Sonic antifoul

[Warpa]

A cost effective way in the long run?

http://www.ultrasonic-antifouling.com/powerboat_systems.html

I really am trying to avoid a; having to antifoul and b; spoiling the colour and look of the mint condition gel coat

 

[dmmbruce]

Yes and No!

I use ultrasonic antifouling and I am pleased with it. It is not perfect. It does not keep everything completely clean. However it does what I wanted.

Overall I give it a score of 7 out of 10 or better depending on your needs.

As I see it, it depends how you are going to use your boat. If it is a dry stored mobo and you dash about at 20 knots, then out again. Just polish the bottom and forget any type of antifouling.

If your boat is slower and in salt water most of the year, the ultrasonic can help a lot, but . . .
a.) You must put on a general antifouling paint to deal with those things not affected by ultrasonic, eg seasquirts.
b.) You need the paint for areas not covered by the ultrasonic, eg wooden appendages and the waterline.
c.) You will then get good protection for the rest of the hull if it is installed right.
d.) There will be some limited growth of barnacles, but they come off amazingly easily, eg with a pan scrubber, or windscreen scraper.
e.) You will get the usual brown slime, depending on your area, but it brushes off very easily or comes off if your boat speed is approx 8 knots or more.

Don't forget Ultrasonic uses some current. I use a decent solar panel to top up the battery in the day and a timer to switch it off at night.

This way I have an acceptably clean boat. Minimal antifouling to be done, just top up. And it will pay for itself easily in a few years and should go on indefinitely.

So, you will have to paint, and it does work.

I found 'Ultrasonic Anti-fouling Ltd' in Poole to be the preferred supplier, that is the one you have posted the link to. Indeed I would not want to have further dealings with the other one.

Hope that helps.

PM me if you want details

Mike

 

[Nick_H]

... a.) You must put on a general antifouling paint to deal with those things not affected by ultrasonic, eg seasquirts.

If you use antifoul paint, how do you know if the USAF is doing anything at all?

 

[AndieMac]

Just to put two pence worth in W, understanding how much you enjoy tidy gear and given the mooring is very inexpensive, why not just use the mooring for a few days at a time to see if it suits you.
I guess you are thinking about a bigger moored boat eventually, but I'm not sure about slapping paint on a tidy runabout that will be worth more in immaculate condition, with no antifouling paint.
It will absorb the staining from the brackish water into the gelcoat, but that is easily fixed with half a cup of oxalic acid diluted (hot water) into half a bucket of cold water and applied with a soft long handled broom. Give it 10 to 15 minutes, then hose off.

 

[Warpa]

Just to put two pence worth in W, understanding how much you enjoy tidy gear and given the mooring is very inexpensive, why not just use the mooring for a few days at a time to see if it suits you.
I guess you are thinking about a bigger moored boat eventually, but I'm not sure about slapping paint on a tidy runabout that will be worth more in immaculate condition, with no antifouling paint.
It will absorb the staining from the brackish water into the gelcoat, but that is easily fixed with half a cup of oxalic acid diluted (hot water) into half a bucket of cold water and applied with a soft long handled broom. Give it 10 to 15 minutes, then hose off.

There is electric and water down there, i have a pressure washer, machine polisher and more marine and car detailing kit than you can shake a stick at
I am toying with the idea of putting it on their concrete slipway and presuure washing it once a week...like you say i do like things clean