Antifouling between tides.

[aquaplane]

Antifouling always seems to come up at this time of year as folk start thinking about it for the new season, to be applied on the hard mainly I suspect.

How to prop a up, or where to prop up, a fally over boat is discussed at length.

I have looked and there doesn't seem to be much discussion about bilge keel boats being done between tides. Is that because it's just done without fuss?

My Centaur draws 3' so I'm guessing that somewhere with 3' tide is a bit pants. How much time do folk recon is needed to give it a scrub and slap some more gloop on before the water comes back?

I have trouble with tides just now but things will improve soon.

 

[NorthRising]

I guess the time taken depends how badly fouled the hull is, and how large the area to be scrubbed is. I suppose you could do it over a couple of tidal cycles scrub on the 1st low tide paint on the second.

What I have heard is that it is really important to ensure that before applying the antifoul that all traces of salt have been washed away with shed loads of fresh water and the hull surface dry. I'm told that if salt traces ramain the antifoul is likely to flake off and it will need to be re-done again in the same season. I suppose I'd also need to ensure it has the manufacturers drying time before the tide comes back in.

I hope to do it this way as the lift in and out are not cheap, but interested in the experiences of others.

 

[PlankWalker]

I've been doing it for years, and to do it in one tide you've got to work fast and you need a place with electricity and water.

The secret is to chase down the tide as it recedes with the Karcher or whatever, so that by the time the tides gone so has the weed.

Then go over completely with a scotch pad and fresh water removing anything that the Karcher didn't.

wipe over with old towel / J cloth to remove water from surface, have a coffee and sandwich and leave to dry.

As soon as its dry or at least one hour before the tide arrives start painting the keels, after this you can relax a bit because you can paint faster than the tide rises,

Finally wet and dry the prop and go and have a beer or two you will have earned it

Plank

 

[barnaclephill]

antifouling between tides

This has been covered here recently. Quicker than waiting for relplies try the search function. I recall this thread:
http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=256389&highlight=antifoul+tide
I recall one guy saying how he sponges with a bucket of freshwater, but there was excellent advice there recently.

I've been paying attention 'coz I too have a b/keeler and have found a good, sheltered spot over hardish ground (little depth of mud over stones) and would like to save money. Maybe next time, 'coz I have a few more little welding jobs to do at the same time.

 

[stav]

Since I can not afford the lift out and storage charges always do it between tide but with the big tides in Jersey we do have some nice drying pads with elecy and water. However the last couple of times done it in the cradle no power and no fresh water.

I reckon it takes about 4-6 hours to clean, dry and antifoul for my Nic 36 but thankfully I do not have to get down between bilge keels, also I give her a regular scrub so she does not get to dirty.

Tide 1 scrub and do some course wet and dry (wet).

Tide 2 finish wet and dry, rinse with buckets of sea water then use a window cleaners sqeegy thing to clean and dry the hull. Generally by the time I have finished both sides side1 is ready to go. I always do the N facing side first to give more time to dry and us hard antifoul.

From all of that use a sqeegy and forget flowers being the smell of spring; it is the smell of antifoul!

 

[Quidi Vidi]

I too have a bilge keeler and cant afford lift outs so this is a good thread for me, however i'm confused by some of the replies. Do you need to wash off with fresh water? some of you seem to get by without and where i intend to dry out has no fresh water or electricity.
I'm new to boat owning and this will be my 1st year of anti-fouling so any tips will be useful, sorry to hi-jack the thread but some of the replies have me more confused than before i read it

 

[30boat]

I've been doing it for years, and to do it in one tide you've got to work fast and you need a place with electricity and water.

The secret is to chase down the tide as it recedes with the Karcher or whatever, so that by the time the tides gone so has the weed.

Then go over completely with a scotch pad and fresh water removing anything that the Karcher didn't.

wipe over with old towel / J cloth to remove water from surface, have a coffee and sandwich and leave to dry.

As soon as its dry or at least one hour before the tide arrives start painting the keels, after this you can relax a bit because you can paint faster than the tide rises,

Finally wet and dry the prop and go and have a beer or two you will have earned it

Plank

I would like to do it too but the paints I've been using need at least 9 hours drying time according to the writing on the tin.What results have you been getting?

 

[Ubergeekian]

I would like to do it too but the paints I've been using need at least 9 hours drying time according to the writing on the tin.What results have you been getting?

I did the surprisingly competitively priced Jouster on the grid at Kirkcudbright last year. For once I was glad of the 7m tidal range, as about 4m of that is below the level of the grid, giving me about 7 hours high and dry. OK, she's a wee boat, but that was more than enough time.

I use Nautical antifouling which, on a sunny day with a bit of a breeze, dries very satisfactorily in around an hour.

 

[prv]

The Jotun hard antifoul I used (can't remember the name but I think they only have one hard offering) dried surprisingly quickly. We didn't have to wait between the coats - by the time we had reached the stern the bow was already dry, and that was with three of us painting.

That was in rather more clement drying weather than we have at the moment though.

Pete

 

[catalac08]

I have always done this between tides without problems but it takes me a day to scrub off and a day for two coats of antifoul, after washing off with fresh water - the only difficulty with this is that not all antifouling has a quick dry to immersion time. Most of the better ones have a longer time to immersion. Last year I used Cruiser Uno which went on well and dried very quickly but soon showed the worst fouling I have ever had and I have probably used 10/12 different but mostly budget antifoul brands over the years. This year I will try a more expensive antifoul (Jotun) but that will make it a 3 day job drying out.

 

[reginaldon]

I too have a bilge keeler and cant afford lift outs so this is a good thread for me, however i'm confused by some of the replies. Do you need to wash off with fresh water? some of you seem to get by without and where i intend to dry out has no fresh water or electricity.
I'm new to boat owning and this will be my 1st year of anti-fouling so any tips will be useful, sorry to hi-jack the thread but some of the replies have me more confused than before i read it

Will/can anyone assure Bower15 that not too much harm is done by not washing off with freshwater?

 

[jeanpaulcopie]

Antifouling always seems to come up at this time of year as folk start thinking about it for the new season, to be applied on the hard mainly I suspect.

How to prop a up, or where to prop up, a fally over boat is discussed at length.

I have looked and there doesn't seem to be much discussion about bilge keel boats being done between tides. Is that because it's just done without fuss?

My Centaur draws 3' so I'm guessing that somewhere with 3' tide is a bit pants. How much time do folk recon is needed to give it a scrub and slap some more gloop on before the water comes back?

I have trouble with tides just now but things will improve soon.

I used to antifoul my boat (a 26F)in one tide, once a year without noticing any problem. Had plenty of fresh water with a hose. That was a long time ago... I used the very effective(for the boat, but perhaps not for the maritime environnement..) International TBT. Some years later I bought a larger steel sailing boat (40ft), and still did it the same way, but not with TBT as it was banned. The first year I did the job in one tide but it became a race... Then I thought it would be easier to do the job in two tides... First day one half , then the second day the second half. Much easier and better work as it's always difficult to clean the half lying against the wall. But now in France since two or three years you are not allowed to do that anymore, and you MUST haul the boat out of the water and she is put on a cradle in a special aera with built in gutters where all the muck and antifouling residues go to under ground built in tanks... I now use Jotun "Seaqantum" hard antifouling, as I can't find their "Seamate" brand. I found out that in my Britanny aera once every other year is OK but haul the boat out every year for a good scrub and general maintanence. Breaching the law could be a very costly fine if caught!

 

[alahol2]

Will/can anyone assure Bower15 that not too much harm is done by not washing off with freshwater?

Yes, I can confirm that it makes very little difference to the finished product, either performance or longevity-wise. Given the option I would use fresh water if only because it is likely to be from a hose and is thus easy to use.

 

[Red Admiral]

I have always done this between tides without problems but it takes me a day to scrub off and a day for two coats of antifoul, after washing off with fresh water - the only difficulty with this is that not all antifouling has a quick dry to immersion time. Most of the better ones have a longer time to immersion. Last year I used Cruiser Uno which went on well and dried very quickly but soon showed the worst fouling I have ever had and I have probably used 10/12 different but mostly budget antifoul brands over the years. This year I will try a more expensive antifoul (Jotun) but that will make it a 3 day job drying out.

I don't think it is now possible to use a modern antifouling for between tides application. An International Paints representative explained to me that re-immersing in the time available prevented the full evaporation of the solvents. This would result in poor performance and adhesion. It explained why I had had much worse results with more expensive paints than with earlier cheap stuff.

 

[boatropes]

scrub and antifoul in the centuries old way...

Not just bilge keelers either. I scrubbed and antifouled Phoenix (27' shallow fin keel) against the quay wall at Conwy last year. In position from HW+1 to HW-1 (don't get neaped!) Scrubbing/painting from HW+3 for six hours, inc a break for tea. Plenty of time (for self and madam - she's an accomplished scrubber) for all the proper cleaning and preparation rightly mentioned by others above, special attention to prop and anodes as well. Time for a beer at the pub next door, overnight tied up there, away on the next day's lunchtime high tide. Cost - £15 for powerful jetwash hire from the helpful harbour office. A pleasant experience all round, especially the cost........
Barry the Rope

 

[NorthRising]

I don't think it is now possible to use a modern antifouling for between tides application. An International Paints representative explained to me that re-immersing in the time available prevented the full evaporation of the solvents. This would result in poor performance and adhesion. It explained why I had had much worse results with more expensive paints than with earlier cheap stuff.

Certainly check the product datasheets carefully, International's Cruiser Uno (http://www.yachtpaint.com/MPYACMDatasheets/Cruiser_UNO+eng+A4+Y+20100628.pdf) gives the following minimum drying times variable according to temperature (though I guess a breeze would speed solvent evaporation too):

5°C (41°F) 15°C (59°F) 23°C (73°F) 35°C (95°F)
Touch Dry [ISO] 1 hrs 45 mins 30 mins 20 mins
Immersion 7 hrs 5 hrs 2 hrs 2 hrs

So you need to land the boat far enough up the beach to give yourself the time needed, obviously the shallower the draught the more time you can get. In theory though it should be possible.