I was swimming under my boat yesterday (again) to wipe the growth off (again) and was depressed that this is going to have to be a very regular thing. And the more I wipe, the more antifoul I remove and the worse the growth will be.

I thought there has to be a better way and I got to thinking that it would be great to be adding antifouling on to the boat with each wipe, rather than taking it off.

I was picturing the way you wax cars to make them shine. Wouldn't it be great if there was an antifouling polishing wax that could be applied under water and leave you with a super smooth, shiny under side that was resistant to fouling for another 3 months.

Does anyone know of such a product, or should I develop it and make myself rich?

cheapest way is leave it put f the water

I have thought this over a few times. I'm a pull out the water, clean, sand, paint and forget for another 50 weeks type of guy.

Has to be a better way!

Maybe a electronic pulse put tho the boat could be effective?

Maybe noise direct tho the base?

I dunno. ...but a better solution could be out there

My money, if I had any, would be on robotics. Like the proliferation of drone technology, I can see cost effective automatic underwater drones scurrying continuously over the hull cleaning it, popping up only to solar recharge.

Like this but much smaller, cheaper and completely autonomous. I'm off to the patent office!

Know ppl who swear by egg yolks on inboard props as the best thing you can paint on them for antifouling

P.s love the idea of a robotic anti fouling device.
Can see that working big time for houseboats. With a bit of design thought. ..you could build a hull that complements the robotic cleaner. So...you want a new boat...would you like automatic antifouling with that?
Great selling point!!!

Took my boat out last week end for the sole purpose of diving (hold my breath diving) on the hull to give it some attention. I must be a bit sick in the head because the more attention I gave that hull the better I felt. I suppose it's bit like looking back after mowing the lawn and appreciating a job well done.

Now I've also had a J-Kar ultrasonic anti-foul system on my boat (steel hull) for a few years and for the last 12mths, it has run 24/7/52 but still the slime still appears and there were also a few barnies to contend with. I'm sure the system helps as I can remember pre J-Kar days being worse but I'm now not game to turn the system off to confirm it works. When I first installed it, I only ran it when connected to marina power, but decided to give it a 24/7/365 try out after the last slip yard visit.

I use soft anti-foul and my boat stays a lot cleaner when I use it. Unfortunately I have been neglecting the lovely lady for about 5 months, hence the build up of crud.

HG02 said..
I have heard some fishos out in Bass straight use a mixture of anti foul and hot chili powder

Some buy tetracycline powder from rural supplies shops and mix it in with antifoul and there are copper based compounds/molecules you can buy from landscape shops also.

Has anybody used Copper Coat with success on a fibreglass hull?? I suppose if it worked and was economical, everybody would be using it.

cisco said..

HG02 said..
I have heard some fishos out in Bass straight use a mixture of anti foul and hot chili powder

Some buy tetracycline powder from rural supplies shops and mix it in with antifoul and there are copper based compounds/molecules you can buy from landscape shops also.

Has anybody used Copper Coat with success on a fibreglass hull?? I suppose if it worked and was economical, everybody would be using it.

Copper Coat
I wipe it on bolts every day it would be slippery and make a mess of the lift out slings

Thanks for the link

I kind of have.

At one time when racing and keen for every bit of speed I tied and araldited some empty fruit juice bottles to the top of a brush broom head. Then instead of attaching a stick to the brush head like a normal broom I used 1/2" electrical conduit so it would bend. Using that I could scrub the boat bottom because the broom bristles would float upwards against the hull when I pushed the broom head under with the conduit. Hard work though.

I would love to now the truth about the ultrasonic antifoul idea. The story goes that someone noticed no growth around the sonar transponder of navy ships and therefore ultrasonics all over the hull would keep it clean. I bought a kit to do it but haven't put it on the boat yet.

Searching high and low I could never find someone willing to stand up and guarantee it works. You can find the systems for sale, but no proof. If anyone knows they work or has seen proof let me know, I would love to save the painful $$$ every year or so.

Zachery said..
international intersmooth 360 is a self releasing antifoul that i have started using on a few boats i look after, ( not affileated with the company) i am noticing this product to last around 3 years, do not touch the hull it self releases so by touching it you remove it!! slipping boats after two years and they look like they could go straight bak in!!

Not sure if that one is available for mere mortals in Australia. apvma.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication/14106-prs-zinc-pyrithione.pdf

Bruski068 said..
Probably a stupid question but, could someone explain to me why the National Registration Authority for Agriculture and Veterinary Chemicals tested an anti fouling product used on boats

because anti-foul is in varying degrees toxic to the environment and stuff that lives in it. for example:

ukmpa.marinebiodiversity.org/uk_sacs/

all antifouls are toxic, why else does it inhibit marine growth, mask up guys when around this stuff!!!

cisco said..

HG02 said..

cisco said..

HG02 said..
I have heard some fishos out in Bass straight use a mixture of anti foul and hot chili powder

Some buy tetracycline powder from rural supplies shops and mix it in with antifoul and there are copper based compounds/molecules you can buy from landscape shops also.

Has anybody used Copper Coat with success on a fibreglass hull?? I suppose if it worked and was economical, everybody would be using it.

Copper Coat
I wipe it on bolts every day it would be slippery and make a mess of the lift out slings

I am talking about a different product HG.

Copper Coat is an epoxy resin with copper powder mixed in with it.

Check it out here:- coppercoat.com/

Im pricing at the moment Cisco from what Ive read of a few forums it works well

On a few forums Ive googled last night and this morning on average it has good reports the extreme was 13 years and yacht owner was about to touch it up perhaps it was in fresh water who knows but on average it appears popular in the med and UK. and lasts a long time . up to ten years scrub the slime off and your good to go annually or bi annually
By my calculations I need around 7.5 to 8 liters . Id say as a guess it will be around $150 to $200 a liter .
See when I get a return email

cisco said..

Ok, say 8 litres @ $200/litre is $1,600. A diver to scrub slime off twice a year @ $100/dive by ten years is $2,000.

Total cost to keep the yachts bum clean over ten years is $360/year.

If this works, it is very cost efficient. Most places slipping is about $250 out, same in, plus time on slip, plus materials and labour which usually amounts to $1,000 or more for a slipping.

The forums and the testimonials say the product is good. I guess the only other question is what sort of guarantee does the product have???

This is particularly relevant for you HG given the point you are at with your refurb of "Driftwood". That is the name of your yacht isn't it??

Yes Cisco it is my boats Name looking back I may have been better calling her B.O.A.T. But I love every minuet with her .

Yes if you add the time on the hard sanding and scrubbing anti foul and the health concerns is can have. I will be looking closely.
Lift out down here is a little more and add time on the hard and your own time not sailing . Even with beaching legs and having copper cote might be the bees knees a 1/2 annual scrub and clean down the prop