Barnacle removal without scraping

[Ironman162]

Mine works well on Fibreglass and it should also work with a steel hull as it is frequency based.

[senormechanico]

Originally Posted by Mattz

Does it work on a steel hull? Thanks

It ought to work great on a steel hull !
It transmits ultrasonic sound waves.

[cwyckham]

Originally Posted by Boatyarddog

Ultrasonic Antifouling Kit for Boats | General Household | Electronic Project Kits | Kits, Science & Learning | PRODUCTS | KC5498 | Jaycar Electronics

Let me know if they work, maybe I'd buy one too!


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I'm very interested in getting away from dealing with toxic paint, haulouts, etc. I'd gladly pay for a kit if I knew it would work.

It says that it works on aluminum and glass hulls, but not on foam core. I wonder about balsa core.

Also, I'm very concerned about the frequency range. Noise pollution is a very big deal for marine mammals. Dolphins echo-locate at up to 150 kHz. The frequency range is:

Output frequency range: 19.08 - 41.66kHz in 14 bands with 200ns steps

I would want to understand that this has been cleared by an expert in such things. I happen to know a few of those. I wonder who the designer actually is of this unit? I'd like to contact them for more clear specs on the amplitude as well as frequency and whether they've addressed the marine mammal issue.

[Sea Frog]

Originally Posted by cwyckham

It says that it works on aluminum and glass hulls, but not on foam core. I wonder about balsa core.

It won't. Sandwitched hulls will absorb sound waves rendering the whole thing useless. This is how it is done (taken from this site):

If your hull is core constructed the system will work, but the transducers must make direct contact with the outer hull skin. Therefore, some additional installation work will be required by a glassfibre hull specialist / shipwright to remove a small section (approx. 5” / 125mm dia.) of the core material to expose the outer skin. This section should then be filled solidly with laminate and epoxy resins to reinforce and seal this small section of the hull. This newly prepared area can then be sanded to a flat and smooth surface to bond transducer’s mounting ring in the normal way. This process is no different from that undertaken or recommended by boat manufacturers and marine professionals for installation of thru-hull fittings in a cored hull.

And another one with picture here.

So basically it is all about getting to the outer hull, by removing inner layers. I don't think there should be any problem with that.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by cwyckham

I'm very interested in getting away from dealing with toxic paint, haulouts, etc. I'd gladly pay for a kit if I knew it would work.

FYI- Ultrasonic systems do not eliminate the need for anti fouling paint. They are not effective enough to work without it, if indeed they work at all.

[mikereed100]

Originally Posted by Bob1201

Alan, I might add that you should get about 5 years with --- easy enough to jump over the side after 3 years, and check how it's going. The Oxy is now available on line, in my day I had a mate who was a chemist ---- Who,
may I say, said it wouldn't work

Funny you should mention that. Interesting paper here:

http://www.researchgate.net/profile/...7ff74943a4.pdf

"The preparation of antifouling paints using tetracycline
powder results in an unstable product that is
rapidly leached by seawater. Within a few days much of
the tetracycline will have been removed and concentrations
at a boat's surface will be extremely low. Toxicity
tests on marine bacteria and marine algae suggest
concentrations in the mg 1-1 range would be necessary
to provide antifouling activity on boats. These concentrations
are unlikely to occur with this paint. The
small amount of tetracycline that is released from a
painted hull will be rendered biologically inactive
through complexing with calcium and magnesium in
seawater, producing little risk to non-target organisms.
Tetracycline cannot be considered persistent in the
aquatic environment as epimerization and photolysis
will together produce a half life in seawater of about
130 h.
Oysters do not appear to take up tetracycline at a
significant rate at concentrations several orders of
magnitude higher than might possibly result from this
paint. Tetracycline found in oyster tissue does not
reflect any magnification over water concentrations in
this experiment. It is likely that tetracycline taken up by
the oyster is transferred to shell, and not stored in the
flesh. From observations with salmon bone, it is
probable that the tetracycline bound to shell will be
stable and not remobilize into tissue at a later date.
Regulating authorities can therefore be assured that
the use of tetracycline in antifouling paints does not
pose an environmental threat to marine ecosystems.
However, it is unlikely that such paints would be
effective antifoulants."

I have friends who, in the past, swore by putting tetracycline (easily available at vetrerinary supply stores) in their bottom paint, but none of them currently do. Maybe next time I paint I will do one hull with and one without.

[fstbttms]

Jeezus, how 'bout trying to be just a little bit environmentally responsible?

Maybe I'll send a note to all the Santa Barbara hull cleaners, the Habor Manager and Harbor Patrol to be on the watch for you and your antibiotic-leaching boat.

[leftbrainstuff]

Originally Posted by dlymn

There is a the paper on the net where a scientist used 10ml/l of ivermectin in antifoul paint with outstanding results. He warns that this research has not been approved and so does not encourage the use for environmental reasons. I recall farmers spending a fortune on chemicals to spray apples against black spot. Some smart aleck scientist discovered that milk did the same job. He was very quickly quietened.
It's hard to decide what is safe for the environment and what is good for business.

Any truly effective bottom paint will be either illegal or irresponsible to use.

The days are long gone where you could simply maximise anti fouling performance and minimise cost or effort expended without any concern for the wider effects.

Any suitable poison mixed with bottom paint will appear to work brilliantly. Its not magic its basic toxin chemistry.

Whether we like it or not we each have to bear some cost and effort to manage antifouling.

What many are proposing here fit in the remit of the EPA. Discharging toxins or pollutants into the public space carries severe repurcussions.





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[Boat Boy]

Originally Posted by Bob1201

Not that I know of, but I'll share a secret with you.
Next time you antifoul, mix some 'Oxymav' in your antifoul, and
you'll get a few years barnacle free.

Bob1201

What dosage to say 4 litres and is it the powder?

[senormechanico]

Since I installed my Ultrasonitec system, my paddlewheel speed sensor has not fouled.
It used to be stuck with small critters hiding in it after only a few days at the dock or anchor.
Just sayin'.

[deandre]

Originally Posted by 0urh

Time to beach the boat and clean the antifoul. Can barnacles be removed without scraping off? Is there any chemical (eg. bleach, Oxalic acid, etc) that will make them let go?

Mate,

dont put anything BAD into nature incl our oceans....and stay away fro BLEACH

clean it with plain VINEGAR

it kills the barns and softens the shell as it breaks down calcium but dont expect to just wipe it off like magic....a boat YACHT in sailors language is WORK, so i c u with yah white vinegar bottle and NO TOXIC stuff.

cheers mate, I hope you understand that the oceans are no dumping grounds for making life easier

capt. fearless
SV Moonflower
OZ

[Boatyarddog]

Originally Posted by deandre

Mate,



dont put anything BAD into nature incl our oceans....and stay away fro BLEACH



clean it with plain VINEGAR



it kills the barns and softens the shell as it breaks down calcium but dont expect to just wipe it off like magic....a boat YACHT in sailors language is WORK, so i c u with yah white vinegar bottle and NO TOXIC stuff.



cheers mate, I hope you understand that the oceans are no dumping grounds for making life easier



capt. fearless

SV Moonflower

OZ

I couldn't agree more with this post, if your concerned with our decreasing Ocean's health and welfare for all of its creatures, as well our own.
Why would you use a toxic substance to clear away growth, it really is a question of your own personal ethic.

I like to believe that sailors, and hopefully ALL boaters, and commercial interests would begin to see the damage that we as Humans have already caused, that MAY be irreversible.

Let us ALL strive to see our Oceans as the precious vessel it is, for ALL life's sake.
Because what's at stake is the very life we everyday struggle to achieve.


Sent from my iPad SV Cloud Duster

[Cap Erict3]

Originally Posted by Ironman162

Ive had the same experience with prickly replies on the forum but dont take it thar serious.

After all we dont have to read those replies do we. I just skim them over, take it ftom where it comes and move on to the next topic.

Must say I too am getting reluctant to post replies lately and you are right that it should be more of a pleasure.

Try not to let it get to u. The loudest voice cleans boat bottoms. I wonder if that might drive his opinion a bit.


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Looking for another pretty place to work on the boat.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by Cap Erict3

Try not to let it get to u. The loudest voice cleans boat bottoms. I wonder if that might drive his opinion a bit.

What you assume is a "loud voice" is simply the expert opinion of one who does not suffer fools (or bullsh*t) gladly. Those who don't like being proved wrong sometimes take exception to my posts.

[bobnlesley]

Originally Posted by fstbttms

What you assume is a "loud voice" is simply the expert opinion of one who does not suffer fools (or bullsh*t) gladly. Those who don't like being proved wrong sometimes take exception to my posts.

That clears things up nicely. When you (or I anyway) read forum threads and get differing advice/opinions, there's often the question as to: Whose advice should I take/follow? Not a problem on the C&S Forum though as we now know that fstbttms is always right.