Too Good to be True ? ? ?

[Ralph Johnstone]

Has anyone tried this antifouling substitute and if so, what kind of results did you get ?

http://www.armourantifouling.com/index.php

Afraid I'm going to need a lot more convincing before I would invest in this device.

 

[sailingdog]

snake oil... if it really worked as they say, wouldn't more people be using it??

 

[Brian Schwerdt]

snake oil... if it really worked as they say, wouldn't more people be using it??

Although I haven't tried this particular product, this reasoning seems self-defeating. If everyone followed this reasoning, no new product would ever be used because "noone else is using it".

 

[sailingdog]

This isn't a new product IMHO. I've been seeing "ultrasonic" antifouling advertised for at least six years... never seen any boats using it... A friend of mine tried one of the systems out about two years ago, and aside from drawing down the batteries, it did little to prevent fouling. I seriously doubt that this system is any different. If it really worked, the big fishing boats, naval ships and commercial ships would be using it instead of traditional antifouling. If it worked, don't you think the EPA would be requiring it to be used in place of the toxic paints currently in use???

Although I haven't tried this particular product, this reasoning seems self-defeating. If everyone followed this reasoning, no new product would ever be used because "noone else is using it".

 

[philwsailz]

Be careful not to use sound damping materials in such an installation...

heh heh heh

 

[catsailor]

The other thing to consider is the equipment damage ultra sound can cause

This isn't a new product IMHO. I've been seeing "ultrasonic" antifouling advertised for at least six years... never seen any boats using it... A friend of mine tried one of the systems out about two years ago, and aside from drawing down the batteries, it did little to prevent fouling. I seriously doubt that this system is any different. If it really worked, the big fishing boats, naval ships and commercial ships would be using it instead of traditional antifouling. If it worked, don't you think the EPA would be requiring it to be used in place of the toxic paints currently in use???

If the intensity was high enough OVERTHE FULL SURFACE OF THE HULL to do anything dramatic, the area around the transducers would be destroyed over time. In reality, the intensity is far to low to be of interest.

In my work we use ultra sound to accelerate corrosion / engine vibration testing, and the stuff is murder. It can drill holes in steel plate, over time.

And, of course, crud grows all over my depth sounder transducer... how about yours?

 

[Chuckbear]

This has been around for years as SD stated. There is absolutely no science that shows it works as claimed. But if you have money to through away I will sell you a system I invented that will keep your bottom from fouling that runs on 9 volt batteries, and for only 1/2 the cost of these more expensive units. Chuck

 

[kloudie1]

Yeah, I remember seeing this a few years back too. I poked around some and found some research.. It does have a basis, but it seemed to work only in the near local area to the transducer.. I seem to remember Practical Sailor looking at the system as well and the pictures showed a 6-8” diameter circle of no fouling on the water side of the hull opposite the 3” hockey puck looking x-ducer.. A boat was rigged according to the manufacturer’s grid and there was heavy fouling away from the sources.. The attenuation where there were bulkheads and other stiff points were located caused heavy fouling.. There are probably some reports on the ‘net.. I recall thinking “good concept but not applicable to boat bottoms with current technology” ..

 

[duality]

lets get maine sail............... he'll test it............he'll test anything!!!!!!!!!

 

[Ross]

About fifteen or twenty years ago there was another product that made the same claims with slightly different technology. It didn't work either.