Antifoul Question

[pissativlypossed]

Boat now done one full season, it'a been out of the water twice and had the bottom blasted, last time in October. The bottom looks green but no major growth. I plan to lift and scrub in a few weeks time but will she need re-antifouling, how long should the last (and First) application last?

 

[tcm]

The paint manufacturers wd have us believe that it absolutely max lasts 1 season and so on.

But really, the antifoul is/was primarily either (if v strong with nasties like tbt in) a surface that deters growth ......but since there's not loads of that going on (since it doesn't much deter growth) simply a sacrificial layer which you can scrape/brush/blast if any growth turns up.

So, if you can see a paint layer - that's it. It might easily last several years and lots of them do.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Depends if you've applied an eroding antifoul (eg Micron CSC) or a hard antifoul (eg Interspeed). An eroding antifoul will do just that, erode, so it's probably necessary to apply another 2 coats now. On the other hand, a hard antifoul, providing it is'nt flaking off, should last a couple of seasons. Worthwile speaking to peeps in your marina to see what others do as antifoul performance can vary from one marina to another
You could try copper sheathing. I think tcm may have a few bits lying around going cheap

 

[tcm]

the copper got sold off and after my rather public failure, the company has gone a bit quiet boatwise. Think ok for static stuff.

 

[DavidJ]

If you are going to go to the trouble and expense of a lift out then it's false economy not to antifoul. I've got a Sealine 37 and use the soft antifoul although it's only rated to about 25knots. The hard will stays on (or at least the lattice stays on) and will build up over a few antifouls then it has to be machine scrapped off which doesn't look fun.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

I think the soft antifoul performs better than the hard stuff anyway so its worth using even if you have to re-apply it every year