Antifouling

[chas]

Which is the best antifoul to keep mussels and barnacles at bay? My boat came out absolutely clear of weed but with thousands of the little ******* in every orifice and attached to any protuberance. Would be grateful for any advice.

 

[quaelgeist2]

In my view it's VC 17m extra from International. Teflon+copper keep everythingat bay, even on a mud berth (Medway), As soon as you move her, everything slides off.
Doesn't build thick layers, so you can add one/two layers a year for ages.

Downside: You got to start from epoxy/gelcoat, i.e. with no old antifouling underneath.

regards
chris

 

[Guest]

A brush!! seriously though averone seams to be looking for stronger and more effective antifouling so you can leave the boat in all year in warm fertile water and not have a trace of growth. This may be possible but expensive and very hard on the environment because of all the toxins needed. In the old days boat bottems wher tarred and 'carreened' ie scrubbed of regularly. A night in a drying harbour mid season is a good chance to check fittings etc and have a quick go round with a stiff brush. The money saved on antifoul can then be reinvested in the local with a sense of having done your bit for the planet. Of course you do need a proper keel...

Roly, Voya Con Dios, Glasson, Lancaster

 

[lezgar]

VOYA OR VAYA

I think that is "vaya con Dios"

 

[Guest]

Re: VOYA OR VAYA

I suspect you are not a linguist. Expect a riposte from owner!

 

[lezgar]

Re: VOYA OR VAYA

"VAYA CON DIOS" is a spanish phrase = goodbye

 

[charles_reed]

Seriously,
The best way to get barnacles to (mostly) fall off is to take the boat into freshwater for a couple of weeks before hauling out - this year infestation has been particularly bad, my log impeller had to be pulled every week to get rid of the larval forms blocking it up.

 

[brianhumber]

I was a fool last year and bought XM cause it was cheaper. Total waste of money - on the areas it did not fall off it acted more like fertilizer. What was that about a fool and his money?

 

[philip_stevens]

I used XM HS3000 this year in place of my non-obtainable (in this area) Jotum SeaGuardian. I am taking the boat out of the water tomorrow, so will let you know what HS3000 was like. As for the barnacles, they did jam the log impeller, but no antifouling was put on it. That was earlier in the season and I had to dry out to remover them from the through hull fitting - as well as weed. I then antifouled the through hull fitting.
Will let you know tomorrow or Friday.

regards,
Philip

 

[chas]

Thanks - I look forward to hearing.

 

[philip_stevens]

I won't be looking at the bottom and pressure-washing (to remove the slime) until Saturday now. The car has to have a new exhaust tomorrow, so I can drive in peace on Saturday. I'll let you know what the bottom looks like.

I do know that the log is barnacled-up again as there was no reading when I left the moorings for the slipway. It was spring high tide when I left. So it will be Saturday.

regards,
Philip<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by philip_stevens on Thu Nov 1 20:57:46 2001 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[philip_stevens]

Chas,
I pressure washed the bottom this morning, and all that was on there was slime and, in places, a hint of slight green weed growth. On the log paddlewheel, as I said, not operating, were barnacles and some weed growth. There was also barnacle and weed growth on the prop, cutter and shaft, as well as some weed on the anode. And that was about all. I was using XM HS3000, which after bad reports of XM antifouling on this site made be worry what the boat would be like at the end of the season. I needn't have worried.

Another boat taken out at the same time, had a growth that old father time would have been proud of. They had used XM as well, but I suspect the 2000 type. It was more a case of scraping than washing their growth off!!

regards,
Philip

I did take a couple of digital photos at the start and finish of the pressure washing, and one to show the difference as I was washing. If you are interested I could email the photos to you to see the difference. I was surprised at the lack of growth after all the bad reports.

regards,
Philip