Antifoul in cold conditions - any paint experts out there?0

Halo

Halo

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There is a dry but very strong and cold wind blowing from the East until further notice. The day time temperature is set to struggle to 3 degrees C but the wind clhill will make it seem like -4
I have been waiting for ages to antifoul and crane in day is coming fast.
My tin of Tiger Extra says minimum temperature for application is 5 degrees. I have No 3 thinners available. If I thin the Tiger Extra will it stick OK in these conditions provided the boat remains bone dry
What does the panel think and has anyone done this in similar conditions in the past?
Thanks
Martin
 
Halo said:
There is a dry but very strong and cold wind blowing from the East until further notice. The day time temperature is set to struggle to 3 degrees C but the wind clhill will make it seem like -4
I have been waiting for ages to antifoul and crane in day is coming fast.
My tin of Tiger Extra says minimum temperature for application is 5 degrees. I have No 3 thinners available. If I thin the Tiger Extra will it stick OK in these conditions provided the boat remains bone dry
What does the panel think and has anyone done this in similar conditions in the past?
Thanks
Martin
Click to expand...
I dont think you should thin it, no.
There are usually two temp guides.. the air, and the hull. You can warm the tin, but if they say 5 degrees, I guess they say so for a reason. Still, I would rather slap on warmed a/f than thinned a/f.
 
Having antifouled in less than ideal conditions I would definately thin it. (Based upon experience.)
With the cold it will be like spreading tar on. Your hands will get tired very much quicker due to the effort required.
The problem with warming (and I have done this in the past) is the thinners already in the antifoul evapourates off so much quicker and before you get to the end of the tin.
Easter weekend we are coming out for some keel repairs.
I will have to build a tent structure around the front of the keel in order to put a heater inside to get the resin to go off.
Monday I'll be antifouling.
This weather is just pants.
 
Im in the same boat - so to speak, and with Tigra Xtra. I was down on Sunday hoping to have a crack but the wind chill had a temperature of -3.
I would say over half of the boats in the yard I am in have just ploughed on with getting the paint on, but having had a look a the keels of some of the boats, it appears that a few have cracked or stippled. Presumably due to poor curing between coats.

Crane in day was 2 weeks ago...It may be some time before I get in the water now, so decision made for me, wait for the weather to turn!
 
I applied my Flag antifoul this weekend (in Poole). the tin took a lot of mixing, the top end like thinners, the bottom like tar.
I mixed it with an electric rotor till it appeared to be consistent, but the bottom end was still like tar and very difficult to spread so the coverage was poor.
I can't attribute the problem to either the chill temp or my mixing , but I had to add a splash of thinners to the bottom end of the tin just to be able to apply it at all.
Fortunately I got an axtra pint or so from a mate that allowed me to finish the job.

As to the above comment "why make it more difficult?.. wait!"
I have a fixed date for lift in, when the shared crane arrives. If I am not ready I will still be launched so as not to obstruct others.

My last opportunity to a/f it would be Tuesday even if I could take the day off, but the forecast is even worse until then, so I had to commit to it on Sat.
 
It is the dew point which is critical it has to be 3 degrees less than the substrate temp. I use Jotun Sea Queen and was sent the following info:

The dew point is the temperature at which condensation states to form- it is this that you need to avoid.
If the substrate is at 5°C then you are able to paint provided the relative humidity doesn’t exceed 80%. Warming the paint will help the flow out as it lowers the viscosity, but it won’t allow you to paint at colder temperatures or at higher humidity.
The substrate temperature can be higher or lower than the air temperature (imagine a metal pole on a cold day or a car bonnet on a hot day). At this time of year I would imagine the substrate to be colder than the air temperature.


Here is a calculator that may help.

http://www.dpcalc.org/
 
tidclacy said:
It is the dew point which is critical it has to be 3 degrees less than the substrate temp. I use Jotun Sea Queen and was sent the following info:

The dew point is the temperature at which condensation states to form- it is this that you need to avoid.
If the substrate is at 5°C then you are able to paint provided the relative humidity doesn’t exceed 80%. Warming the paint will help the flow out as it lowers the viscosity, but it won’t allow you to paint at colder temperatures or at higher humidity.
The substrate temperature can be higher or lower than the air temperature (imagine a metal pole on a cold day or a car bonnet on a hot day). At this time of year I would imagine the substrate to be colder than the air temperature.

Here is a calculator that may help.

http://www.dpcalc.org/
Click to expand...

Really useful reply - many thanks

The forecast for Wednesday is 3 C with a relative humidity of 70%. Your calculator indicates a dew point of - 2 C so that would mean that I am OK to paint. Intuitively this seems right as things are drying right now although I expect it will be FREEZING to be out there for a few hours.

So conclusion is to watch weather forecast tomorrow and see if things are likely to be Ok over easter and if not get it done on Wednesday/Thursday before it starts peeing down again
 
I had no problems applying either Trilux or Cruiser Uno today, other than both slightly thicker than usual. Go for it - it's not like anyone sees it, or shouldn't :)
 
Is it just me or is the new Cruiser Uno EU slights less viscous than its predecessor. Despite lowish temperatures it seemed less 'treacly', when I applied it on Saturday?
 
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I have just had a conversation with Richard Jerram at International as I am in a similar situation. I was asking about International Interspeed Ultra but I suspect the answers are similar for Tiger but it may be worth sending Hempel (is it?) an e-mail and asking what they think.
Richard was very helpful and said it was best not to apply below 5 degrees as the drying time would be extended too far. He suggested keeping the cans of A/F in the airing cupboard for a while before application to the paint at least starts out warm and runny. It will become thicker as it gets cold. At 5 degrees he recommended leaving it at least 24 hours between coats.
He did not offer any advice as to what to do about any domestic issues that may be caused by the sudden appearance of A/F in the airing cupboard!
All in all I have been impressed with International's after sales service.

Hope this helps.

I am going to have to go for it over Easter whatever the weather.
 
If there is a strong cold wind blowing does that aid or hinder drying? And does it prevent dew/condensation forming???
 
My recent experience as written in a recent Scuttlebutt Thread.

..... I always seem to anti foul in cold weather, early/late March. Last year the boat was in all year so I missed the warm March and the one before that, when it was last anti fouled, was just as cold as this one. Anyway, the point is at 1 to 5 Celsius, Cruiser Uno still goes on well and adheres as expected. The boot top, International's Trilux 33, doesn't tip off smoothly as when its warmer, there are ridges, it sets up or thickens fast when applied but it sticks and works. The boat stays in the water for two years and the anti foul works as expected......
Click to expand...

Cruiser Uno went on fine and I would agree that it appears to be less viscous than previous seasons application.
 
Filled some bits and bobs day before yesterday with a bit more hardener in the mix and 24 hours later it's as tough as the rest of the hull.
 
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