Superhydrophobic boat hull?

[Flynny]

I found this really cool stuff called super-hydrophobic spray on youtube this morning. It's like Super Rain-X. I'll just let the video explain it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7is6r6zXFDc

So I was thinking of potential uses, and I thought "What if you coated a hull in this?". This is just a hypothetical question because I imagine painting a whole hull with that would be very expensive, but imagine the decrease in drag. Wouldn't a hull painted with that have a much faster hole-shot and higher top speed? Not to mention the fuel savings. Or maybe I'm thinking of it wrong and it wouldn't work that way on a hull. Thoughts?

 

[Philip_G]

Re: Superhydrophobic boat hull?

Your boat turns into a hovercraft

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Superhydrophobic boat hull?

You will actually end up with a hull that is SLOWER... Its too early in the morning for me to get into (or even remember!) the physics behind it, but in highly competitive boating events (rowing, sailing, & pwc racing in particular), the practice hull may be waxed to protect it, but the competition hull is always unwaxed. Waxing adds a very small speed penalty.

Basically you want a wetted hull, if it is hydophobic it is trying to push the water away. It disrupts the laminar flow and prevents a good boundary layer from being set up.

 

[sschefer]

Re: Superhydrophobic boat hull?

You will actually end up with a hull that is SLOWER... Its too early in the morning for me to get into (or even remember!) the physics behind it, but in highly competitive boating events (rowing, sailing, & pwc racing in particular), the practice hull may be waxed to protect it, but the competition hull is always unwaxed. Waxing adds a very small speed penalty.

Basically you want a wetted hull, if it is hydophobic it is trying to push the water away. It disrupts the laminar flow and prevents a good boundary layer from being set up.

Exactly.. Interlux had a product that had teflon in it. Guy's would put it on smooth as a baby's behind but later found the a rolled (somewhat dimpled) was actually better for speed. Sort of like the golf ball effect but I'm no hydrodynamic expert so I'm just goin on what others said. I used it and rolled it and had zero loss of speed but no noticeble gain either. My conclusion -- Paid a lot and got nothing extra in return.

 

[JB]

Re: Superhydrophobic boat hull?

If that stuff would work to decrease friction they would put it on golf balls. Smokingcrater has it exactly right. Texturing the hull (or golf ball) captures a layer of water (or air) on the surface. Water on water is slicker than anything except air on air.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Superhydrophobic boat hull?

Actually, the stuff would work great on a boat.......put it on the windshield

 

[seaman-recruit]

Re: Superhydrophobic boat hull?

For God's sake just be careful - please remember what happened to Clark Griswald when he put this stuff on his snow saucer.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Superhydrophobic boat hull?

SLAM DUNK for the NEWB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LAUGHING MY A OFF!

 

[5150abf]

Re: Superhydrophobic boat hull?

He put it on a toilet brush and a sweatshirt but I wonder if it will work on paint, I hate water spots and haven't found a regular wax that will keep them off, interesting.

 

[smclear]

Re: Superhydrophobic boat hull?

You will actually end up with a hull that is SLOWER... Its too early in the morning for me to get into (or even remember!) the physics behind it, but in highly competitive boating events (rowing, sailing, & pwc racing in particular), the practice hull may be waxed to protect it, but the competition hull is always unwaxed. Waxing adds a very small speed penalty.

Basically you want a wetted hull, if it is hydophobic it is trying to push the water away. It disrupts the laminar flow and prevents a good boundary layer from being set up.

Absolutely correct. In fact, many (maybe most or all) offshore racing boats will sand their bottoms to rough them up. The roughness allows tiny air bubbles get trapped under the hull creating much less resistance (and higher speed). I am not recommending this practice for the average boater. Just shows that "waxing" or applying any kind of similar product won't necessarily do anything for performance. It would probably make it much easier to keep nice and clean though.

 

[scrit9mm]

Re: Superhydrophobic boat hull?

here's a tip for iboats product buyers, Get this stuff!!! I cannot wait until it is for sale! My tarps will actually work with that stuff!!

 

[woodsyfeller]

Re: Superhydrophobic boat hull?

Just coat the outside of the transom with it ,as it pushes the water away it should causes forward thrust on your boat.

I bet if you covered the outside of your hull it would sink since the water doesnt want to make contact with the sides it looses all its bouency.

 

[DuckHunterJon]

Re: Superhydrophobic boat hull?

And just to build on Woodsy's point, if you want your boat to float higher in shallow water, just spray the hull with WD-40, since we all know the WD stands for Water Displacement