Hull growth and effects.

[QBhoy]

Hi
Not wanting to anti foul my lovely performance hull, I find myself taking the boat out a few times during the season for a clean and polish. She is in fresh water and gathers sometimes rediculous slime and growth which greatly affects her performance numbers, at its worst. She is affected by only perhaps a couple of mph at full throttle, only because she will run high and aired out with only sometimes a foot of hull contacting the surface at the flat running pad. The worst of it is seen at cruising speed with most of the hull in the water. The smart craft data, frequent use and similar comparable conditions allow a noticeable difference to be seen in speed and fuel use.
Question is...are there any solutions to reduce the gathering of so much growth ? What do the big boy powerboat guys do to reduce drag ? They surely don’t have antifoul, although I suppose they aren’t left in the water.
Picture below of how bad it can get after only two months. Even though she sits in a fast flowing river.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/w4jBqs5xgvxBLFbBA

 

[simonfraser]

you could try to leave the boat in salt and river water alternatively, that will kill at least some of the growth.

or just trailer it

 

[julians]

Just antifoul it. Does it really matter if you lose 2-3mph off the top speed, if you get vastly improved running at cruising speeds.

I guess you also must be able to buy 'high performance' antifoul,no doubt at great expense, might be worth looking into this.

 

[luptonj]

Get coppercoat sprayed on.
Shouldn't affect the top speed as the finish should be comparable to gel coat.

Of course if you just don't want the look of antifoul then it's either a regular lift and clean or trailer it.

 

[MapisM]

Question is...are there any solutions to reduce the gathering of so much growth ? What do the big boy powerboat guys do to reduce drag ?
They surely don’t have antifoul, although I suppose they aren’t left in the water.

Correct supposition.
None of the fast boats I kept on the lake, up to the last Fountain 27 Fever, ever spent more than two days in a row in the water.
If you don't want or can't keep her on the hard, I'm afraid that there's no magic solution!

PS: in the US, most folks keep fast boats on their trailer up to dimensions which sound crazy on this side of the Pond. I mean, well above 40 feet!
But everything is big over there, and they have excellent facilities for launching and recovering boats just about everywhere.

 

[QBhoy]

Thanks guys, for all the replies.
As I suspected there seems to be no magic solution. The boat is in fresh water. No salt option and wouldn’t d fancy exposing it to it.
I could keep it on the trailer, but it would reduce the frequency of use. Every weekend in the season.
I definitely don’t want to antifoul it. That’s not an option. Too untidy on a boat like this. Being intended as a performance boat, it would be a shame to loose a few mph, after all the investment, trial and error in getting it to the performance level it’s at now. At these speeds it’s tiny tiny marginal gains to improve even 1 or 2 mph. It’s taken too long and too much money to start going backwards, haha.
Thanks again.

 

[simonfraser]

park and ride it, docking poles, you'd be ok.

 

[Andy Cox]

What about a modular plastic floating dock?
Just drive it on and off.
Andy

 

[Bouba]

There is one (possibly expensive) solution. I’ve seen at a boat show a hull wrapped, this was done for anti fouling not aesthetics. A sports boat was done in a couple of minutes. The idea is that after the season the wrap is pealed off (along with all the weed) and the hull is as clean and unmarked as ever. The wrap does have some anti foul properties I believe so it doesn’t foul up instantly

 

[rafiki_]

What about a Dry Stack?

 

[Ian h]

Thanks guys, for all the replies.
As I suspected there seems to be no magic solution. The boat is in fresh water. No salt option and wouldn’t d fancy exposing it to it.
I could keep it on the trailer, but it would reduce the frequency of use. Every weekend in the season.
I definitely don’t want to antifoul it. That’s not an option. Too untidy on a boat like this. Being intended as a performance boat, it would be a shame to loose a few mph, after all the investment, trial and error in getting it to the performance level it’s at now. At these speeds it’s tiny tiny marginal gains to improve even 1 or 2 mph. It’s taken too long and too much money to start going backwards, haha.
Thanks again.

Know exactly where you are coming from with getting the extra 1 - 2 MPH. To many its not important, But to some of us it makes a big deal, For instance my boat used to top out at 48 knots. Had props tidied up and now down to 44 knots, I am currently working on additional engine bay cooling / better air flow and have had props checked again and engineer booked again to come out on boat with his Vodia , I what my 48 knots back, NO I do not go everywhere at WOT its usually around 35 -40 knots, BUT when I want a quick blast I want to achieve that 48knots again. my boat is anti fouled unfortunately but dry stacked, It would cost too much to have antifoul removed and hull re-gelled.

 

[QBhoy]

Know exactly where you are coming from with getting the extra 1 - 2 MPH. To many its not important, But to some of us it makes a big deal, For instance my boat used to top out at 48 knots. Had props tidied up and now down to 44 knots, I am currently working on additional engine bay cooling / better air flow and have had props checked again and engineer booked again to come out on boat with his Vodia , I what my 48 knots back, NO I do not go everywhere at WOT its usually around 35 -40 knots, BUT when I want a quick blast I want to achieve that 48knots again. my boat is anti fouled unfortunately but dry stacked, It would cost too much to have antifoul removed and hull re-gelled.

Know exactly what you mean. Thanks.

 

[QBhoy]

Know exactly where you are coming from with getting the extra 1 - 2 MPH. To many its not important, But to some of us it makes a big deal, For instance my boat used to top out at 48 knots. Had props tidied up and now down to 44 knots, I am currently working on additional engine bay cooling / better air flow and have had props checked again and engineer booked again to come out on boat with his Vodia , I what my 48 knots back, NO I do not go everywhere at WOT its usually around 35 -40 knots, BUT when I want a quick blast I want to achieve that 48knots again. my boat is anti fouled unfortunately but dry stacked, It would cost too much to have antifoul removed and hull re-gelled.

What about a modular plastic floating dock?
Just drive it on and off.
Andy

Hi Andy. I would definitely do this, but my mooring is between two boats fore and aft of me. Great idea if I could do this.

 

[QBhoy]

Know exactly where you are coming from with getting the extra 1 - 2 MPH. To many its not important, But to some of us it makes a big deal, For instance my boat used to top out at 48 knots. Had props tidied up and now down to 44 knots, I am currently working on additional engine bay cooling / better air flow and have had props checked again and engineer booked again to come out on boat with his Vodia , I what my 48 knots back, NO I do not go everywhere at WOT its usually around 35 -40 knots, BUT when I want a quick blast I want to achieve that 48knots again. my boat is anti fouled unfortunately but dry stacked, It would cost too much to have antifoul removed and hull re-gelled.

What about a modular plastic floating dock?
Just drive it on and off.
Andy

There is one (possibly expensive) solution. I’ve seen at a boat show a hull wrapped, this was done for anti fouling not aesthetics. A sports boat was done in a couple of minutes. The idea is that after the season the wrap is pealed off (along with all the weed) and the hull is as clean and unmarked as ever. The wrap does have some anti foul properties I believe so it doesn’t foul up instantly

Ah. I’ll need to look into that. I’ve never heard of it. I’m going to google right now. Thanks

 

[QBhoy]

What about a Dry Stack?

Hi Rafiki. It’s not an option here I’m afraid. Being in the water has its advantages. Simply turn up, turn key and go. Reverse when returning. Perhaps I just want my cake and eating it. Thanks.

 

[Ian h]

Hi Rafiki. It’s not an option here I’m afraid. Being in the water has its advantages. Simply turn up, turn key and go. Reverse when returning. Perhaps I just want my cake and eating it. Thanks.

Drystack works well for us. I phone up when leaving home and boat is on the water ready and waiting when arrive . When finished just wash boat covers on and go. It gets a Hull wash when lifted out and put away

 

[MapisM]

Know exactly where you are coming from with getting the extra 1 - 2 MPH. To many its not important, But to some of us it makes a big deal

LOL, yeah. Reminds me of the first time I pushed at WOT my Fountain 27 heavily loaded (full tank and a party of 6).
Having anticipated to the friends onboard that they would have seen 70mph (the boat could actually reach 72 in a good day), it was sort of disappointing to reach just 66/67 - though that was already more than enough to make one of the ladies onboard insulting and begging me to slow down!
When I posted on offshoreonly asking if the load could account for such big difference, the answer was an overwhelming YES!

 

[QBhoy]

LOL, yeah. Reminds me of the first time I pushed at WOT my Fountain 27 heavily loaded (full tank and a party of 6).
Having anticipated to the friends onboard that they would have seen 70mph (the boat could actually reach 72 in a good day), it was sort of disappointing to reach just 66/67 - though that was already more than enough to make one of the ladies onboard insulting and begging me to slow down!
When I posted on offshoreonly asking if the load could account for such big difference, the answer was an overwhelming YES!

It’s amazing the difference just one person or a full tank of fuel can make.
I love the fountain boats Mapism. Special things.
Yet to see 70, on GPS at least. The boat speedo will of course indicate by the increment but we all know how they can tell fibs. It’s the goal, but I fear it may require more from the engine. Tried all else.

 

[petem]

There is one (possibly expensive) solution. I’ve seen at a boat show a hull wrapped, this was done for anti fouling not aesthetics. A sports boat was done in a couple of minutes. The idea is that after the season the wrap is pealed off (along with all the weed) and the hull is as clean and unmarked as ever. The wrap does have some anti foul properties I believe so it doesn’t foul up instantly

I've heard of that system but was told it was REALLY expensive.

 

[petem]

On a similar topic, has anyone ever tried covering their props with "Helicopter Tape" which could be peeled off mid season?