Topic: Transducer antifouling paint

[sonar112]

I leave my boat in the water, and need to do something to prevent growth and the transducer.  Does anyone have experience with using a particular brand of paint?  Does it matter?  Will painting the bottom of the transducer effect performance?

[sonar2000]

Yes painting the transducer can be very offending especially if you use lead paint...
there are products for antifouling but on a transduvcer there is nothing like some elbow grease..
That is...just clean it by hand...
where is this mounted?

Chuck

[Humminbird_Greg]

You would have to use an anti-fouling paint that does not contain metal of any sort and that is not porous when dry.  Metals and air bubbles will absorb and scatter the sonar and cause it not to work or to have poor performance.  I know that there are anti-fouling paints out there that meet these criteria as I have seen posts from others that have used them but do not recall a brand.  The best, but not always practical, option is still the elbow grease that Chuck (sonar 2000) spoke of.

[sonar112]

The transducer is mounted on the transom.  Cleaning by hand is not an option, since barnacles tend to slice skin quite readily (ask me how I know this).  I fear that scraping them off with a metal blade may damage the transducer surface (although I have had to do this in the past), so I'd like to prevent them from attaching themselves to the surface and growing.  I can understand how air bubbles in the paint would affect transducer performance, but just imaging how having a couple of barnacles growing on the running surface can screw things up (LOL).  Also, the water is quite cold here in the Spring and Fall, and plunging ones arm below the surface can range from uncomfortable to painful.  There are several transducer antifouling paints on the market which are water based, and contain no metal.  I was just wondering if anyone had actual experience with them, and the results.

Thanks for the replies so far...

[Fay]

I'm with you on having to paint.  My boats are in saltwater about 8 months a year and I will have to paint.
Local fishing forum I watch say they use ablative paint that kills with zinc.  I plan to try my transducer next month first without paint and then with "Pettit Alumacoat SR" antifouling bottom paint.  I hope the readings are the same.  Because this paint is ablative it will wash off.  I know the paint works because
I have been using it on my outdrive and trim tabs for years.  later - Fay

[sonar112]

Thanks for the reply, Fay.  I have looked at the Pettit, which contains zinc, as well as MDR (copper) and Sea Hawk Transhield (copper).  Sea Hawk is the only one of the three which claims to NOT affect the functioning of the transducer...well...almost...

Here is what they have to say (from their web site)...

"Until now, antifouling paints presented problems with a transducer’s ability to provide accurate and reliable depth readings. Now there’s TranShield – antifouling paint specifically formulated to be safe and effective against barnacles on transducers of all sizes."

This statement on the Pettit web site made me a little nervous...

"Transducer Paint 1793 is for use only on plastic transducer housings..."

What does housing mean?  Does that mean only the transducer bracket?  Does housing include the actual transducer sound exit surface(s)?

Let me know how you make out - I need to try something.

[sonar2000]

Housing refers to the piece that the elements are mounted within.

Chuck

[Fay]

Darn Sonar 112,  you have me worried now.  The "Alumacoat SR" has always worked fine on my
old TCR ID-1 unit but units with DI & SI may be a different animal.  The fishing forum "tidalfish.com" people have said that they have used a lot of paint killing with zinc and they all seem to work.
 If the Alumacoat doesn't do well it shouldn't take me long to get it off.
I'm like you, I have got to paint them with someting.   later - Fay

[sonar112]

Sorry to make you nervous, Fay.  If the Alumacoat SR has worked for you in the past, it will probably work fine on the DI and SI ducers.  Same principle of operation, same frequencies, same barnacles (LOL).  Let us know how you make out with your experiment - I need to buy some paint.

[Fay]

Well I have painted my transducer and taken recordings both before and after one coat of antifouling paint
and I am happy to say "I see no difference in picture quality".      Sure had me worried.  later - Fay

[Fay]

Have found that one coat will not last thru summer.  Used two on another boat and worked just fine.
I plan to clean both good next spring and put two coats on each boats.  If it has hurt performance, It must
not be much.  Some of us have got to paint with something.  tight lines - Fay