thinwater
Well-known member
Today I went sailing, and while at the marina I pulled up anti-fouling paint panels for their 30-month check-up (for Practical Sailor Magazine).
While I was at it, I lightly brushed one half of three of the panels with a 3% solution of household bleach. They dried while I was out, as they would scrubbing between tides. They went back in.
I will report back in a few months. I think the most likely result is that we won't see any change, good or bad. I don't think there is any material pollution impact. Just a waste of time IMO. But worth a controlled test. Why not?!
[I chose panels with copper-based hard anti-foulant, like Trinadad. Soft paint doesn't stand scrubbing, and non-copper is a whole nuther' set of variables. And 30 months is probably about when it becomes relevant--before this they were mostly clean and didn't need scrubbing.]
While I was at it, I lightly brushed one half of three of the panels with a 3% solution of household bleach. They dried while I was out, as they would scrubbing between tides. They went back in.
I will report back in a few months. I think the most likely result is that we won't see any change, good or bad. I don't think there is any material pollution impact. Just a waste of time IMO. But worth a controlled test. Why not?!
[I chose panels with copper-based hard anti-foulant, like Trinadad. Soft paint doesn't stand scrubbing, and non-copper is a whole nuther' set of variables. And 30 months is probably about when it becomes relevant--before this they were mostly clean and didn't need scrubbing.]