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1 How does the In-Water Mooring Station prevent bottom
fouling?
2 What are some of the benefits of the In-Water Mooring
Station?
3 Do I need to add chemicals?
4 Do I need to add fresh water to the mooring station or drain
the salt water out?
5 How do I moor the In-Water Mooring Station?
6 Is it hard to install an In-Water Mooring Station?
7 How much room does the In-Water Mooring Station take up in
the water?
8 Does the water inside the In-Water Mooring Station get hot?
9 Will barnacles grow on the outside of the mooring station?
10 How long will the material last?
11 What is the warranty?
12 Can the In-Water Mooring station sink?
13 How long will the inflation collar hold air?
14 Do I need AC power to operate the tailgate?
15 How do I operate the Tailgate?
16 How long does it take to raise and lower the tailgate?
17 How do I dock my boat when it is dark – will I be able to see
the mooring station?
18 Will the In-Water Mooring Station prevent hull blistering?
19 What do I do if there is a hurricane?
20 What are the environmental considerations of an In-Water
Mooring Station?
21 How long has the Boat Bunkers In-Water Mooring Station been
on the market?
22 Who will buy the In-Water Mooring Station?
23 Are there any similar product on the market?
24 How much Water Depth do I need to use an In-Water Mooring
Station?
25 Are there any restrictions or limitations in using the Boat
Bunkers In-Water Mooring Station?
Thought
of a question that we did not answer – Or got confused by an answer we
gave? CLICK HERE
1
How does the In-Water Mooring Station prevent bottom
fouling? |
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The In-Water Mooring
Station manufactured by BOAT BUNKERS isolates the water in contact with
your boat’s hull from the surrounding water. The isolation prevents
water flow, oxygen replenishment and food sources so marine life cannot
grow. Think of fish in an aquarium. Without food and oxygen, they will
not survive.
The In-Water Mooring
Station floats on the water with an undershield below the waterline. It
has a rear tailgate that lowers to allow access in and out; and rises to
completely isolate the water in the mooring station. The boat floats
inside the In-Water Mooring Station. It keeps your boat clean and
protected. No lift. No chemicals. No need to drain or add water.
This is true for saltwater and freshwater installations.
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2
What are some of the benefits of the In-Water Mooring Station?
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It is
environmentally safe alternative to toxic bottom paint.
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ZERO pesticides
are released into the water.
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Reduced cost of
marina and boatyard toxic waste cleanup and disposal.
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Negligible
impact relative to the boat on the sea floor.
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Compares favorably
to the cost of other alternatives. Return on investment:
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18-months
compared to bottom painting and hull cleaning.
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1/3rd
the cost of a lift.
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18-months
compared to high-and-dry.
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Increases boat
resale value because a bottom-painted hull reduces value by 10 to 20
percent.
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Saves time and
money by eliminating the need to scrub and clean the boat hull.
- Better fuel
efficiency and performance without bottom paint.
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Keeps floating
debris, garbage, slime, fuel and oil spills away from the boat.
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Isolates any
harmful discharge from the boat into a confined area.
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Helps mooring by
guiding the boat into the dock.
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Installs fairly
easily and requires minimal maintenance.
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Enhances the
esthetic value and pure pleasure of having the boat in the water.
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Eliminates loss of
boating down-time for out-of-water cleaning services.
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Avoids most
permitting and home owner association issues because it is
non-permanent and does not lift the boat.
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Suitable for motor
boats, sail boats, pontoon boats and personal water craft.
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3
Do I need to add
chemicals?
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You do not need to
add chemicals or treat the water to prevent barnacle growth and the
like. However, you can add an environmentally-friendly agent to treat
the water for algae and plant growth. A simple water treatment agent
offered by Boat Bunkers will work. By treating the water inside of the
mooring station, you can control algae, slim and discoloration and keep
your hull perfectly clean. |
4
Do I need to add
fresh water to the mooring station or drain the salt water out? |
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No. The water in
the In-Water Mooring Station is depleted of oxygen, which 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. However,
should you decide to add fresh water, you can do so to reduce water
salinity and decrease the changes of corrosion.
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5
How do I secure the
In-Water Mooring Station? |
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Simply tie it off to
your dock or slip just like you do your boat. Apply the same guidelines
for attaching the In-Water Mooring Station as you would 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 In-Water
Mooring Station floats – allow for changes in
tide. |
6
Is it hard to
install an In-Water Mooring Station? |
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Not really. The
mooring stations are 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 tailgate section and its ready to put into
the water. We include a DVD that walks you through the process.
It can be done
fairly easily in less then two man-hours. All you need is enough
mooring line to secure the In-Water Mooring Station to the dock, a
hammer and an air-pump. One person can do it. Two are better.
A mooring station suitable for a
30-foot boat weighs about 100-pounds.
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7
How much room does
the In-Water Mooring Station take up in the water? |
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The mooring station
is intended to fit beneath the boat and generally takes up around the
same footprint as the boat itself.
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8
Does the water
inside the In-Water Mooring Station get hot? |
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No. The water
inside the In-Water Mooring Station remains at the same temperature as
the surrounding water. The In-Water Mooring Station is not a thermal
barrier. |
9 Will barnacles grow
on the outside of the mooring station? |
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Yes. It is better
to have barnacles in the outside of the In-Water Mooring Station– rather
than on the bottom of your boat. 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 In-Water Mooring Station be removed and
cleaned every one to two years. If the undershield is damaged, it may
need to be repaired or replaced.
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10
How long will the
material last? |
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The inflation collar
is made with a heavy reinforced PVC material similar to that used for
inflatable boats. The undershield is made with a lighter weight
reinforced PVC fabric. The tailgate sections are made with rigid PVC
tubing.
With proper care and
maintenance the mooring stations should have a service life of five to
ten years. The materials used have built-in UV inhibitors with a
minimum 10 year life expectancy. Depending upon your water conditions
and the cleaning and maintenance of the undershield, you may have to
replace the undershield every three to five years.
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11 What is the
Warranty? |
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Boat Bunkers International In-Water Mooring Stations
come with a two year limited warranty. |
12
Can the In-Water
Mooring station sink? |
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Doubtful.
100-percent of the air would have to be evacuated from the inflation
collar. An In-Water Mooring Station for a 30-foot vessel weighs about
100-pounds and should easily be supported by residual air trapped in the
inflation collar.
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13 How long will the
inflation collar hold air? |
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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. To keep the inflation collar rigid, in some cases you may
have to add air every few months or so through air valves located on
either side of the inflation collar. |
14 Do I need AC power
to operate the tailgate? |
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No. The tailgate
rises by inflating a separate tube that that is housed in the tailgate
and runs off a 12 volt battery operated pump. The battery is capable of
many cycles before it needs to be recharged. Many of our customers
report that they only have to recharge the battery three or four times a
year. The battery powered pump comes with a plug-in charger.
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15 How do I operate the
tailgate? |
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To lower the
tailgate, simply turn the handle in the pump station to “Gate Down”.
This will release the air from the tube in the tailgate. To raise the
tailgate, turn the handle in the pump station to “Gate Up” and then turn
the pump on. When the tailgate fully rises above the waterline, turn
the pump off. |
16 How long does it
take to raise and lower the tailgate? |
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When you open
the valve the tailgate will sink in around 90 seconds or so. The
tailgate will rise above the water in about 30 seconds. |
17
How do I dock my
boat when it is dark – will I be able to see the mooring station? |
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The In-Water Mooring
Station can be made as visible as you wish. Passive or active systems
can be added. Reflective tape and lighted docks are examples. Care
must be taken not to confuse other boaters. This might be more of an
issue where the In-Water Mooring Station is on the outside of a dock or
seawall and not otherwise protected by pilings. |
18 Will the In-Water
Mooring Station prevent hull blistering? |
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All the studies
indicate that hull blistering is caused by poor resin and fiberglass
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. Neither
an in-water mooring station nor bottom-painting will affect the
development of hull blisters. A lift may delay the process, but
blistering will occur over time if poor resin and layup techniques are
used. (We suggest that you do your own research and reach your own
conclusions.)
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19
What do I do if
there is a hurricane? |
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The mooring stations
are full of water. They are like a huge sea anchor and are very
stable. They ride up and down on waves and wakes just like your
boat except they are very stable because of the weight of the water.
In the event of a hurricane, take the normal precautions that you
would normally take with your boat. The mooring station
will not protect your boat from damage in a hurricane or storms.
The mooring station can be removed in the event of a hurricane (and
this could be a good time to inspect and clean it). However, Boat
Bunkers In-Water Mooring Stations have been kept in the water without
damage during hurricanes. Should you elect to keep the mooring
station in the water during a hurricane, lower the rear gate and leave
it lowered during the storm.
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20
What are the
environmental considerations of an In-Water Mooring Station? |
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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 29.0ppb have been measured.
The principal
benefit to the environment of the BOAT BUNKERS In-Water Mooring Station
is the elimination of the need for bottom paint and hull cleaning. This
means less toxic chemicals in the waters, boatyards and marinas. Less
copper paint to remove and dispose of. Less sediment dredged from boat
basins contaminated with copper.
Another
obvious advantage in having a collar around a boat is that any internal
spills are immediately contained. Gas, diesel, oil, cleaning agents,
varnishes, garbage, trash, sewage, zinc, copper and other pollutants,
cannot contaminate the surrounding water. The In-Water Mooring Station
will also prevent external spills and debris from fouling the hull.
Finally,
the In-Water 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.
While we
have no reported instances of marine life such as manatee entering a
mooring station, we can not say that they will not. There is nothing to
draw them into the In-Water Mooring Station and neither is there
anything to keep them out. If a manatee enters an In-Water Mooring
Station there is nothing to prevent it from exiting. If there is
concern regarding manatee entering the mooring station, simply close the
gate when not in use. Care should and must always be taken when mooring
– with or without a mooring station.
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21 How long has the
Boat Bunkers In-Water Mooring Station been on the market? |
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The earliest
versions of our mooring station have been in use for over six years. For
the past four years
our current mooring station design has been
in world-wide
product development and testing.
We have large number of
mooring stations all over the world. Our mooring stations can be found
throughout the U.S. in both fresh and saltwater installations as well as
in Canada, Australia, Europe, The Canary Islands, Martinique and
Dominican Republic.
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22 Who will buy the
mooring station? |
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Boat Bunkers
In-Water Mooring Stations are targeted directly to the 20 million
recreational boaters worldwide. Recreational boats that are
bottom painted generally must be repainted every 18-months and still
require hull cleaning. Not only does the bottom paint represent
a recurring cost, it also has a negative impact on fuel efficiency
(3-8%), resale value (10-30%), esthetics, and boat use. The mooring
station will generally recoup recurring costs within 18-months and
eliminates the negative impact of bottom paint. The mooring
station is an alternative to a boat lift at 1/3rd the cost,
and an alternative to dry storage with an 18-month return on
investment. Many of our customers are boaters who can not
or prefer not to use a boat lift. For example many marinas and
condo associations do not allow the use of lifts. Many boaters
who live on the water may not want to invest into a lift or they may
not want block their view of the water. |
23
Are there any
similar products on the market? |
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The concept of an
isolation chamber to prevent bottom fouling has been around for
decades. However, the designs of these older devises are
generally cumbersome in terms of shipping, installation and use.
The unique inflatable design Boat Bunkers
In-Water Mooring Stations allow them to be mass produced transported and
installed in virtually any location throughout the world. |
24 How much
water depth do I need to use an In-Water Mooring Station? |
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If you have enough water depth to dock your boat,
you have enough water depth to use a Boat Bunker In-Water Mooring
Station. In fact, Boat Bunkers mooring stations can even be used in
areas where low tide may result in the unit resting on the bottom with
the boat on top of it, providing there are no sharp rocks or other sharp
objects at could damage or tear the mooring station. The undershield
will rest on the bottom and prevent mud and silt from accumulating on
the hull of your boat. |
25 Are there
any restrictions or limitations in using the Boat Bunkers In-Water
Mooring Station? |
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Because
Boat Bunkers In-Water Mooring Stations are a non-permanent installation;
because they do not lift the boat out of the water; because they take up
approximately the same footprint of the boat itself; and because they
will improve water quality by eliminating the use of toxic anti-fouling
paint, they 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 for
example 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”.
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