I don't use one but have raced on boats that use them.
They do work but can be a real pain in the ass to get the boat into. We don't have fast current flow so.not sure how that would effect but windy days are near impossible to get into them.

Donk107 said..
Hi Twodogs

Thanks for that

My mate is actually in a pen in a sheltered Marina so it might not be too bad

Regards Don

I would think it would be worse .

Know a bloke here in Sydney who owns a Soling and uses one.

Absolutely magic in terms of keeping the bottom clean without extra antifoul and saves diving on the boat to keep things clean. It's on a swing mooring, fairly unprotected, so swings nicely with the wind. He sails into it under main alone.

Price wise, much on a par with antifouling up here. An antifoul for a Soling is about $1000 a year (or slightly more), boat bag was about $4k, but lasts about 4 years. Not sure about disposal though.

Donk107 said..

twodogs1969 said..

Donk107 said..
Hi Twodogs

Thanks for that

My mate is actually in a pen in a sheltered Marina so it might not be too bad

Regards Don

I would think it would be worse .

Hi Twodogs

Interested in why you think it would be worse in a sheltered pen (pontoon on one side) than on a swing mooring

Regards Don

I have never put one in while in a pen but my thoughts are.
Pens are tight bag works best coming straight into it.
Bag will not be hanging inline with any current causing the bag to lift.

Jethrow said..
I think using chlorine is a definite no no. If it was discovered you were using it there could be big pollution fines.
The newer boat bags actually pump the water out so the bag is up against the hull.

I think I checked years ago and chlorine was OK in practical terms, since it breaks down so quickly under UV. Just going from memory, the definition of pollution in NSW is ridiculously broad (something like "introducing any matter into waters which changes the physical, chemical or biological condition of the water") that you could get fined for throwing in fishing bait on a hook, piddling into your wetsuit while surfing (not that you or I would ever do that), washing poop from a low-flying seagull off your deck or your hat, or running an Environmental Protection Authority powerboat....... Therefore in reality they only prosecute the most severe cases. This is, IIRC, almost the very definition of a badly conceived law but this is NSW, and AFAIK those who draft legislation have enormous egos and therefore would not condescend to seek any advice on such an issue.