Has anyone used painted coatings with electrodes as a form of antifouling?

[ChantalReed]

We have a 3 year old Dufour and the time is approaching for us to haul her out and antifoul her for the med waters.

She has previously been painted with Hempel antifouling but we had decided to take the plunge and coppercoat her this year for longevity. However someone mentioned a new system whereby you apply a paint with electrodes in it which causes a vibration that we cant feel but stops marine growth but didn't know more about it.

I can't find anything about it online. Does anyone know anything about it, if so please enlighten me as to who makes it and whether it works!

thanks

 

[VicS]

We have a 3 year old Dufour and the time is approaching for us to haul her out and antifoul her for the med waters.

She has previously been painted with Hempel antifouling but we had decided to take the plunge and coppercoat her this year for longevity. However someone mentioned a new system whereby you apply a paint with electrodes in it which causes a vibration that we cant feel but stops marine growth but didn't know more about it.

I can't find anything about it online. Does anyone know anything about it, if so please enlighten me as to who makes it and whether it works!

thanks

Are you sure you or your informant are not confusing it with the ultrasonic system which uses transducers fitted inside the hull?

 

[macd]

You probably needed "ultrasonic" in your search.
Here's a little light reading. See you in a couple of weeks

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?258391-Building-the-Ultrasonic-Antifouling-Kit-from-Jaycar
http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?292064-Jaycar-Ultrasonic-Antifouling-Review

 

[ChantalReed]

Thank you, yes after more research it does seem he mean the ultrasonic systems. Aside from Jaycar which it appears you have to build yourself, including soldering contacts etc, (too advanced for my DIY skills) and uses 5.5A @ 12v, I have found 2 other companies:

• www.ultrasonic-antifouling.com ---- which, with 2 transducers for a 10-15m boat comes in around 1149 + vat, so 1390 with a 3 year warrantee and says it only uses 1.1A @12v
• www.smart-antifouling.com which with 2 transducers as above, and a solar regulator at €810 + vat, so around 725 all in, with a 2 year warrantee and “average power consumption: 3W - 250mA at 12V’

All 3 companies have relatively few but all positive reviews, still need to refresh the anti-foul paint every 3-4 years.

But it is new technology, (no holes in the hull required by the way) and expensive so the question is, is it better to play safe and go with coppercoat?

Hempel seems to have come up with something new too… a Fouling Release coating called Silic One which uses a hydrogel which forms a smooth non-stick surface on the hull, making it difficult for fouling organisms to attach. The result is less drag in the water and lower fuel consumption – giving you a more efficient fleet and a superb return on your investment.” But it appears that if you take the boat out of the water during the winter, you will have reapply the top coat (no sanding down required though), it may last 2 years if left in the water… however aside from the potential benefits to the environment, I am not sure it benefits the boat owners financially that much! Also can’t find any reviews on it either….

So me thinks it is back to the decision between ultrasonic transducers or coppercoat… any recommendations?

 

[RichardS]

Thank you, yes after more research it does seem he mean the ultrasonic systems. Aside from Jaycar which it appears you have to build yourself, including soldering contacts etc, (too advanced for my DIY skills) and uses 5.5A @ 12v, I have found 2 other companies:

• www.ultrasonic-antifouling.com ---- which, with 2 transducers for a 10-15m boat comes in around 1149 + vat, so 1390 with a 3 year warrantee and says it only uses 1.1A @12v
• www.smart-antifouling.com which with 2 transducers as above, and a solar regulator at €810 + vat, so around 725 all in, with a 2 year warrantee and “average power consumption: 3W - 250mA at 12V’

All 3 companies have relatively few but all positive reviews, still need to refresh the anti-foul paint every 3-4 years.

But it is new technology, (no holes in the hull required by the way) and expensive so the question is, is it better to play safe and go with coppercoat?

Hempel seems to have come up with something new too… a Fouling Release coating called Silic One which uses a hydrogel which forms a smooth non-stick surface on the hull, making it difficult for fouling organisms to attach. The result is less drag in the water and lower fuel consumption – giving you a more efficient fleet and a superb return on your investment.” But it appears that if you take the boat out of the water during the winter, you will have reapply the top coat (no sanding down required though), it may last 2 years if left in the water… however aside from the potential benefits to the environment, I am not sure it benefits the boat owners financially that much! Also can’t find any reviews on it either….

So me thinks it is back to the decision between ultrasonic transducers or coppercoat… any recommendations?

It is usually recommended that you use conventional antifoul with ultrasonic transducers so it is not a like-for-like comparison.

Personally, I can't see the point in ultrasonic.

Richard

 

[Tranona]

Thank you, yes after more research it does seem he mean the ultrasonic systems. Aside from Jaycar which it appears you have to build yourself, including soldering contacts etc, (too advanced for my DIY skills) and uses 5.5A @ 12v, I have found 2 other companies:

• www.ultrasonic-antifouling.com ---- which, with 2 transducers for a 10-15m boat comes in around 1149 + vat, so 1390 with a 3 year warrantee and says it only uses 1.1A @12v
• www.smart-antifouling.com which with 2 transducers as above, and a solar regulator at €810 + vat, so around 725 all in, with a 2 year warrantee and “average power consumption: 3W - 250mA at 12V’

All 3 companies have relatively few but all positive reviews, still need to refresh the anti-foul paint every 3-4 years.

But it is new technology, (no holes in the hull required by the way) and expensive so the question is, is it better to play safe and go with coppercoat?

Hempel seems to have come up with something new too… a Fouling Release coating called Silic One which uses a hydrogel which forms a smooth non-stick surface on the hull, making it difficult for fouling organisms to attach. The result is less drag in the water and lower fuel consumption – giving you a more efficient fleet and a superb return on your investment.” But it appears that if you take the boat out of the water during the winter, you will have reapply the top coat (no sanding down required though), it may last 2 years if left in the water… however aside from the potential benefits to the environment, I am not sure it benefits the boat owners financially that much! Also can’t find any reviews on it either….

So me thinks it is back to the decision between ultrasonic transducers or coppercoat… any recommendations?

Manufacturers will only report success. However independent tests such as the one in PBO a few months ago do not support them, neither do the small number of people here who have tried. Been around for long time and never gained any ground.

Do not waste your money on it. Go the Coppercoat route which has a high level of acceptance. Make sure it is properly applied.

 

[J Neeves]

When you consider the options you need to think that it is probable you will still need to slip your yacht on a regular basis. It depends on your prop but if it is a folding prop it might not be possible to change the anodes in the water - and we find that our anodes last about 12 months. You will also need to check the water intakes for the engine and other hull fittings for fouling. You can do much of this by diving, but maybe not all. There is also no reliable prop (nor sail drive) paint yet. A reliable life on the prop will be 12 months. You could dive very regularly and scrape. If you use Prop Speed or Prop Gold, or the like - you cannot scrape - you will destroy the coating. Velox is giving good results - but its still 12 months (maybe a bit more, depends, obviously on the level of fouling and level of use)

I wish we had gone Coppercoat, its now an expensive option to remove the old A/F, fair and fill - but if we had gone that route we would need at least a day on the hard every 12 months (might be a bit longer) to conduct the other services.

If you are to go the CopperCoat route I'd do it in the UK.

Jonathan