Apparatus And Method For Protecting Boats From Fouling

Abstract

The invention is an ecological friendly apparatus and method for preventing the fouling of the submerged part of a boat hull by creating a pocket of still and dark water around the boat hull. The darkness prevents algae, seaweed, and other types of sea life, such as plankton, from growing and developing by depriving them of the light needed for their existence. The absence of algae, light, and current caused by the present invention eliminates the food necessary for barnacles and mussels to survive, so barnacles and mussels are also prevented from fouling the boat hull.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] Priority is claimed to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/281,751 filed on Nov. 23, 2009, titled "Antifouling Protection for Boats", by inventor Dan Nicolaus Costas, the contents of which are expressly incorporated herein by this reference.

FIELD OF INVENTION

[0002] This invention relates to the method and apparatus for preventing the fouling by algae and barnacles deposits on the submerged part of the hull while the boat are stationed in a marina, by interposing a blanket between the hull and the surrounding water, thus preventing the light from sustaining the algae's life and cutting off the food feeding of barnacles and mussels.

BACKGROUND

[0003] The fouling of a boat's hull has, and continues to be, a major problem due to the fact that fouling significantly increases the drag while sailing and if not checked, changes the whole submerged part of a hull, propellers, keels or rudders beyond their intended functioning. The types of algae and other fouling factors as well as their speed of depositing and invasive aggression vary with location and climate, but they constitute a problem everywhere. Special paints which delay the formation of deposits have been formulated and used, but while not solving the problem, they were significant polluting agents and have been banned for that reason. Ultrasound and other electrical means have been tried with no significant success.

[0004] Currently, for keeping the hulls in reasonably good shape for sailing, the yacht owners use divers to scrape the algae deposits on their boat's hull on a regular basis while in the marinas throughout the year, and once every year or so, because the repeated scraping also damages the surface, they pull the craft out of the water, clean it and repaint it. These maintenance operations constitute an undesired and significant expense to keep a boat in a good and operational condition. While smaller craft can be regularly launched and pulled out of the water on specially designed launching ramps and, therefore, kept out of the water for the periods that they are not used--thus preventing the algae and barnacles depositing--the larger crafts are left in the water as they are too big to be easily put on a trailer and stored out of the water.

[0005] There are floating docks like the "VersaDock" on which the boats can be driven, thus, being lifted out of the water for the periods that they are not in use but this solution applies only to smaller craft and is cumbersome, very expensive, and applies only to a power craft.

[0006] Other companies or brands like Bottom Liner, Armored Hull, or Docking Chamber use a floating pool of water isolated from the surrounding marine environment by a U shaped inflatable U frame with an isolating heavier than water bottom in which the boat is pushed. By closing the opening through which the boat entered, the boat is isolated from the surrounding water, thus preventing the flow of water around the hull. Since barnacles and mussels are filtration feeders, they cannot feed in a stationary pool of water and, therefore, they will not develop on the enclosed hull. However, algae and weeds will still grow and foul the hull. Importantly, in addition to being very cumbersome and very expensive, this solution cannot be applied to sail boats due to their deep reaching keels, and it is also not practical for larger craft.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] To minimize the limitations in the prior art, and to minimize the other limitations that will become apparent upon reading and understanding the present specification, the present invention is a method and apparatus for preventing the growth of foul, algae, barnacles, and weeds on the submerged parts of a boat's hull regardless of the size or type of craft. The present invention allows sail boats, power boats, or any kind of water craft, to be protected against fouling while stationed in a marina easily, inexpensively, and in an environmentally friendly manner.

[0008] The barnacles feed with algae so if the algae are prevented from depositing on the hulls, barnacles, mussels, and other fouling creatures feeding with algae will be kept away and prevented from attaching to the hull. The algae need carbon dioxide and light for their survival. Thus, depriving algae of either carbon dioxide or light will prevent them from depositing on the submerged hulls.

[0009] A floating blanket that can be applied from underneath on the hull will deprive anything sticking to the hull of the needed carbon dioxide and light, thus, solving the problem. However, adhering intimately to all the submerged parts of a boat is practically impossible given the odd shapes of propellers, rudders, or keels. For these, pockets have to be created such that the propellers or keels will not get entangled in the surrounding blanket. While the pockets do not adhere intimately to the hull or the submerged parts, like propellers or rudders, because they are opaque, they keep out the light, which, in turn, prevents the growth of algae. In addition, the blanket with pockets prevents the flow of water through to the hull, which prevents the barnacles and mussels from having access to their food.

[0010] The parts that are consistently smooth without anything protruding outwards are the first half from the bow side on sail boats and the first 3/4 from the bow side on power boats. These areas require no pockets.

[0011] One embodiment of the invention is a floating blanket, which due to its buoyancy will adhere to anything stationed on water on top of it, by molding to the objects contour. Weights placed in various points of the blanket will sink it such that a watercraft can slide on top of it, and when the weights are pulled out of the water the blanket will float towards the surface folding itself around the bottom of the craft, thus preventing the growth of algae, sea weed, and barnacles.

[0012] The weights, for convenience, are preferably canceled by inflatable floaters actuated by a push of a button by a compressor, thus, overcoming the weights and lifting the floating blanket to the hull. The blanket will have to be secured in a place as a sleep or any other mooring place while the watercraft to be protected is away, and applied on the boat upon its arrival for the duration of the stay, being removed again before sailing.

[0013] Although this embodiment works for power boats, the sail boat, which typically has large protruding keels and rudders, make impractical the use of a protective pocket with a bottom that can be snagged by the keel. By closing a bottomless pocket from the sides around an always centered keel, the blanket will adhere to the hulls bottom and surround the keel keeping it in darkness preventing the photosynthesis from happening, thus preventing the growth of algae. The closing and opening of the two side blankets can be done manually or automatically as desired.

[0014] For the described cases, the floating blanket prevents the growth of algae by occupying the surface of the hull and depriving them of the carbon dioxide and light needed for photosynthesis. Even though not all algae need light to survive, the vast majority do, and depriving them of light prevents their growth.

[0015] For this embodiment, the entirety of the blanket does not need to be floating, but rather only it's upper edge. This upper edge acts like a frame that surrounds the hull at the surface, or line of separation between air and water, and can be pulled intimately close to the hull. The rest of the non floating blanket hangs from this floating frame and is under the water and is held down by weights. The blanket hangs down in a substantially in a vertical position and forms a closed curtain surrounding the boat. The blanket is hangs deep enough, or even hangs all the way to the bottom, to prevent the light from entering the protected area.

[0016] In another embodiment of the invention, the upper floating edge is always floating, and is also visible at the water surface for the boat to enter it. The floating edge can be secured on the cleats of existing sleeps or anchored any place the boats have their stationing spots. Since in open water, or even at a dock, the floating frame is fastened to the dock and anchors, once it is pulled tight against the hull of a boat it will, in fact, anchor the boat itself, provided that the frame is re-enforced by sufficiently dimensioned ropes to withstand the wind force that may try to push the boat away.

[0017] An apparatus for protecting a partially submerged object from fouling comprising: one or more curtains. The curtains are: comprised of an upper edge and a lower edge; opaque; suspended from a surface of a water extending downward within said water in a substantially vertical position. The upper edge of the curtains are substantially at said surface of said water. The upper edge of the curtains are wrapped around a partially submerged object at the surface of the water such that a circumference of the partially submerged object is substantially surrounded by the curtains wherein said one or more curtains, when wrapped around said partially submerged object prevent a light from passing through to a submerged area of said that is wrapped creating a substantially light free zone beneath said partially submerged object. The light free zone prevents growth of algae within the light free zone and on a submerged portion or said partially submerged object. The curtains restrict flow of the water into and out of the light free zone such that growth of filtration feeding organisms is prevented.

[0018] The apparatus for protecting a submerged part of a boat hull from fouling may further comprise a floatation portion, which is attached to the curtains at the upper edge of the curtains. The floatation portion allows the upper edge to float on the surface of the water. The apparatus for protecting a submerged part of a boat hull from fouling may also include a cord, which is attached to the curtains at the upper edge of the curtains. The cord allows the curtains to be drawn around the circumference of the partially submerged object such that the upper edge of the curtains substantially conforms to an outline of the partially submerged object. The bottom edge of the may be joined to itself to form a pocket enclosing the partially submerged object to substantially prevent the light from entering the light free zone. The curtains are placed substantially in a U-shaped configuration to allow the partially submerged object to easily engage with the curtains and be surrounded by the curtains.

[0019] Alternatively, the curtains may be attached directly to the partially submerged object. The partially submerged object is preferably the hull of a boat. The curtains are removed from the hull and lifted out of said water when using the boat and lowered back onto said hull for protection when said boat is anchored. The curtains may even be used an anchoring device by said partially submerged object.

[0020] The partially submerged object is preferably a boat hull, but it may be any object in the water, including, but not limited to a buoy, a pier pole or any other stationary or floating marine object. The apparatus preferably includes one or more weights, which are attached to the curtains. The curtains are prevented from floating by said one or more weights.

[0021] Another embodiment of the invention is an opaque curtain comprising: an opaque curtain; wherein said opaque curtain is wrapped around a submerged object to prevent light from reaching an area beneath said submerged object and preventing growth of algae and filter feeding organisms on said submerged object. Preferably the opaque curtain further comprises: one or more running strips and one or more cords. The running strips have one or more holes and are in a substantially vertical position. The cords engage the holes and allow the opaque curtain to be cinched around the submerged object. The foul deposited on an outside surface of the opaque curtain is easily removed by cleaning. The foul can even be sold as a food source.

[0022] Another object of the invention is an apparatus for protecting a submerged part of a boat hull from fouling, comprising: one or more floating blankets; one or more weights; and one or more lifting devices. The floating blankets are held submerged in water by the weights, preferably below a mooring position of a hull of a boat to be protected. The lifting devices overcome the weights to allow the floating blanket to rise within the water and elevate towards a surface of said water and then mould onto a bottom of said hull and one or more protuberances of the boat. The floating blankets prevent fouling of the hull. Alternatively, the weights are, or are replaced by, a movable frame. The lifting devices are connected to a compressed air source, which may be used to active the lifting force.

[0023] In another embodiment there are two of the floating blankets. The two floating blankets each have a floating portion and a non-floating portion. The two floating blankets adhere to a port side and a starboard side of said hull and adhere to two sides of said keel of the boat. The two non-floating portions define a pocket of darkness around protruding parts of said hull. The lowering and raising of the floating blankets may be accomplished by a moving frame.

[0024] It is an object of this invention to overcome the limitations of the prior art and provide a robust, easy to use, and inexpensive solution to the problem of preventing fouling on boats.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] FIG. 1 is an illustration of a rear view of one embodiment of the invention protecting a boat against fouling by a floating.

[0026] FIG. 2 is an illustration of a side view of one embodiment of the invention protecting a boat against fouling by a floating.

[0027] FIG. 3 is a bottom view of a boat in a slip.

[0028] FIG. 4 is an illustration of one type of means to allow the floating blanket to raise by using compressed air to cancel the weights.

[0029] FIG. 5 is an illustration of a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention and shows how a sail boat is protected by a blanket that is made of two wings.

[0030] FIG. 6 is an illustration of a perspective view of one embodiment of the antifouling blanket that is held on surface by a floating edge in an open position.

[0031] FIG. 7 is an illustration of a perspective view of one embodiment of the antifouling blanket and shows the antifouling blanket in a closed and wrapped position.

[0032] FIG. 8 is an illustration of a perspective view of one embodiment of the antifouling blanket and shows a boat wrapped in the antifouling blanket.

[0033] FIG. 9 is a detailed illustration of one type of a material that may be used to create the antifouling blanket of the present invention.

[0034] FIG. 10 is a detailed illustration of one type of material engaged with floatation noodles in order to create a floating edge of one embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] In the following detailed description of various embodiments of the invention, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of various aspects of one or more embodiments of the invention. However, one or more embodiments of the invention may be practiced without some or all of these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, and/or components have not been described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of embodiments of the invention.

[0036] While multiple embodiments are disclosed, still other embodiments of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, which shows and describes illustrative embodiments of the invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of modification in various obvious aspects, all without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly the screen shot figures, and the detailed descriptions thereof, are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive. Also, the reference or non-reference to a particular embodiment of the invention shall not be interpreted to limit the scope of the invention.

[0037] FIG. 1 is an illustration of a rear view of one embodiment of the invention protecting a boat against fouling by a floating. FIG. 1 illustrates a rear view of a boat 20 moored in U shaped sleep 10 to be protected against fouling by floating blanket 30. As seen, the floating blanket 30 is secured to the existing cleats 31 on the slip's fingers and held under the water by weights 40. While the blanket is being held down by the weights 40, the boat 20 can freely enter or exit the slip. After the boat has entered, by removing the weights 40, the floating blanket 30 will lift up to the surface due to its own buoyancy and will adhere to the boat's hull thus preventing the algae depositing on it. As shown, the weights can be simply pulled out by ropes 60 provided for this task with the condition that the attached strings 50 are long enough to allow that.

[0038] FIG. 2 is an illustration of a side view of one embodiment of the invention protecting a boat against fouling by a floating. FIG. 2 shows a side view of the boat 20 with the blanket 30 held down by the weights 40 distributed conveniently along it for a uniform hold down.

[0039] FIG. 3 is a bottom view of a boat in a slip. FIG. 3 shows the slip 10 and the uniform distribution of the weights 40.

[0040] FIG. 4 is an illustration of one type of means to allow the floating blanket to raise by using compressed air to cancel the weights. FIG. 4 shows an alternate way to allow the floating blanket 30 to float up by canceling the weights 40 due to filling with air of the recipients 70 through pipe 80 from compressor 10 and valve 110. When the blanket 30 needs to be removed from the hull, valve 110 gets closed and valve 120 gets opened to the surrounding atmosphere such that the recipients 70 fill with water and weights 40 pull down away from the hull the blanket 40. The pieces 90 are there to offer a bigger pulling surface on the blanket 30 for more resilience. Preferably, the recipients 70 can be flexible closed compartments, such as spheres, which get inflated by the compressor through valve 110 and deflated by the water pressure through valve 120. The recipients may be any type or shape of vessel.

[0041] There are many ways by which a lighter than water, or floating, blanket can be conveniently applied or removed from a hull, for example, there may be a solid frame tied to the blanket, instead of the weights 40 begin underneath the blanket 30, which is moved up or down by any mechanical means. This would have the same effect. The above described method and apparatus is just one of the possible embodiments of the invention and is preferred because of its ease of use, simplicity, and for the fact that it does not require significant depth space in a marina, which are typically close to shore where the water tends to be shallow.

[0042] Because marinas are often shallow, applying a blanket to the underside of a boat becomes problematic mostly for boats with higher drafts, as sailboats. The keels of the sailboats reach much deeper than the drafts of power boats of similar sizes. Snagging of anything on the bottom as would be the case with the floating blanket becomes a problem. For this, the present invention offers an alternate way of applying the blanket.

[0043] FIG. 5 is an illustration of a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention and shows how a sail boat is protected by a blanket that is made of two wings. FIG. 5 shows the details of a system designed for a sail boat 20 were the blanket is made of two wings 31 and 35 that can open apart downwards swinging around edges 32 and 33 on the left wing 31 and edges 36 and 37 on the right wing 35. The opening is assured, for example, by weights, which are not shown in FIG. 5, that are tied to corners 34 and 38. Edges 32, 33, 36, and 37 can be tied to the fingers of a dock 10 or can be lines of rope tied between poles or buoys anchored anywhere if there are no docks.

[0044] The portion above the areas, defined by the line between points 22 and 23 and between 24 and 25 are the floating sides of the blanket and the non-floating sides are below. The two wings 31 and 35 are connected at the far end, where the bow end of boat 20 is.

[0045] When corners 34 and 38 are pulled down by the weights, the two wings will open forming a V allowing the boat to enter, bow first. Once the boat has entered, the corners 34 and 38 are pulled up and united, for example, by ropes, which are not shown. This way, the floating sides will mould around the contour of the boat, while the non floating, or heavier than water, sides will form a vertical descending tunnel from the inside part of the hull towards the bottom of the water. This vertical tunnel formed by the non floating parts of the blanket will keep the keel, rudder and the propeller in a dark, and still, environment and, thus, prevent algae from depositing due to the fact that they cannot survive without the light necessary for their photosynthesis.

[0046] FIG. 6 is an illustration of a perspective view of one embodiment of the antifouling blanket that is held on surface by a floating edge in an open position. FIG. 6 shows a preferred embodiment of the antifouling floating blanket. The blanket is held up as a floating curtain by a floating edge (or collar) 200. The rest of the blanket 210, which is weighted to be heavier than water, will hang down vertically beneath the water surface from the edge 200. The floating edge 200 preferably is thick and buoyant enough to keep the rest of the blanket 210 floating, which is preferably weighted enough to keep it in a substantially vertical position. As shown, the invention lays on the water surface in a U shaped form, with the collar visible for boat 20 to enter into an appropriate position.

[0047] FIG. 7 is an illustration of a perspective view of one embodiment of the antifouling blanket and shows the antifouling blanket in a closed and wrapped position. Once the boat is inside the U area, the open ends of the U shaped collar are folded over and secured in an embracing position as shown in FIG. 7. The submerged part of the blanket 210 will follow the shape of the collar due to the fact that it is weighted, and the gravitational forces will keep it in a vertical position under the collar 200 forming a vertical tunnel like a skirt or curtain under the boat, with the hull's shape. Because the water underneath of the boat at the mooring point tends to be shallow, the area within the tunnel will be completely dark. Importantly, the blanket 210 and its floating edge 200 are opaque and completely block light. So long as the submerged portion of the hull is in darkness, algae and seaweed will not attach to the boat because they will have been deprived of the light needed for their survival, as their existence depends on the photosynthesis process. If desired, the lower edges of the blanket can be joined under the water forming a pocket, such that light cannot possibly enter from underneath, even if reflected from the sea bed.

[0048] The blanket 210 may be made from any material, natural or man made, so long as it is substantially opaque.

[0049] The U shape of the collar, while waiting for the arrival of the boat, can be ensured in many ways, depending of the place where it is moored. If it is in a U shaped slip, it can be tied to the existing cleats in a flexible manner with bungee cords, or other such devices, such that, when it is folded around the boat it will adhere intimately to the hull as shown in FIG. 7. The folding can be done by pulling, and cinching, the ropes that preferably run through the collar 200 not shown, around and securing them on the boat's cleats. If not in a slip, the floating U shaped collar 200 can be held by an anchor system, such as a three anchor system, wherein two anchors flexibly hold the ends 220 and the center is tied to a third anchor or to the dock.

[0050] Another advantage of the U-Shaped configuration is the fact that a boat can enter either bow first or stern first as desired.

[0051] Another advantage is that by embracing the hull, the anchored blanket 210, and more importantly, its floating collar 200, may actually act as an anchor to hold the boat in a static position. Obviously if this additional anchoring function is desired, the string running through the collar 200 as well as the anchoring system have to be dimensioned adequately.

[0052] FIG. 8 is an illustration of a perspective view of one embodiment of the antifouling blanket and shows the antifouling blanket physically attached to a boat. In this embodiment of the invention, the skirt, rather than being a floating device that is frequently wrapped and unwrapped around the boat, is instead attached to the boat directly. This is useful for when the boat is left unused in the water for long periods of time. FIG. 8 shows that the upper edge 310 of the protecting skirt, curtain or blanket 300 is preferably held above the water level 315 by connection devices 330, such as strings, ropes, bungees, or ties. The connection devices 330 are attached to cleats, railings, or other connection anchors 340. The upper edge 310 is wrapped, cinched, and tied around the boat such that no light penetrates under, through, or over the skirt, which is made of opaque material. Due to the fact that at mooring points the water tends to be shallow, the skirt will generate a pocket of darkness and stillness under the hull. This will, thus, prevent algae and other organisms from depositing on the boat, which is inside that pocket. This skirt under the water can also be part of a larger top cover of a boat. For example, when covering a boat with a cover or tarp, instead of ending the lower side of the cover above the water, by adding to the lower edges the additional material necessary for creating the submerged curtain, this will create the dark pocket under the hull that will prevent fouling. The skirt in this embodiment will be kept stationary and attached to the boat by the top cover not shown, instead of the connection devices 330 and connection anchors 340, or the floating collar 200, as shown in FIG. 7.

[0053] The curtain or blanket forming the skirt is preferably held in a substantially vertical position between the water line and bottom of the water body. For this, the submerged curtain is preferably weighted down with weights that are distributed on the surface of the curtain such that in the event that the lower weights reach the sea floor, and thus, stop pulling downwards the material above them, there are other weights placed above and along the curtain which will continue to pull the curtain downwards. This placement of the weights is particularly important in the embodiments shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, because the material of the curtain or blanket should not be allowed to wander from the substantially vertical position. If the curtain does drift, it may get caught in the boats propellers, rudders, keels, or other protuberances. In the event that the invention is used in the presence of a strong current, such as what may be found in a river, the weighting system is even more important.

[0054] FIG. 9 is a detailed illustration of one type of a material that may be used to create the antifouling blanket of the present invention. FIG. 9 shows a preferred example of curtain, skirt, or blanket design (or material) for the submerged curtain 300. As shown in FIG. 9, the upper edge 310, which has attached vertical running strips 350, which in turn, have holes 360 or other connecting means. Preferably the holes 360 are reinforced. Cord 370, which may be a string, rope, cable, belt, or other type of cord, acts as a belt for sustaining the curtain 300 in the proper position on the upper edge 310, and for hanging the necessary weights, which may be sand bags, weights, or any other object that is heavier than water, from the lower reinforced holes 360.

[0055] FIG. 10 is a detailed illustration of one type of material engaged with floatation noodles in order to create a floating edge of one embodiment of the invention. FIG. 10 shows how curtain material can readily be employed for creating the floating curtain shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7. The floating collar is created by inserting or attaching floatation noodles 380 to the cord 370. In this way, the curtains 300 does not have to be custom made for each boat, but rather a length of material, depending on the boat size, can be cut from a premade roll of the material shown in FIG. 10.

[0056] The material shown in FIG. 10 allows the curtain to be connected to the boat directly as already described above and shown in FIG. 8, added to an existing boat top cover, or used within a floating embodiment as described above and shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7.

[0057] The submerged opaque pockets formed by the present invention, in addition to preventing the growth of algae due to inhibiting the photosynthesis necessary for their existence greatly restrict the flow of water in the protected area. Barnacles and mussels are filtration feeders and if there is no flow of water, they cannot grow or live.

[0058] The foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. While multiple embodiments are disclosed, still other embodiments of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the above detailed description, which shows and describes illustrative embodiments of the invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of modifications in various obvious aspects, all without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the detailed description is to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive. Also, although not explicitly recited, one or more embodiments of the invention may be practiced in combination or conjunction with one another. Furthermore, the reference or non-reference to a particular embodiment of the invention shall not be interpreted to limit the scope the invention. It is intended that the scope of the invention not be limited by this detailed description, but by the claims and the equivalents to the claims that are appended hereto.

Claims

1. An apparatus for protecting a partially submerged object from fouling comprising: one or more curtains; wherein said one or more curtains is comprised of an upper edge and a lower edge; wherein said one or more curtains are opaque; wherein said one or more curtains are suspended from a surface of a water extending downward within said water in a substantially vertical position; wherein said upper edge of said one or more curtains is substantially at said surface of said water; wherein said upper edge of said one or more curtains are wrapped around a partially submerged object at said surface of said water such that a circumference of said partially submerged object is substantially surrounded by said one or more curtains; and wherein said one or more curtains, when wrapped around said partially submerged object prevent a light from passing through to a submerged area of said object that is wrapped creating a substantially light free zone beneath said partially submerged object.

2. The apparatus for protecting a submerged part of a partially submerged object from fouling of claim 1, wherein said light free zone prevents growth of an algae within said light free zone and on a submerged portion of said partially submerged object.

3. The apparatus for protecting a submerged part of a partially submerged object from fouling of claim 2, wherein said one or more curtains restrict a flow of said water into and out of said light free zone such that growth of filtration feeding organisms is prevented.

4. The apparatus for protecting a submerged part of a boat hull from fouling of claim 3, further comprising: a floatation portion; wherein said floatation portion is attached to said one or more curtains at said upper edge of said one or more curtains; and wherein said floatation portion allows said upper edge of said one or more curtains to float on said surface of said water.

5. The apparatus for protecting a submerged part of a boat hull from fouling of claim 3, further comprising: a cord; wherein said cord is attached to said one or more curtains at said upper edge of said one or more curtains; and wherein said cord allows said one or more curtains to be drawn around said circumference of said partially submerged object such that said upper edge of said one or more curtains substantially conforms to an outline of said partially submerged object.

6. The apparatus for protecting a submerged part of a partially submerged object from fouling of claim 3, wherein said bottom edge of said one or more curtains is joined to itself to form a pocket enclosing said partially submerged object to substantially prevent said light from entering said light free zone.

7. The apparatus for protecting a submerged part of a partially submerged object from fouling of claim 3, wherein said one or more curtains are placed substantially in a U-shaped configuration to allow said partially submerged object to engage with said one or more curtains and be surrounded by said one or more curtains.

8. The apparatus for protecting a submerged part of a partially submerged object from fouling of claim 3, wherein said one or more curtains are attached directly to said partially submerged object.

9. The apparatus for protecting a submerged part of a partially submerged object from fouling of claim 8, wherein said partially submerged object is a hull of a boat; wherein said one or more curtains are removed from said hull and lifted out of said water when using said boat and lowered back onto said hull for protection when said boat is anchored.

10. The apparatus for protecting a submerged part of a partially submerged object from fouling of claim 3, wherein said one or more curtains are used as an anchoring device by said partially submerged object.

11. The apparatus for protecting a submerged part of a partially submerged object from fouling of claim 3, wherein said partially submerged object is selected from the group consisting of a boat hull, a buoy, and a stationary marine object.

12. The apparatus for protecting a submerged part of a partially submerged object from fouling of claim 3, further comprising: one or more weights; wherein said one or more weights are attached to said one or more curtains; wherein said one or more curtains are prevented from floating by said one or more weights.

13. An opaque curtain comprising: an opaque curtain; wherein said opaque curtain is wrapped around a submerged object to prevent light from reaching an area beneath said submerged object and preventing growth of algae and filter feeding organisms on said submerged object.

14. The opaque curtain of claim 13, further comprising: one or more running strips; one or more cords; wherein said one or more or more running strips have one or more holes; wherein said one or more running strips are attached to said opaque curtain in a substantially vertical position; wherein said one or more cords engage said one or more holes and allow said opaque curtain to be cinched around said submerged object.

15. The opaque curtain of claim 14, wherein a foul deposited on an outside surface of said opaque curtain is removed from said opaque curtain when said opaque curtain is cleaned.

16. An apparatus for protecting a submerged part of a boat hull from fouling, comprising: one or more floating blankets; one or more weights; one or more lifting devices; wherein the said one or more floating blankets are held submerged in a water by said one or more weights below a mooring position of a hull of a boat to be protected; wherein said one or more lifting devices overcome said one or more weights to allow said floating blanket to rise within a water and elevate towards a surface of said water and mould onto a bottom of said hull and one or more protuberances of said boat; wherein said one or more floating blankets prevent fouling of said hull.

17. The apparatus for protecting a submerged part of a boat hull from fouling of claim 16, wherein said weights are a movable frame.

18. The apparatus for protecting a submerged part of a boat hull from fouling of claim 16, wherein said one or more lifting devices are connected to a compressed air source.

19. The apparatus for protecting a submerged part of a boat hull from fouling of claim 16, wherein there are two of said one or more floating blankets; wherein said two floating blankets each have a floating portion and a non-floating portion; wherein said two floating blankets adhere to a port side and a starboard side of said hull and adhere to two sides of said keel of said boat; and wherein said two non-floating portions define a pocket of darkness around one or more protruding parts of said hull.

20. The apparatus for protecting a submerged part of a boat hull from fouling of claim 16, wherein lowering and raising of said one or more floating blankets is accomplished by a moving frame.