Antifouling
Posted: Mon Jun 15, 2020 2:30 pm
Here is a news item on an antifouling, superhydrophobic diamond film, which is supposed to be robust, too: https://phys.org/news/2020-06-antibiofo ... amond.html This is still basic research, so it will be a while until it becomes clear whether it will ever come to market.
I have been wondering, though, about another way to inhibit growth, and whether it would be environmentally friendly. Tie a tarp around the hull, pump most of the water out, and pour enough salt into what remains to raise salinity to the point where marine growth becomes quite uncomfortable. The less water is left inside the tarp, the less salt is needed. Now, salt can be a problem, as shown by desalination plants pumping very saline brines into the sea. Those very die-offs caused by brines do demonstrate that salinity can inhibit growth. And it may be that the amount of salt that would be released from opening up the tarp every time you go sailing would not be enough to be a problem. Of course, the outside of the tarp would have stuff growing on it, but you could turn it inside out the next time. I expect that the brine inside the tarp would also be more corrosive to metal fittings than sea water, so this might not be good for boats with metal hulls, inboard engines, or spade rudders. It might work for boats with outboards and transom-hung rudders. It might even reduce osmosis in polyester resin hulls.
Comments?
I have been wondering, though, about another way to inhibit growth, and whether it would be environmentally friendly. Tie a tarp around the hull, pump most of the water out, and pour enough salt into what remains to raise salinity to the point where marine growth becomes quite uncomfortable. The less water is left inside the tarp, the less salt is needed. Now, salt can be a problem, as shown by desalination plants pumping very saline brines into the sea. Those very die-offs caused by brines do demonstrate that salinity can inhibit growth. And it may be that the amount of salt that would be released from opening up the tarp every time you go sailing would not be enough to be a problem. Of course, the outside of the tarp would have stuff growing on it, but you could turn it inside out the next time. I expect that the brine inside the tarp would also be more corrosive to metal fittings than sea water, so this might not be good for boats with metal hulls, inboard engines, or spade rudders. It might work for boats with outboards and transom-hung rudders. It might even reduce osmosis in polyester resin hulls.
Comments?