antifouling for boot top stripe

[Ian1957]

Is there any advantage in using a boot top paint just above the waterline over just raising the level of self eroding antifouling two or three inches above the waterline? I realise you could scrub the boot top paint, but would have to be very careful scrubbing soft antifouling.

I would be grateful for any observations on the above.

 

[sailorman]

Re: anti-fouling for boot top stripe

i was recommended by the Chap who sprayed my boat to use a mobo a/f for the boot top.
its cheaper than propriety boot tops & just as good

 

[Piers]

Re: anti-fouling for boot top stripe

International Trilux

 

[Dipper]

If you are going to paint a boot top use a hard antifouling like Trilux and a contrasting colour.

Advantages are that this area is subject to more 'water erosion' due to splashing so eroding antifoulings may become thin over the season. Also, a contrasting colour looks nice.

I used to have a boot top line (on my sailing yacht) but I decided it wasn't worth the effort and the hard antifouling didn't stay as clean. I just use the eroding antifouling that I use on the rest of the hull but paint an extra coat.

 

[jerryat]

Well, for the last twenty years or so, and contrary to other replies, we have used exactly the same anti-fouling on the bootline as the rest of the hull, in our case Micron.

Certainly it will wear away if scrubbed too hard, but then we don't want an increasing build-up occuring anyway. It's therefore very easy to clean, easy to apply and we have enough left over from the main anti-fouling each year to do it, and don't have to buy Trilux or anything else.

All I can say is that is doesn't flake and looks great! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[jerryat]

Should also have said that we use a contrasting colour in between the bootline stripe and the main hull anti-fouling.

So, in our case, the hull is dark blue which is carried up to just above waterline, then we have a white (also Micron) strip, then the dark blue Micron 'bootline' strip.

Sounds odd not to use a 'hard' anti-fouling in these positions but it really does work and is far easier to apply.

 

[vyv_cox]

We do exactly that. Over the years we have tried many options, including painting with self-eroding a/f. The problem with this is that over a long season it is very easy to remove the whole lot by over-vigorous scrubbing. What I have done for about the last five years is to paint the top foot or so, including 3 inches above the nominal water line, with hard scrubbable a/f. We had very good results last year with Hempels hard racing white. In UK it now seems to be marketed by Blakes.

We paint the rest with eroding a/f. In use I swim around the boat about thre or four times per season and scrub the top part as lightly as possible. The eroding stuff is easily cleaned by a light rub of the hand, plus the efforts of the fish.

This method has the advantage that it does not colour the water, which can be objectionable in the Med.

 

[DeeGee]

You must use a mile of masking tape /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[Lakesailor]

On my last boat I used Blakes Black Yacht Enamel. You need to put the boot top on first so that the a/foul covers the bottom edge of the paint. If you paint down over the top edge of the a/foul water will creep up behind the gloss and look like the worst osmosis you've ever seen.

On my current boat I'v put on Fresh Water antifoul and just carried it on above the water line.

We'll see if it works (been on a year in this pic)