Applying antifoul - novice rookie question

[rogerthebodger]

You could aways keep your boat afloat and have a diver clean off any fouling every so often.

Some of our members do this and I think William_H does

I antifoul my boat every 2 years and slap it on thick, so it lasts longer

 

[Wandering Star]

I use Rota Superfine 4” foam rollers which are slightly more expensive than the usual DIY white foam rollers but which tolerate the chemicals in antifouling paint much better - they don’t crumble & disintegrate. I buy mine from Amazon.

 

[thinwater]

Lets assume a mini-roller holds 2-3 ounces more paint after rolling dry. Paint costs about $1.50/ounce. I am not going to make a process decision (use a mini-roller) based on $3.00-$4.50 that will probably waste 30 minutes of my time (worth a lot more than $3.00) and result in a similar to rougher finish (a smaller brush or roller will never make a smoother finish--that defies physics and experience).

I'm not understanding the reasoning.

Given the thousands we spend every year, it always baffles me where a few dollars bothers people. I probably save it back, anyway, by wearing comfortable old clothes and the same brimmed hat I've used only for painting for decades. More comfortable to me, than Tyveks, which I get for free. And since I use an extension, I really don't get any paint on me, since I'm not under the hull or very near the roller. I will wear Tyveks for extensive fiberglass grinding--it's itchy stuff that will work its way through cotton.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

I guess it depends how many boats you antifoul.

I guess the XOD is obscure to Aussies. No offence, you’re a long way away and it’s totally irrelevant to you. Here in GB, it's quite well known, famous even. Similar in stature to the Etchells class, a fair bit of crossover in fact. In the south, it’s what you sail if you're an ageing Olympian, national champ or someone with something to prove. 2 of our Olympians have died recently, but we still have several. Anyway, the XOD lives in the water, hence my passion for all things to do with bottoms.

 

[LittleSister]

Regardless of which size/type of roller or brush you use, a key issue is maintaining a wet edge. The antifouling dries and thickens very quickly (at least the eroding types that I've used), at which point the roller starts to drag the half-dried paint already on and application becomes harder work, slower and less even. So you want to be painting extending either from still fresh very wet antifoul paint, or fairly well dried paint that won't drag.

The trick I use (learnt from a long ago suggestion in IIRC PBO) is to paint the hull in alternating horizontal stripes. (I guess you could do vertical stripes if you have a big boat that required a lot of ladder work.)

1) First I put masking tape along the waterline
2) Paint the tricky bits that take more time/concentration, and those eroding most and requiring additional coats - e.g. waterline, rudder, keel edges, etc.
3) Starting at the keel (you can start top down but better to do the most bending you can before you're tired and stiff, I find), start at one end of the boat and paint a stripe only about 12" to 15" wide up from the keel - you'll be moving along very fast, so the painted areas you're extending will still be wet and easy.
4) When you get to the end, leave an unpainted stripe of about the same width as before, then paint another stripe of similar width to that.
5) Repeat as above until you reach the waterline.
6) Now go back and paint in the unpainted stripes starting from the bottom one. The earlier stripes will be sufficiently dried to not drag where you roll/brish up to them.

Repeat the above until you've achieved the number of coats you require. I usually do 2 coats in general, and 3 along the waterline, rudder, keel edges etc. that get more erosion.

Something else to consider. I remove and replace the masking tape along the waterline between coats, unless I have someone else helping with the painting and the whole job can be done fast and the paint is still flexible, and certainly if I don't get the whole job done in one day. This does add more time and, of course, uses more tape, but it does mean the tape pulls off leaving a very clean crisp paint edge. Once the paint becomes very dry, by contrast, there can be a tendency for small flakes to pull off with the tape, leaving a raggedy edge to the paint. (Whatever you do, do use good quality masking tape - cheap masking tape is the work of the devil - and don't leave it on for days. Some is supposed to be good for a week, but any of them left on too long are a real pain to get off again.)

Other thoughts -
- Use a roller tray, or paint kettle if brushing, and pour in only a modest amount in from the tin at a time. Then do close the lid on the tin of fresh paint between top-ups. The solvents evaporate fast, and the paint in your tray and/or tin can have thickened up considerably before you've used it all.
- As others have said, you need solvent compatible rollers.
- Wear old clothes/overalls/hat or hood and shoes and gloves (e.g. Marigolds) - you will get paint spattered. When finished, allow them to thoroughly dry and then store them for next year's painting.
- I've seen it suggested to put the roller tray in a disposable plastic bag before pouring the paint in it, and throw away the bag when and retain the 'clean' tray for reuse. I found the bag a nuisance and didn't keep the tray completely clean (plus free plastic carrier bags are rarer these days), so haven't repeated that experiment.
- I originally used to try to clean brushes, roller and the tray, but I generally found I'd spent a lot of time, used a lot of solvent, and still didn't end up with clean re-usable kit, so now simply bin the rollers, brushes and tray (after having squeezed out as much paint as possible either onto the boat or back into the tin), and retain only the roller handles for re-use.
- As others have said, antifouling paint is pretty nasty stuff. Especially avoid getting it in your eyes, mouth, nose, etc., and be mindful of the hazard from your hands, lips etc, if you eat, drink or smoke midway through the job.

Good luck!

 

[Wansworth]

Always remember to stir now and again as the solids sink

 

[johnalison]

For what it’s worth, my method, which I’m not claiming is especially good, just what I’ve always done, is to start at the bow. With the 9” roller fully charged, I run a line along the masking tape to the first cradle support and smooth this down as much as the paint will run. I then continue by spreading the paint into rectangles with a mixture of strokes just rolling and also ‘wiggling’ the roller in the direction of its axis, which helps to spread the paint evenly and thinly. At the boat’s mid-section this creates two or three rectangles from the waterline to the root of the keel. I follow this with the rudder and keel, completing each side before moving to the next. Leaving straight edges makes it easier to pick up again and minimises waste from overlapping. I follow with a small brush to do the fiddly bits around the props and odd fittings.

 

[crewman]

Best thing I found was to use a proper paint stirrer. I bought a propellor type from B&Q powered by a drill. Really lifts the solids from the bottom of the tin.

 

[thinwater]

Good ideas.

• Using a 2-4' roller extension speeds the work (fewer wet edge problems), reduces bending over, allows better control over pressure, and keeps you cleaner (which aids concentration). I do a better, more even job, with the extension. Try it.
• Cleaning solvent-based tools is a waste of time. But remember that you can't clean water-based tools/brushes either. The water that comes off will be toxic and cannot be discharged. They too go int the bin. They only things you can clean with soap and water is your face and arms.
• Yes, the good stuff is in the bottom of the can. I Iike the flat plate sort, because they are easy to wipe clean. The one on the left has been used maybe twice, the one on the right too many times to count for many years, both at the boat and home projects. I just wipe it off.
  
  
  ixers; easy to wipe off.

 

[Fantasie 19]

Try a 6" roller.. I used to use the smaller ones but found the slightly bigger size much quicker while not being as full on as a full size roller...