Simple and effective antifouling
Fouling of the hull is a serious problem that all kinds of vessels have to face. After all, every vessel has a large expanse of the hull directly exposed to the vast depths below – there is a myriad of opportunities for marine life to find their new habitat on the surface of the ship or boat. While it’s not a big problem for very active vessels, moored boats are exceptionally endangered. The problem should not be neglected, especially not with various kinds of antifouling solutions available to the owners.
There are simple and effective solutions. Some of them are even cheap! The first option is definitely to use an antifouling coating which prevents marine life from latching onto the hull. This is a somewhat questionable choice, though, as it endangers the marine habitat with harmful chemicals. The coatings are designed to ablate and are leaving behind traces of biocides that don’t do the marine life any favors. After all, the compounds are designed to kill the various life forms.
It’s usually much better to look around for alternative antifouling solutions. If you want simple and effective, the best choice may very well be ultrasonic antifouling, which is a bit more complex and much more expensive than simple coatings, but works better and is pretty permanent as opposed to ablative coatings. Ultrasonic antifouling will justify its price for every boat owner, as it will last for years to come, even with heavy use. It can work indefinitely, as long as it’s properly set up and powered. Usually, ultrasonic antifouling is combined with other preventive measures, especially with some protective coatings designed to make the hull unsuitable for marine life to even latch on. The options are there, but everyone will have to find the best solution for his own situation.