Principles of Operation:
Anti-Fouling

Desitin

The following recommendation is from Mike Kirk, an engineer in the Center for Coastal Studies at Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Mike recommends using Desitin (an ointment used to prevent diaper rash) on the faces of Doppler instrumentation, and servicing instrumentation on a regular basis. Mike's recommendation is based on his considerable personal experience.

Mike deploys instrumentation off the California coast. During the summer, he dives on his instruments every month or so, reapplying Desitin underwater. During the winter, he extends the service intervals to as much as three months.

Marine Anti-Foul Paints

A marine anti-foul paint made for boat hulls has also proven to be effective for anti-foul measures.  We hear that a paint called "Trinidad", manufactured by Pettit is a good choice.  A similar blend is also now being manufactured by West Marine.  If painting the actual acoustic transducers, you are recommended to use a very thin coat of paint.

Packaging Tape & Plastic Wrap

A common, easy, and inexpensive way to keep the Delrin housing on the Aquadopp, Aquadopp Profiler and Vector clean is to wrap the housing in either clear packaging tape and/or clear plastic wrap (such as the brand name "Seran Wrap").  At the end of the deployment, simply unwrap the protective coating to find a clear instrument.  Tapes such as "Duct Tape" can leave a sticky residue that is very difficult to remove (although it does not actually harm the Delrin housing).