Ultrasonic bottom cleaner

[Powersalt]

There was a big rush of information at the start of the season about the ultrasonic method for keeping the boats bottom clean and I know some forumites were trying it.

Having just come back from sibs and been on the stand being told its the future???? I wonder if anyone has seen any practical results as yet please

 

[aquatom]

I have been told by several people based in the med that it makes no noticable differance. That's the case here but I can't say how it works on the weed in the uk.

 

[jfm]

There was a big rush of information at the start of the season about the ultrasonic method for keeping the boats bottom clean and I know some forumites were trying it.

Having just come back from sibs and been on the stand being told its the future???? I wonder if anyone has seen any practical results as yet please

I fitted "Ultra20" in April this year to Sq58 but unexpectedly sold the boat in June. I did a lift out for the sale survey and the ultrasonic seemed to work well on the hull but badly on the stern gear (due, imho, to the fact the stern gear is acoustically insualted from the hull by rubber). That is the exact opposite of the result you want. I also painted control patches on the hull to make the experiment a bit more scinetific. I have pics btw, will have to dig and find them
I am in touch with new owners of my boat so I hope to get pics on its next lift out, and until then I'm kinda reserving judgement. But if you asked me now whether to buy it for your sterngear I'd advise "no". I'm not fitting it to my new boat; I can think of more debaucherous ways to blow £2grand. But more anon, if I am able to see the liftout.

 

[dmmbruce]

I am trying it on a Heavenly Twins catamaran. I went for the Ultrasonic Antifouling Ltd version, definitely not the Green Blue one. It is on 7am to 7pm. So far it seems to be doing well. The boat is on a shallow warm water swing mooring in Poole in perfect barnacle heaven. Last year the prop was the size of a football at lift out and the hull awful, despite my cleaning it 2 or 3 times. This year it is still looking ok, although I have deliberately done nothing to the bottom. She's not perfect, but the best I have ever seen and she is sailing well too.

She went in 1st week of April, and lift out will be 1st Nov approx and I intend to take some pics and write it up for the forum. So far so good I think. Certainly much better than the 'snake oil' comments have suggested.

Hope this helps.

Mike

 

[bendyone]

I have had a system fitted, there is a lot of information in the MOBO forum regarding it.
So far it works for me but there are a number of systems available and there is a lot more to it than "just fit ultrasonics" Its down to the power and type of transducer, the material the transducer is made from and the position they are fitted in. Also another key point is the length and frequency range of the waves.
I know the system I have works for me, When I last lifted together with other boats mine was by far the cleanest and totally barnacle free.