Antifouling Question?

[Dougal]

I know this has come up numerous times, but things change....
What antifoul would you use on a slow 32ft motor-sailor, that is frequently changing environments? It 'lives' in fresh water over the winter months, but is then swapping fresh for salt over a long summer (May to Sept). I don't want to do it every year. Had the boat 8 years and its been done just TWICE in all that time, while using it like this. Only just now starting get bad;-)
Recommendations welcome

 

[duncan99210]

What did you use last time? Sounds as if it worked well, so why change?

 

[Dougal]

Don't know 'cos a French boat yard did it:-( It was black!

 

[simonfraser]

i dont think the barnies etc can cope with the change in salinity

why not just move your boat from one to the other during the summer, good excuse for a trip, would save you all the hassle of AF ?

 

[AliM]

Last summer we were in salt water at home, fresh in dutch canals, salt in the Fresian Islands, fresh (well pretty horrible actually) in the Kiel canal, then brackish in the Baltic, and the same on the return. When we got home we dried out to change the anode and there was no fouling at all. Since then, We have been in the water all winter and had lots of growth, although no barnacles.

Moral : changing from salt to fresh water will be much more effective than anti foul in killing off the weeds and barnacles. So anti foul with whatever is available and you will probably have far less fouling than the boats that stay put!

 

[Dougal]

The biggest problem I have is when being left over winter, there's often fresh water mussels on the stern gear and senders