underwater wrap to prevent fouling?

[homer]

Our chosen winter berth has a reputation for bad fouling and, as liveaboards, we will be staying afloat so how about this idea. Tie a black tarpaulin (or similar) up underneath the hull. Keeping it dark down there should prevent plant growth and the lack of nutrients should prevent the filter feeders from proliferating. Has anyone tried this? If so, did it work? Any potential snags?
Notes: I would not be bothered with this if the lift out fees were not very high! We have Coppercoat anti-foul so no need to lift just for antifouling. In the spring we will make our way to somewhere with reasonable lift fees for a proper clean, anodes etc. but need a reasonably clean bottom to get there.

 

[jwilson]

Have seen similar done including with purpose made shaped underwater hull covers - but used with boats with conventional AF paints - idea being that instead of poisons from AF washing away into free water they get contained and concentrated in a smaller volume of water around the hull. Might it also work with Coppercoat?

 

[Daydream believer]

so what you are really saying is that coppercoat does not work!!!!!

 

[Rhyddid]

I do recall that there was a company making such things for vessels while moored for extended periods of time.
The "tarp" blackout type material was attached to foam floats which were somehow snuggled up against the hull. Working on the theory if you blocked out the sunlight, "growth" was reduced to a minimum. I have to add I believe this was for craft in the Great Lakes area. I tried to do a cyber-search but to no avail. I suspect it was not a success or I'd seen more about it I guess.
R

 

[prv]

Most of these things are for unattended boats where nobody will be using the heads, galley sink, etc.

Just something to remember

Pete

 

[theoldsalt]

Most of these things are for unattended boats where nobody will be using the heads, galley sink, etc.

Just something to remember

Pete

I think the boat is in Turkey where discharge to sea is banned (even for grey water, I believe) so maybe that problem won't exist.

 

[Gerry]

When at the dock in Panama for an extended period we put a black bin liner around the prop and it worked really well. Secured with cable ties it kept the prop clean for six months. Bit hairy putting it on and off though with crocs sighted in the vicinity!

 

[homer]

I met an Aussie sailor last week and he said that underwater wrapping is common practice "down under" - and it works well.

 

[onesea]

I met an Aussie sailor last week and he said that underwater wrapping is common practice "down under" - and it works well.

I can see it working really well if you dropped a cup of chlorine in at the beginning to kill any trapped bugs. As I understand the chlorine would dissolve and kill the bugs then evaporate out of the water within a few days so the water released would not be Poissoness to marine life just taste a big funny!

The outside of the wrap would end up disgusting though!

 

[macd]

...and, of course, the contents of the bag would progressively become less saline as rain water entered it through any deck and cockpit drains. Salt-water creatures on the whole don't like fresh water.

 

[homer]

Hi Mac, Yes, Melanie said the same thing. (Scrumped any mulberries lately?)

 

[macd]

(Scrumped any mulberries lately?)

Hi Jigsaw. My efforts to constrain Lynne from living off the land (particular other people's bits of it) continue to fail. Trouble is, any ethical considerations that might have existed evaporate as soon as I taste it. Best to both of you.

 

[oldsaltoz]

In Cairns on the North East coast of Oz, I saw a 20 foot power boat with twin out-drives in the marina with what looked like builders black plastic (a lot thicker than most) mounted on a line of pool sticks, the type you have in your swimming pool for the kids.
a single line was threaded through the sticks and the plastic looked to be wrapped around he sticks and stapled presumably with stainless steel staples.
The cord was used to pull the pool sticks against the hull and close out any light.

I suspect this caused some problems because when I saw it again a few moths later, the floats were no longer against the hull the water inside had a whitish look about it, I suspect the floats may have marked the hull or the system did not work very well and the owner had decided to contain some chemical concoction to prevent fouling.

Also noticed the large cats that the tourists out the reef and Islands have no anti fouling at all. They prefer to work hard at getting a very high gloss finish on the below waterline section and simply use divers to give it a scrub when the performance deteriorates.

It must be cost effective for them because they all seem to use the same system.

Good luck and fair winds.