Has anyone used painted coatings with electrodes as a form of antifouling?

[Chantal]

We have a 3 year old Dufour and the time is approaching for us to haul her out and antifoul her for the med waters.

She has previously been painted with Hempel antifouling but we had decided to take the plunge and coppercoat her this year for longevity. However someone mentioned a new system whereby you apply a paint with electrodes in it which causes a vibration that we cant feel but stops marine growth but didn't know more about it.

I can't find anything about it online. Does anyone know anything about it, if so please enlighten me as to who makes it and whether it works!

thanks

[fstbttms]

You have been misinformed. What you need to be looking for is ultrasonic anti fouling. It is not "paint with electrodes in it" but rather a system of hull-mounted transducers that produce ultrasonic vibrations that, in theory, reduce fouling. It must be used in conjunction with an anti fouling paint. I have never seen convincing evidence that it is anything more than snake oil however.

[Dockhead]

Was tested by PBO a few years ago. It does work. But it's not a panacea. It requires several transducers, which Is think is the main reason few people use it -- all those holes.

[Chantal]

Thank you, yes after more research it does seem he mean the ultrasonic systems. Aside from Jaycar which it appears you have to build yourself, including soldering contacts etc, (too advanced for my DIY skills) and uses 5.5A @ 12v, I have found 2 other companies:

• Next generation electronic antifouling technology | UltraSonic Antifouling LtdUltraSonic Antifouling Ltd | Ultrasonic Antifouling for Powerboats, Motorboats, Sailboats & Superyachts ---- which, with 2 transducers for a 10-15m boat comes in around 1149 + vat, so 1390 with a 3 year warrantee and says it only uses 1.1A @12v
• Smart Antifouling :: Smart Ultrasonic Antifouling which with 2 transducers as above, and a solar regulator at €810 + vat, so around 725 all in, with a 2 year warrantee and “average power consumption: 3W - 250mA at 12V’

All 3 companies have relatively few but all positive reviews, still need to refresh the anti-foul paint every 3-4 years.

But it is new technology, (no holes in the hull required by the way) and expensive so the question is, is it better to play safe and go with coppercoat?

Hempel seems to have come up with something new too… a Fouling Release coating called Silic One which uses a hydrogel which forms a smooth non-stick surface on the hull, making it difficult for fouling organisms to attach. The result is less drag in the water and lower fuel consumption – giving you a more efficient fleet and a superb return on your investment.” But it appears that if you take the boat out of the water during the winter, you will have reapply the top coat (no sanding down required though), it may last 2 years if left in the water… however aside from the potential benefits to the environment, I am not sure it benefits the boat owners financially that much! Also can’t find any reviews on it either….

So me thinks it is back to the decision between ultrasonic transducers or coppercoat… any recommendations?

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Chantal

All 3 companies have relatively few but all positive reviews, still need to refresh the anti-foul paint every 3-4 years. What's the point then?

But it is new technology not new, been threads starting/stopping for years and most are still waiting data, (no holes in the hull required by the way) and expensive so the question is, is it better to play safe and go with coppercoat? hard to judge the cost issue because you have to strip all the old paint first

I keep waiting to see better studies etc. because I'm all for the end of traditional bottom paint. But:

It is still just too hard to say whether the ultrasonics will work and/or whether the Coppercoat is really going to save money. No no one is willing to accept manufacturer tests and no one else really seems to want to do the tests. And of course location is a major factor.

[Chantal]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

I keep waiting to see better studies etc. because I'm all for the end of traditional bottom paint. But:

It is still just too hard to say whether the ultrasonics will work and/or whether the Coppercoat is really going to save money. No no one is willing to accept manufacturer tests and no one else really seems to want to do the tests. And of course location is a major factor.

yes i agree, although coppecoat does seem to have a lot of very good reviews. our boat is in the Med, going to different places each year from Spain to Italy, next Croatia, leaving her in Greece, then Greece and onto Turkey..

Havent had favourable reviews as to quality of paint or workmanship in these places, and given the untested waters (excuse the pun) of the ultrasonic method, and the fact that we have the option of getting work done in Tunisia, with high reviews and cheap rates, I think it may be safe to go the coppercoat route, however much it will hurt this year!

thanks for your input!
have a great weekend

[fstbttms]

Based on local anecdotal results of ultrasonic and personal experience with Coppercoat, I wouldn't recommend either. YMMV however.

[Chantal]

why not coppercoat? What personal experiences?
thanks

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by Chantal

why not coppercoat? What personal experiences?
thanks

I own a hull cleaning service. We clean boat bottoms every day. My experience is that Coppercoat has poor anti fouling properties and is not an adequate coating for for regions of moderate to high fouling.

Here is an example. This is a Hallberg Rassey 43 with Coppercoat that we cleaned in Berkeley, California. You are looking at about a year's fouling growth.

[Bill Seal]

The EPA won't allow me to use the old fashioned copper bearing bottom paint on my little 30 footer, the same stuff that's on the bottoms of the 1000' freighters that are docked a few hundred feet away, because of the POLOOOOTION.
You also have to clean the bottom while the boat is still in the water, before you lift it and clean the bottom, lest some of the marine growth get back into the water.
Ain't gubbmint grand?

[Chantal]

thank you. it is a bit difficult to see from the pic.. it looks like the growth is just on the water line, which if this were the Med would be great...!!

but I note what you do for a living, so can you make a recommendations. part of our issue is that the further we go into Eastern Med the less we trust the workmanship etc and as we intend to keep the boat in that region for a good 4 years, we need something that will last, that will allow us to simply haul her out each winter, for the winter, clean and put back in for 6 months over the summer...

thanking you in advance.
chantal

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by Bill Seal

The EPA won't allow me to use the old fashioned copper bearing bottom paint on my little 30 footer, the same stuff that's on the bottoms of the 1000' freighters that are docked a few hundred feet away, because of the POLOOOOTION.
You also have to clean the bottom while the boat is still in the water, before you lift it and clean the bottom, lest some of the marine growth get back into the water.
Ain't gubbmint grand?

Assuming you are in California, not one word of what you just wrote is true. Sorry.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by Chantal

thank you. it is a bit difficult to see from the pic.. it looks like the growth is just on the water line, which if this were the Med would be great...!!

but I note what you do for a living, so can you make a recommendations. part of our issue is that the further we go into Eastern Med the less we trust the workmanship etc and as we intend to keep the boat in that region for a good 4 years, we need something that will last, that will allow us to simply haul her out each winter, for the winter, clean and put back in for 6 months over the summer...

thanking you in advance.
chantal

I assure you the extremely heavy fouling visible in the pic covered the entire hull.

Regarding paint recommendations for the Med, having no experience there I cannot make one. I can only tell you what works (or doesn't) here in my neck of the woods.

[David M]

If there was some sort of system other than a coating that was effective the maritime industry would have it in use. They stand to save hundreds of millions of dollars by keeping their hulls free of growth.

I'm with Fast Bottoms on this, so far these types of systems are all unproven snake oil.

[Chantal]

Originally Posted by fstbttms

I assure you the extremely heavy fouling visible in the pic covered the entire hull.

Regarding paint recommendations for the Med, having no experience there I cannot make one. I can only tell you what works (or doesn't) here in my neck of the woods.

thanks anyway.... is this a typical result of coppercoat in your neck of the woods? Is that water very warm? cheers