we will guide you to your area’s representative for assistance.
The Surf Rake requires minimal maintenance and service. That being said, we do recommend some basic ongoing maintenance to help combat the tough sand & saltwater conditions of beach cleaning to ensure a long operating life:
Typical maintenance includes greasing the bearings and primary pinch-points every 1-2 weeks during regular operation. We also recommend checking the conveyor chain tension every couple weeks and the dump chain and drive chain every two months and tightening, as needed. This basic maintenance can be performed by any operator with a couple wrenches.
Longer-term replacements include individual stainless steel tines, which can quickly be replaced as they wear down by loosening a single bolt. The rest of the cleaning components should give you many years of service before requiring maintenance.
You can review the Surf Rake’s common maintenance procedures training guides at our service portal on our website for more information. With regular maintenance, Surf Rakes can easily last 15 years- especially hot-dip galvanized models, which prevents frames & key components from rusting.
Maintenance and repair costs will vary depending on the beach conditions, materials being removed, and number of hours of operation. The simple, dependable design of the machines combined with the fact that the machine is only lifting the unwanted debris, and not the whole beach, ensures minimal maintenance costs.
For a more detailed estimate of what maintenance costs you can expect for your specific beach conditions & planned operation, contact a Barber team member.
Yes! We believe that information about installation, operation, and maintenance practices should be available to potential owners before they decide to invest in a beach cleaner, so they can have a full picture of the ownership experience.
This is why we have made our Surf Rake training library available to the public on our website. It contains videos and visual step-by-step instructions that make operating and caring for the Surf Rake clear and easy.
This library also proves invaluable post-sale, as it helps current and new hires get up to speed quickly on how to safely operate and maintain the Surf Rake. This way, municipal, resort, and private beach managers do not become dependent on an individual experienced employee and can make sure the Surf Rake is an easy tool to use throughout its life cycle, despite staff turnovers.
In addition to providing a printed parts book & manual with each machine, we also place QR codes on each machine that link back to this library for quick referencing when in the field.
