Or for GRP Hull´s :
Grounding is as important as the antenna itself since it is the antipole to the antenna. The performance of your SSB – equipment - reception and transmission - will be insufficient without good grounding. Steel- and aluminium - vessels bring about optimum grounding properties as for their metal characteristics. Even when an antifouling coating is applied, grounding is realised by capacitive coupling to seawater (capacitive grounding).

It is a much greater challenge to properly ground a GRP – yacht. This can only be realised when allowing for a short cable connection from the tuner to a maximum sized ground plane.

Using dynaplates / sea ground is only a short-term solution to this problem as they start to corrode after a while. Shells and algae add to the problem of loosing effectiveness.

SSB-ground-paint should be applied inside the vessel below the waterline near the antenna – tuner. This also allows for capacitive coupling to seawater. A surface area of about 3qm should be painted for good results. This installation has three major advantages: Firstly, the tuner can be located close to the ground plane. Secondly, we can couple a rather huge area to seawater, and thirdly, the coated area is not susceptible for environmental effects that would lead to corrosion, hence it is maintenance free.

SSB-ground-paint is solvent-free and can easily be applied in the abaft area under the bunks in the bilge. Over coating with conventional spar varnish for conservation is unproblematic. The antenna – tuner is connected to SSB-ground-paint with the help of a broad embedded copper strap. SSB-ground-paint is no lightning protection.

fair winds Joerg