Antifoul Research and Freshwater?

[Richard10002]

It's fairly clear that if you take a fouled saltwater boat into a brackish, or freshwater basin, (e.g. Glasson Dock), or are moored in a river, (or berthed in a marina on a river), where freshwater flows, much of the fouling falls off.

I wonder if there is any research going on which would use this "phenomenon" to minimise fouling - or are the antifoul makers resisting it as they would never sell any more antifoul, (a bit like the Oil companies and green energy?).

Seems to work the same with freshwater fouling dropping off in saltwater.

I can kind of see a marina berth with a gentle flow of freshwater over the hull, (recycled of course).

Cheers

Richard

 

[Cloven]

We are based at in a river marina which is "locked in" from the sea. Boat spends approx 2/3 time in marina and 1/3 at sea.

At end of the season, there is just a fine film of slime on the hull which can either be pressure washed or scribbed off - no marine fouling at all.

Many people spend up to 4 years afloat and then only come out for a scrub.

Not exactly "research" but observation.

 

[Grajan]

We who berth in certain areas of Kip Marina have to live with this benefit on an annual basis and only have slime to contend with due to the constant change from salt to fresh to brackish water
mind you we still have to A/F on a regular basis otherwise shell fouling starts to get a hold and when it does we are talking spades to remove it!

 

[Richard10002]

I think there will be plenty of observations, but I know of no efforts to harness the effect.

I thought the shells got evicted by freshwater aswell? obviously not.

 

[Koeketiene]

We're on a river; near the sea.
Boat's in all year - every year.

We have hard antifouling - re-antifoul every 3 or 2 years.
Other years just scrub off.

 

[Guest]

Most SW life such as Barnies etc. don't like FW ....

But over here we have near FW situation and we have specific AF to use in FW / Baltic ...

 

[Twister_Ken]

Once the shell is established, even if the beastie inside of it pops its clogs, the shell remains cemented in place.

 

[Richard10002]

[ QUOTE ]
But over here we have near FW situation and we have specific AF to use in FW / Baltic ...

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes.... I'm sure whatever I'm thinking of could be reciprocal... i.e. a Salt water version for fresh water boats.

Of course, I dont actually know what I'm thinking of, hence the OP /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Guest]

You could always invest in the system developeds where the boat sits in its own "pool" of water .. haven't seen the advert for a while now - but basically was for long-term moored boats ... a flexible affair was passed under the boat ... brought up out of water - creating a mini pool that boat sat in. You would throw in a handful of chemicals so that boat was sitting in it's own treated water.

I suppose a variation could be to fill it with FW ? But probably cheaper alternative ... find a nice river to go for a few days cruise up ... lay alongside for a few days .. enjoying the scenery ... /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif