infestation

[totopalm]

In Lowestoft Haven Marina our boats are being " infested"
below the waterline by what i can only describe as a Coral
pipe worm, it is a tiny little creature, but suddenly it multiplies
and attaches itself to every thing wet (ask Dougie 3 Bottles)
Anybody have an idea as to an antidote, Lanolin has been
mentioned. The little swines form into clusters and block water
intakes, bow thrusters, coat props knocking several knots off
boat speed, they must be stopped now before they mutate
to drainpipe size, help is required, so come on you Marine
Biologists give it your best thoughts. Grateful Tony

 

[DanTribe]

Isn't the Defra Fishery Laboratory in Lowestoft?
Perhaps it is some mad scientist's mutant experiment escapee.

 

[Cloven]

Sounds a bit like Tube Worm, related to the Ship Worm "Teredo navalis". Former is a general term for a number of species that live around our coastline and can be found on rocks etc in rockpools. Latter is a wood borer usually found in submerged wooden structures such as pilings and boats.

All these species have the unfortunate habit (for us) of creating a rock hard tube of chalk around themselves which is a scrape off job to remove.

Have occasionally found an odd one on the rope cutter/prop etc but not in the numbers you mention. Never had one to date on a part of the hull that is.
antifouled.

For more info see here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tube_worm

 

[D3B]

dave
northshore is referring to my boat in particular, though others in the marina have a problem
see my post here Leg infestation

You can see the state things have got into.
ok, legs werent anti fouled but this grew in just 6 weeks. from spotlessly clean.

Doug

 

[Cloven]

Now I see it, it might be Coral Weed "Corallina officinalis" - see here:

http://www.pznow.co.uk/marine/redseaweed.html

Easy to tell - if it is a tube worm then with a probe you can poke down the tube & a small reddish worm will be revealed. Coral weed is a plant.

Hope all this is of interest.

 

[Cloven]

Should have added that warm summer = warmer than usual sea temps. Also if there is a stream/river running into the marina then there could have been a fertiliser run-off from fields. Put the two together and it could have been ideal conditions for rapid plant growth. Just a thought.