basic
Well-Known Member
I hear from time to time that some people add certain substances to their antifouling in order to improve it's efficiency. Has anyone tried this? Any recommendations?:
Antifouling Additives?
- Thread starter basic
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john_morris_uk
Well-Known Member
If there was any ounce of success with a cheap (legal) fix to your AF problems, the manufacturers would have already done it. The usual suggestion is chilli. Numerous experiments show that it doesn't work.
reginaldon
Well-Known Member
Latest is Jeyes Fluid!
wilkinsonsails
Well-Known Member
Strangely enough we found that Chilli powder worked for us .certainly no barnacles,in two years.
That was two large tubs catering size, in a 2,5ltr can as recommended in North Carolina.
That was two large tubs catering size, in a 2,5ltr can as recommended in North Carolina.
john_morris_uk
Well-Known Member
Strangely enough we found that Chilli powder worked for us .certainly no barnacles,in two years.
That was two large tubs catering size, in a 2,5ltr can as recommended in North Carolina.
I wish that it was so simple.
In boats where the bottom was divided into areas (some with chilli, some without, some one coat and sone two etc) to produce a direct comparison and a 'fair test', (because obviously the boat was in the same waters and exposed to the same conditions) the fouling was worse in the chilli added areas.
There have been magazine articles on the subject complete with photos of before and after. The best results were applying at least two coats of a high quality (and usually high cost!) anti fouling in accordance with the manufacturers instructions. We've taken all our a/f off and applied copper-coat. Time will tell how effective it is.
temptress
Well-Known Member
So in the Caribbean I use ISLAND 44 TBT based bottom pain to which I add the manufacturers supplied 'extra tin' additive. Mind you I have to sing an acknowledgment that I do not intend to use the boat in US waters. Works really well for me. Will apply 3 extra coats with extra extra tin before we head off to the pacific in Feb.
john_morris_uk
Well-Known Member
Very effective a/f but now banned in many places because of the effect it was having on sealife.
AntarcticPilot
Well-Known Member
In fact, banned by international treaty everywhere. It is lax enforcement that allows its use in some places.
nauticalnomad
Well-Known Member
Used to mix round up into my antifoul..
OGITD
Well-Known Member
Copper powder ... & lots of it ..... that's what I'm going to try next ..... 
pathfinderstu
Well-Known Member
There are modern paints out there recently developed that repel 98% of water I was reading recently, for boat use the effects are fantastic. very little friction so more speed also no fouling I wonder if this very green idea will ever be allowed to be passed on to pleasure craft.!
D
Deleted member 36384
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It would be ok on a catamaran but disasterous on a keel boat. (-;
Fimacca
Well-Known Member
Surely there is poison enough on our hulls. WhAt about the fragile seas.......
It only needs a jetwash at haul out time and mine is ok............
It only needs a jetwash at haul out time and mine is ok............
Seven Spades
Well-Known Member
I read that on an earlier thread that someone here adds a load of roundup to his I have no idea if it works but it sounds atrocious.
bbg
Well-Known Member
What tune?
toad
Well-Known Member
Copper powder ... & lots of it ..... that's what I'm going to try next .....
I added half a kilo of copper powder to a tin of copper based A/F this year, so far its worked well. Just brown slime that comes of with a brush on a stick. I will see what its like at the end of the season but I have not had to lift and pressure wash so far.
OGITD
Well-Known Member
Yep! .... done this ...... no weed to speak of ... but squirts from HELL! .... so going down the Copper Road ......
BobnLesley
Well-Known Member
Certainly Tri-butyl Tin is banned. However, when we were down in the Caribbean eighteen months ago we heard of and investigated several 'TBT based' antifoul paints; besides the Island 44 mentioned, Trinidad paints offered one and there was a third whose name I can't now recall was also selling one. We soon discovered that whilst the letters T-B-T might be prominent on the labels and other blurb, there wasn't actually any tri-butyl tin in the mixes; clever marketing though.
As to signing (or even singing) acknowledgement that it won't be used in US waters, you don't need to have TBT in your paint to be in breach of the US' antifoul regulations, the one we have currently (heavily copper based, bought in St Martin) is not to be used in US waters either; given that the stuff was made in and exported from the USA, it did smack a little of double-standards by the Muricans. When in the BVIs I had a conversation with a Chandler about available antifoul paints and was told that he sold xxx, but if you were heading into US waters, you ought properly to use the slightly differently named US permitted version; when I enquired as to what the difference was between the two, he replied: "The US version costs 30% more and is at least 30% less effective."
pathfinderstu
Well-Known Member
I think adding copper powder should be copper oxide powder which I believe is what copper coat is basically made with, I tried some in a high fouling area in eastern med its ok but the same as copper coat in my experience you still get heavily fouled after a season in the water. The best I have tried so far is an antifouling called Marlin made in Trieste in Italy. same price as best International but lasts a lot longer, again am talking from my experience berthed in a Marina where the water is warm .28c in summer high in nuitrients supplied by rivers and land outfalls. I have tried everything from ultrasonic to coppercoat all a waste of time. now in desperation I am thinking about trying risin or weapons grade plutonium. anybody got any spare?
AngusMcDoon
Well-Known Member
The hot chemical in chilis is Capsaicin . It's a clever bit of biochemistry by the plant as this is a chemical that stimulates pain receptors in mammals. It has no effect on non-mammalians. Therefore in antifoul paint it will stop sealions licking your hull, but it will do nothing to the barnacles.
