Anyone use Antifouling Bags?

[IronwoodIsland]

One of the main drawbacks of alloy boats in the chuck (NW name for salt water) is the hassle of dealing with copper paint on an aluminum hull (elaborate primer coats, barrier coats etc.). Our local marinas have prohibited pressure washing of copper painted hulls on their haul out areas (otherwise they would have to put in expensive water treatment systems)

Anyone tried anything like this?

http://www.antifoulingdock.com/

[nabeelah]

Ithink its the same as Sea Pen in Australasia.

[CanCanCase]

Are your props completely shrouded or skegged? Mine aren't... Seems like a hassle and problems waiting to happen. I've emailed the mfgr, but don't expect a reply for at least a few days. I'd be interested to see installations around more than just a dinky glass sailboat. Some video of the install and/or docking/departing procedures would be nice...

Hey, what about a catamaran?

-Case

[Chaps]

Around here that bag would be on the bottom in one season with all the growth that it would get hit with

[S L Dave]

You can't see it too well, but this guy uses something similar that rolls under the boat and then he puts a pool float with some kind of anti fungal (chlorine tabs?) to keep stuff from growing in the pool of water.

[welder]

Could we use a different bottom paint ?

Like one with no Copper in it .

http://www.wholesalemarine.com/pc/ILX-0 ... Paint.html

[Chaps]

Trilux 33 = barnacle food

[JETTYWOLF]

Ithink its the same as Sea Pen in Australasia.

Close proximity, I guess. That's funny.....ya'll do get to see some Jap tackle we don't get to see here.

Australasia....

[IronwoodIsland]

I guess the bottom line is that if I used an antifouling bag to protect the boat, I'd need an antifouling bag to protect the antifouling bag and so on.

Sounds like maybe just the old bent handle long scrub brush to scrub barnacles and the like off the Trilux while they are still soft.

I've seen folks make these long handle brushes out of 1.5" PVC conduit. They use small foam floats to hold a scrub brush mounted on the end up against the hull while you haul back and forth on the long handle. You can bend the PVC with a heat gun to make a shape that will allow scrubbing under the hull while afloat.

[DwayneJ]

Bottomliner is commonly used here. http://www.bottomliner.com/
Close the floating back gate and add a little fresh water and chlorine. Latest version has a back gate which is inflatable/deflatable. A valve to release the air and the back sinks. A small foot pump will raise the back gate.
The idea is not to bottom paint with the added benefit for aluminum boats - Protects the boat from stray electrical currents caused by faulty boat or marina wiring.
Replace them every 3-6 years.
Dwayne