Ultrasonic antifoul systems

[ashtonmarineservices]

Hi

What are your thoughts about using an ultrasonic solution on your boat to remove marine growth? Priced at £1200 is that good or bad value?

Dave

 

[mainsail1]

Does the ultrasound affect Dolphins or Seahorses?

 

[Tranona]

Hi

What are your thoughts about using an ultrasonic solution on your boat to remove marine growth? Priced at £1200 is that good or bad value?

Dave

See you are in the business of supplying and fitting this equipment. So would guess you are in a much better position than anybody else to answer the question as presumably you have many satisfied customers who have bought it.

However, many people here (including me) have considered it and discovered, based on the available independent tests and user experience, that it is generally not effective so have decided that it is bad value.

 

[Mad Pad]

Nice one Tranona!

 

[dslittle]

I've got it and I think that it helps

 

[rotrax]

I've got it and I think that it helps

Our previous boat had it and I believe it helped. We had less fouling than adjacent boats using similar antifoul.

Worth the money-lets just say I wont be fitting it to my current boat.

 

[ashtonmarineservices]

Hi

Thanks for your thoughts. We are actually thinking of being a distribution agent for a company that has sold over 21,000 units but this has been 70+ % to the commercial sector hence why we would like to know what private boat owners think.

Thanks for your comments so far and please keep the coming!

Dave

 

[AntarcticPilot]

The main problem for most people is the requirement for a 24/7 supply of electricity. It is also clear that they don't replace anti-fouling, merely make it somewhat more effective - though experience on here varies from faint praise such as "I get less fouling than the adjacent boat using the same anti-foul" to plain "It was a waste of money"! Personally I wouldn't consider it, but I'd struggle with the electrical requirements.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

As I have posted earlier for me it worked in the sense that it SIGNIFICANTLY reduced the quantity and type of fouling on my boat to the extent after a full year in there was only slime on the boat.
I used two J CAR self build units which were relatively cheap, would I pay in excess of £1,000, no and I would be surprised that without cash back guarantees on performance few leisure sailors would. A good sized solar panel kept mine running with no battery drain winter and summer, I only used shore power when I was on the boat.

 

[Sandy]

I asked the same question some months ago and the replies were as AntarcticPilot stated. I am trying to find some independent research on the topic and, to date, have yet to find any; I have access to academic papers via work.

What would be interesting is what people are putting on the hull while using the electrons to discourage the marine life.

This year we used our usual "cheap at chips" Gaelforce own brand and just had a slime - if only we could keep the hull clean above the waterline with all the brown river water.

 

[Norman_E]

I have two Jaycar units and started the most popular thread ever on the PBO forum, on building the Jaycar kits. It now runs at over 400 posts and over 150,000 views. There are plenty of opinions on there. My own view is that it helps but is not a complete solution. To the OP I can only say that if he thinks these things remove marine growth as he implies, he is sadly mistaken. They work by detering the attachment of certain types of growth. Anything already attached will stay attached. Original thread here: http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?258391-Building-the-Ultrasonic-Antifouling-Kit-from-Jaycar

 

[Sandyman]

May as well install a hydrophone & play em Des O'Conner sings 'Summertime Melodies'..............bet thet would work just as well

 

[ashtonmarineservices]

As the OP we never claimed that these were a complete solution. We are simply asking would people buy them as the figures show that commercial boats are clearly starting to adopt this technology but we would like to know would a private seller!

I also looked at the age of that post and think there could be a huge difference between a company who has spent hundreds of thousands on R& D and has sold over 21,000 units including US military, RR etc and a return raid of less than 0.5%

Very open to feedback but I think we need to be careful in what we compare and from when!

Dave

 

[RichardS]

As the OP we never claimed that these were a complete solution. We are simply asking would people buy them as the figures show that commercial boats are clearly starting to adopt this technology but we would like to know would a private seller!

I also looked at the age of that post and think there could be a huge difference between a company who has spent hundreds of thousands on R& D and has sold over 21,000 units including US military, RR etc and a return raid of less than 0.5%

Very open to feedback but I think we need to be careful in what we compare and from when!

Dave

I've posted this before but I was at the yard in Croatia last year when they hoisted a large motor cruiser (perhaps 60 foot) which had been antifouled and had an ultrasonic system fitted. The hull area a metre square where the sensors were fitted were clear of fouling but ouside of these 4 patches the yard guys reckoned the fouling was what they would normally expect. If that boat had been fitted with say 40 sensors it would have been excellent.

Richard

 

[ashtonmarineservices]

Big thanks Richard

This is starting to confirm our thoughts ie great system if its done right. there seem to be a huge difference in how many many, strength of pulse etc and fitting guides seem limited. This could though be due to OEM's wanting to keep the price down instead of saying that you need more units or it could be that research is still limited. We do think it will take off though but when is the big question!

 

[Neeves]

Big thanks Richard

This is starting to confirm our thoughts ie great system if its done right. there seem to be a huge difference in how many many, strength of pulse etc and fitting guides seem limited. This could though be due to OEM's wanting to keep the price down instead of saying that you need more units or it could be that research is still limited. We do think it will take off though but when is the big question!

It might take off

You suggest the system is being used by a number of reputable organisations and you therefore implies it works. I think the responses here suggest people have been willing to try the technology and that is underlined by the thread mentioned. If you want to engender a bit more support and enthusiasm then simply put the system you intend to market into a leisure yacht under the watchful eyes of PBO and/or YM and then wait to see the results.

I'd actually suggest if you are not willing to run a trial - why would you expect us to do it on your behalf?

I for one will quite happily invest in more money than you mention - if it works. The money you describe is peanuts in comparison to the costs of slipping and applying AF every year. Adding a solar panel to power it would not be an issue for many.

So the ball is in your court - not ours.

Jonathan

 

[Sandy]

I'd be more than happy to do a trial on supplied kit. The boat is currently out of the water and will be going back in at the beginning of April. If you PM me we can arrange to fit the kit and I'll give reports through summer 2017.

 

[ashtonmarineservices]

Hi

Sorry I should have made it clear.

1: we are not the OEM and simply looking to see if it is worth selling
2: We are also in Scotland so if any of the OEM's and not just the one who has sold 21,000 units wants to do this we would be delighted if it would be up here.
3: I think the fact that so many people have mixed reports makes us think a money back guarantee might be the best way forward that we can simply pass on. If people did not bu y with that then we dont think they were serious buyers in the first place.

 

[Neeves]

I think you might find that if Sandy, or I, invest in the system our ability to provide impartial results might be doubted and we would find it difficult to provide a medium on which success could be built. YM, Sailing Today, PBO would test impartially and could then disseminate the information. If you have insufficient confidence to run a trial I don't think any of us will have confidence either.

You are the ones with the motivation - you started the thread.

Jonathan

 

[ashtonmarineservices]

Jonathan

RR, US Military, and other around the world are using this FACT. Also please remember we are not the OEM. we are simply trying to find out if this is for the private user as well as commercial. This is 100% not about our confidence , its about private owners confidence. We have seen the results but we also know that sometimes sailors are not open to new tech regardless of how proven it is. I have also seen reviews in those mags and seen no increase in sales hence why we have been asking the question.

I also see another problem is that tech moves on and people report things for 6 years ago like it is today and sadly will not be changed even though the tech has. This has been shown by a few posts we have put out so my gut feel is not yet. lets wait a few years and not be trail blazers!

Great Idea. Parked for a while and thanks for all your help. It provides good help to big question

Dave