David52
Well-Known Member
Last year bought some Blakes cruising antifouling which was applied in May a couple of weeks before floating.
Being a lazy so and so I thought I would put off cleaning the old layers of anti-foul for another year but did have a run over with a scraper and a scotch pad, flap wheel as well as a pressure wash. The new paint is dark blue the paint under that is light blue a fact that has meaning later. After a short while I noticed that compared to my Port Solent neighbours my weed levels were comparable, I cursed antifouling under my breath and made loud references to Dulux emulsion and tin filings. Feeling that spending nearly 300 on hull paint which seemed to attract marine life was perhaps a bad thing!
However after a quick nip across the channel in heavy seas I noticed to things, first no weed, the second, and err somewhat more startling no paint, areas toward the bow had started to show through last years light blue - after a little more cruising about other areas started to peel, nothing major just an obvious thinning and lots of small bits of light blue on the hull. Now I put at least two coats if not 3 all over, the surface below seemed stable enough and although I have been known to make over 10 knots through the water I would like to believe that eroding anti-foul doesn't erode that fast!?
The good news is there seems not even a trace of weed or growth on the hull, the bad news is it's starting to look like the moths have been busy.
In conclusion has anyone else had issues like this, have I been lax in preparation? Is the paint shoddy? Or have I accidentally stumbled upon the holiest of holies an antifouling that works?
GB
Being a lazy so and so I thought I would put off cleaning the old layers of anti-foul for another year but did have a run over with a scraper and a scotch pad, flap wheel as well as a pressure wash. The new paint is dark blue the paint under that is light blue a fact that has meaning later. After a short while I noticed that compared to my Port Solent neighbours my weed levels were comparable, I cursed antifouling under my breath and made loud references to Dulux emulsion and tin filings. Feeling that spending nearly 300 on hull paint which seemed to attract marine life was perhaps a bad thing!
However after a quick nip across the channel in heavy seas I noticed to things, first no weed, the second, and err somewhat more startling no paint, areas toward the bow had started to show through last years light blue - after a little more cruising about other areas started to peel, nothing major just an obvious thinning and lots of small bits of light blue on the hull. Now I put at least two coats if not 3 all over, the surface below seemed stable enough and although I have been known to make over 10 knots through the water I would like to believe that eroding anti-foul doesn't erode that fast!?
The good news is there seems not even a trace of weed or growth on the hull, the bad news is it's starting to look like the moths have been busy.
In conclusion has anyone else had issues like this, have I been lax in preparation? Is the paint shoddy? Or have I accidentally stumbled upon the holiest of holies an antifouling that works?
GB
