Fouling Characteristics: The operator noted that the breakwater attracts 

 seagulls by the dozens, but otherwise has no effect on marine life. 



Project Analysis: With 2 years of operational life behind it and still no 

 moderate or worse problems occurring, this FTB can be regarded as an 

 engineering success. On initial inspection, inadequate buoyancy might 

 be expected to be a problem, particularly since the builder used rela- 

 tively heavy chain as the coupling material. However, fouling growth 

 poses no major problem and the deepwater site probably eliminates sub- 

 stantial amounts of silt from accumulating in the tire bases. Also, 

 the reserve flotation provided by the polyethylene blocks is helpful. 

 Most importantly though, compressed air is annually shot into the 

 structure and this maintenance will probably prevent any major prob- 

 lems with buoyancy from occurring. This project has the additional 

 distinction of being the most cost-effective structure, in terms of 

 its transmission coefficient relative to its cost per meter squared, 

 of all Goodyear FTBs surveyed. 



63 



