Will the Mooring Station prevent hull blistering?

The short answer is NO.

The newest information I have seen on the web is THE CAUSES OF BOAT HULL BLISTERS. It was prepared under U.S. Coast Guard Grant #1501.83 by the University of Rhode Island, Department of Chemical Engineering. It is way past my threshold of pain, but there it is. Send me the 2-page summary.

Yacht Survey is provided by David Pascoe, a Marine Surveyor. I believe that he has been around for a while and I have never read any refutes to what he says; which I take to say, that hull blistering is caused by manufacturing and materials. This is confirmed in a article at BOATS.COM entitled Beating Barnacles.

The article make an interesting statement, "Even modern boats, when sanded repeatedly, scraped on the bottom or otherwise damaged by use and age, are liable to show signs of blistering and can, over time, suffer minor damage to gelcoats and laminates." This seems to imply that bottom cleaning can cause damage to gelcoats and laminates. Interesting.

I read at Boat Safe, that the first step in dealing with blisters is to remove antifouling paint. This means that bottom paint does not prevent hull blistering. What do you think about that? If this is a concern of yours, talk to your manufacturer.

Mark

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How does the Boat Bunkers® In-Water Mooring Station prevent bottom fouling?
The MOORING STATION isolates the water in contact with the boat hull from the surrounding water. This isolation prevents water flow, so oxygen and food sources are not replenished. A water treatment may be added to keep the water clean. This virtually eliminates all marine biofouling from your hull.

The MOORING STATION floats in the water with an undershield that is below the props and keel. It has a rear tailgate that lowers to allow access; and rises to completely isolate the water in the MOORING STATION. The boat floats inside the MOORING STATION. The boat hull is clean and protected.

No bottom paint. No hull scraping. No lift. Low maintenance. Easy installation. Cost efficient. Environmentally effective. Suitable for saltwater and freshwater installations.

We have nearly five years of in-water experience with hundreds of customers from Australia to the Canary Islands and NOT ONE BARNACLE. (See the Video Clips Side Bar for further details and information.)

Will my props hit the bottom of the MOORING STATION?
We design our MOORING STATION to be well below the depth of your props or keel. We have not had any instances where a prop hit the MOORING STATION with proper use and common sense. It is generally possible to repair the undershield if it is cut by your props. If the undershield is beyond repair, it can be replaced. If you have a particular concern or application, we will custom design a MOORING STATION for you.

How long will the material last?
The inflation collar is made with a heavy (8 gage) reinforced PVC material similar to that used for inflatable boats. The undershield is made with a lighter weight (10 gage) reinforced PVC fabric. The gate sections are made with rigid PVC tubing.

With proper care and maintenance the MOORING STATION should have a service life of five plus years. The materials used have built-in UV inhibitors with a minimum 10 year life expectancy. We suggest in-water cleaning every eighteen to twenty-four months to extend the life of your MOORING STATION. With over four years experience, no shield has rotted out. We have a 60-day Money Back Guarantee and a two year limited warranty.

Do I need to add chemicals?
No. You do not need to treat the water to prevent barnacle or mussel growth or marine bio-fouling. (See WATER TREATMENT)

Do I need to add fresh water to the MOORING STATION or drain the salt water out?
No. The MOORING STATION inhibits water circulation that supplies oxygen and nutrients to filter feeders such as mussels and barnacles. This is why there is no bottom fouling. For the same reason, you don’t need to pump any water out or replace the isolated water with fresh water. Fresh water can be added to reduce salinity and decrease the chance of corrosion.

Is it hard to install an In-Water Mooring Station?
Not really. The MOORING STATION is designed for easy installation: (1) Lay the undershield out on the ground. (2) Inflate the collar and then attach the undershield with the snap buckles that are built into the undershield. (3) Attach the gate section and its ready to put into the water. (See the Video Clips Side Bar for further details and information.)

The MOORING STATION includes: the undershield with the snap buckles attached; the inflation collar with mooring rings; the gate section including pre-cut and –drilled PVC with stainless attachment pins and the gate inflation tube; and a air pump with air hose and ring clamps.

It can be assembled in under three man-hours. All you need is enough mooring line to secure the MOORING STATION to the dock, a hammer, nut driver and an air-pump for the collar. One person can do it. Two are better. A MOORING STATION suitable for a 30-foot boat weighs about 100-pounds. Secure it to your pilings, dock or seawall with the same care as you would secure your boat.

How do I secure the In-Water Mooring Station?
Apply the same restrictions, regulations and guidelines for securing the MOORING STATION as you would to your boat. In any case, be mindful not to adversely affect navigation, natural resources, the rights of waterfront property owners and the public’s health, safety and welfare as addressed in your local codes and ordinances. Remember, the MOORING STATION floats – allow for changes in tide.

Will the In-Water Mooring Station prevent hull blistering?
All the studies indicate that hull blistering is caused by poor resin and layup techniques. With some boat manufacturers, blistering is severe; with others the problem is moderate; and with others, negligible. Blistering is more prevalent on longer boats than shorter ones. Blistering appears to be related solely to manufacturing materials and processes. (See: Yacht Survey) Neither the In-Water Mooring Station nor bottom painting will affect the development of hull blisters.

The first step in dealing with blisters is to remove antifouling paint. (See: Boat Safe) This means that bottom paint does not prevent hull blistering. A lift may delay the process, but blistering will occur over time if poor resin and layup techniques are used. (We suggest that you conduct your own research and reach your own conclusions.) Contact your boat manufacture if you are unsure.

The newest information on the web is THE CAUSES OF BOAT HULL BLISTERS. It was prepared under U.S. Coast Guard Grant #1501.83 by the University of Rhode Island, Department of Chemical Engineering.

Does the water inside the In-Water Mooring Station get hot?
No. The water inside the MOORING STATION remains at the same temperature as the surrounding water. The MOORING STATION is not a thermal barrier.

How much room does the In-Water Mooring Station take up in the water?
The actual footprint of an In-Water Mooring Station in the water will vary with size. The MOORING STATION is intended to fit beneath the boat. Overall, mooring restrictions are the same as for a boat and must be followed for length, beam and draft.

Will barnacles and marine life grow on the outside of the MOORING STATION?
Yes. Because the undershield is made with a flexible fabric material, the severity and rate of growth is usually less than on a hard surface like a boat. Depending on your local conditions, we recommend the MOORING STATION be cleaned every eighteen months to two years by a diver. If the undershield is damaged, it may need to be repaired or replaced. If you need to take the MOORING STATION out of the water, it is advised that you clean it first.

Can the In-Water Mooring Station sink?
Doubtful. In case of puncture, 90-percent of the air would have to be evacuated from the inflation collar. An In-Water Mooring Station for a 30-foot vessel weighs under 100-pounds and should easily be supported by residual air trapped in the inflation collar.

One cubic foot of air will float just over 60-pounds. Assuming each linear foot of the collar will support 40-pounds (1.2 safety factor) then the smallest model for a 13-foot PWC will support 880-pounds and the largest model for a 51-foot V-Hull will support nearly 3,000-pounds.

How long will the inflation collar hold air?
The collar is designed to hold air for extended periods. However, you will see fluctuations in the internal air pressure with changes in the ambient air temperature. In lower air temperatures, the inflation collar will be softer and air should be added. To keep the inflation collar rigid, in some cases you may have to add air every month or so through air valves located on either side of the inflation collar.

Do I need AC power to operate the tailgate?
No. A foot pump with a two-way valve is provided to inflate or deflate the tailgate air chamber. An optional battery operated air pump is available. The battery is capable of several hundred cycles before it needs to be recharged. To lower the tailgate, the tube is simply deflated by releasing the air pressure at the pump. To raise or lower the tailgate takes under a couple of minutes.

Are there any restrictions or limitations in using the Boat Bunkers In-Water Mooring Station?
Considering that the MOORING STATION is: a non-permanent installation; does not lift the boat out of the water; takes up approximately the same footprint of the boat itself; and will improve water quality by eliminating the use of toxic anti-fouling paint, it should be allowed in virtually any location. Every municipality or county (and in some cases home owners associations) has it own rules and regulations regarding the construction and installation of structures in public waters and it is recommend that you familiarize yourself with the prevailing rules in your area.

In terms of functional limitations, Boat Bunkers In-Water Mooring Stations can be installed in virtually all locations. Prospective users need to be aware that in waters with rapid currents, issues may be encountered in the operation of the tailgate. Tidal currents may impede the gate from lowing or rising properly and may require manual assistance, such as pushing the gate down or pulling it up with the aid of a 'boat pole'. Strong currents may require additional design considerations.

What do I do if there is a hurricane?
The MOORING STATION is full of water. It is like a huge sea anchor and very stable. It will ride up and down on waves and wakes just like your boat. It is not necessary to take the MOORING STATION out of the water if there is a hurricane. You should lower the rear gate and leave it lowered during the storm. MOORING STATIONS have been kept in the water duding hurricanes, but they will not protect your boat from damage during storms or hurricanes. In any case – Good mariner practice dictates that the MOORING STATION be treated as any other floating vessel.

What are the environmental considerations of the In-Water Mooring Station?
The principal benefit to the environment of the MOORING STATION is the elimination of bottom paint and hull cleaning. This means less toxic chemicals in the waters, canals, boatyards and marinas. Less copper paint to remove and dispose of and less sediment dredged from boat basins contaminated with copper.

Currently, the primary means to deal with marine fouling is to apply an anti-fouling paint. The most widely used bottom paints are toxic, ablative and leeching pesticides and are killing our waterways world-wide. California is concerned about toxic buildup and is acting to cut emissions. The European Union has asked the International Maritime Organization to ban all toxic boat bottom paints.

Copper-based bottom paints contain between 20% and 76% copper – a toxic pesticide that affects marine life. The federal regulatory standard for dissolved copper is 3.1 parts-per-billion (ppb). The highest concentration of heavy metal pesticides is in marinas where there can be hundreds of slips and where concentrations as high as 29.0 ppb have been measured. (Passive leaching of copper in a marina is approximately .05-pounds/foot/year. A 40-foot boat will leach approximately 1.8-pounds of toxic pesticide in a year. It is this buildup over time that kills marinas and waterways.) Some states are taking action to restrict in-water hull scraping and pressure washing and are requiring marinas in the Clean Marina Program to haul out boats for bottom cleaning.

The source for much of this information can be found at Sea Grant California.

Another obvious advantage in having a collar around a boat is that it prevents external spills and debris from fouling the hull. Gas, diesel, oil, cleaning agents, varnishes, garbage, trash, sewage, zinc, copper and other pollutants, cannot contact the hull. Any internal spills will immediately be contained by the MOORING STATION. This all makes for cleaner waters and cleaner boating.

Finally, the MOORING STATION has a negligible impact relative to the boat on either direct or inadvertent alteration or destruction of sea grasses, wetland vegetation, bottom sediments, and benthic fauna. (See THE GREEN SOLUTION)

How long has the Boat Bunkers In-Water Mooring Station been on the market?
The earliest versions of our MOORING STATION have been in use for over six years. We began test marketing the MOORING STATION four years ago in world-wide product development and market research. We tested market resistance with minimal market penetration rather than testing market acceptance by attempting to maximize penetration. We took this approach because it substantially reduced initial expenses and us to adjust our engineering, manufacturing, pricing and marketing.

We have sold a large number of MOORING STATIONS over the internet, at numerous U.S. and international boat shows, through test distributors and through trade publications. Our MOORING STATIONS can be found in Europe, England, Canary Islands, Martinique, Dominican Republic, Australia, Canada, and throughout the United States.