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Old 14-01-2019, 13:16   #1
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Fouling prevention

Newbie here,
I have a question and an idea I want to ask your opinions on.
First the question: Does fouling occur while sailing or mostly while docked.

Second my idea: Specifically for a catamaran, because of little no keel, if when I moored or docked it (stopped moving), I pulled a sheet of heavy polyethylene or other film under her to create a barrier, would that prevent fouling to a great extent. I don't gave my boat yet but I'm considering one like a 32' Iriquois.
Thank you for your help.
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Old 14-01-2019, 13:39   #2
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Re: Fouling prevention

While not moving, docked or anchor. Creating a local batch of water around your boat is done. You will still have to kill off the critters in your local water batch.
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Old 20-01-2019, 16:15   #3
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Re: Fouling prevention

In the 1960s I got a ride in a racing sailboat about 35', no cabin, just an open cockpit in its place. No engine. The boat and others like it were kept in slips lined with heavy plastic sheeting that dropped down on the end for entering and exiting. When re-entering, about a gallon of bleach was poured into the enclosed area and the bottoms stayed slick.
This was in the Oakland, CA inner harbor. I'd like to see someone try that now in California.

And it was a great ride. Fastest I ever went sailing. Most sailboats can give an illusion of speed, this one made speed. I don't remember the knotmeter ever being under 8 knots until we docked.
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Old 20-01-2019, 17:21   #4
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Re: Fouling prevention

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The boat and others like it were kept in slips lined with heavy plastic sheeting that dropped down on the end for entering and exiting. When re-entering, about a gallon of bleach was poured into the enclosed area and the bottoms stayed slick.
Yep, those were called "Boat Bath" or such and they did work. Alternative to the bleach method was to use a shore powered pump to get most of the salt water out of the bath and then to re-fill with fresh from the dock. Also seemed to work.

But then, reality would strike: the boat bottom stayed clean but the plastic sheet didn't, and growth would form rapidly there, and grow and grow and grow, until eventually the added weight of the growth would overcome the buoyancy of the flotation collar around the bath and it would sink. So, folks would drag the bath and its attendant ecosystem over to the launching ramp (and that wasn't easy) to scrub it a couple of times a season. What a mess and what a stench would ensue. Yuck! And over the years, the method has become less popular.

Here in Tasmania a few boats use them... mostly the Etchells fleet here in Cygnet... so its not dead yet!

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Old 21-01-2019, 04:26   #5
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Re: Fouling prevention

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Originally Posted by Lepke View Post
In the 1960s I got a ride in a racing sailboat about 35', no cabin, just an open cockpit in its place. No engine. The boat and others like it were kept in slips lined with heavy plastic sheeting that dropped down on the end for entering and exiting. When re-entering, about a gallon of bleach was poured into the enclosed area and the bottoms stayed slick.
This was in the Oakland, CA inner harbor. I'd like to see someone try that now in California.
I have been in the hull cleaning biz on the Estuary for 24 years and can count on one hand the number of boat bags I have seen during that time.
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Old 22-01-2019, 16:48   #6
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Re: Fouling prevention

Great answers everybody. Now instead of keeping the wildlife off of my hulls I've got to dream up a way to keep them off the plastic.
Thanks for your help.
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Old 10-03-2019, 08:41   #7
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Re: Fouling prevention

If you rub the slime I believe it removes the attraction from the shellfish. Not prevention, just delay. Down here (south Australia) antifoul lasts about 6 months. I asked my friend the other day whether I'd get 18 months a lift when I buy a boat.. 6 months was answered as noticeable growth

We used a trailer sailer as our cruise boat. No antifoul, constant day movement. Hardshells start attaching at 3-4 weeks. Easy to knock off.
The cats are generally shallow? Maybe a weekly broom down her Hull would greatly benefit her lines.
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Old 14-03-2019, 13:17   #8
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Re: Fouling prevention

The Golden Globe 2 racers had trouble with fouling and they were certainly moving!

The winning boat had layers of hard finish bottom paint over coated with ablative. He had a clean bottom at the finish. When I raced our boat, I brushed the bottom weekly and had a diver scrub the bottom twice a season. The boat was pretty clean.

Have fun!
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