tcm
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Right, so we've establishd that for super-protection against barnacles in areas of heavy barnacle-fouling-on-the -hull you need some axshul copper powder. You mix this i kilo of copper powder to 1 litre of Trilux, and all very fine, pretty much no barnacles and have had boat in for 2 seasons in french med antibes, right next to HMS Barnacle Farm which has still not moved or even turned engines on for 6 years and counting and where our boat used to get covered in barnacles inside 4-6 weeks in summer, but no longer.
Firstly, I have found a new source of copper powder at Trylon selling 250micron copper at about 11quid a kilo, ie 56 quid for a 5 kilo tub. Which is dead cheap, the reason beingt that it is not chemicaly pure copper, just 99. something percent which is fine.
The second issue, relates to some people using copper as above, bosh the boat in the water and not getting super-protection. Harumph. And ok, one or two barnacls on our boat also turned up next to bronze fittings even though painted with copper-infused paint. Why is this? Well, it's cos the oxides of copper are the thing that repels the barnacles, not the copper. And the copper needs to oxidize and go greeenish first before chucking boat back in the sea.
Soo, I got a plate sprinkled some of aforementiond copper from Trylonready to plonk outside and oxidise. BUT first i reckoned i wd need some mild acid to promote the oxidation, and then compare oxidation au nature with oxidation promoted by some interesting acidish chemicals. Swmbo reckond vinegar, hm, but i wanted lemon juice. She said lemon juice wd be more difficult as she only had one lemon which she was saving. Look, give me some flippin lemon juice this is highly important boat-related experiment and i only need a few drops. Very reluctuantly she cut into the lemon and i squeezed on a few drops.
Result: After under a day outside in cruddy weather, the ornery copper powder is still copper coloured. The stupid balsamic vinegary bit is still grungy dark vinegar colour. BUTthe bits where the lemon juice went are satisfying greenish. Hurrah! I would have a pic except the battery has gone on the digi camera,but anyway, take it from me that some bits of the plate/dish are normal reddish browny copper colour whereas the lemon-juice-applied area is distinctly bluish greenish.
Thus once you have applied the trilux-copper mix i reckon the thing to do is spray it with mild acid to promote oxidation of the copper before sticking boat in the water. I will be using dilute HCl i think, as it is a bit easier to get hold of than lemon juice esp after all the grief from swmbo about using even just a bit of one poxy lemon. And just now she's gone and washed up the flippin plate which i left near the sink so I can't get picture anyway dammit.
Firstly, I have found a new source of copper powder at Trylon selling 250micron copper at about 11quid a kilo, ie 56 quid for a 5 kilo tub. Which is dead cheap, the reason beingt that it is not chemicaly pure copper, just 99. something percent which is fine.
The second issue, relates to some people using copper as above, bosh the boat in the water and not getting super-protection. Harumph. And ok, one or two barnacls on our boat also turned up next to bronze fittings even though painted with copper-infused paint. Why is this? Well, it's cos the oxides of copper are the thing that repels the barnacles, not the copper. And the copper needs to oxidize and go greeenish first before chucking boat back in the sea.
Soo, I got a plate sprinkled some of aforementiond copper from Trylonready to plonk outside and oxidise. BUT first i reckoned i wd need some mild acid to promote the oxidation, and then compare oxidation au nature with oxidation promoted by some interesting acidish chemicals. Swmbo reckond vinegar, hm, but i wanted lemon juice. She said lemon juice wd be more difficult as she only had one lemon which she was saving. Look, give me some flippin lemon juice this is highly important boat-related experiment and i only need a few drops. Very reluctuantly she cut into the lemon and i squeezed on a few drops.
Result: After under a day outside in cruddy weather, the ornery copper powder is still copper coloured. The stupid balsamic vinegary bit is still grungy dark vinegar colour. BUTthe bits where the lemon juice went are satisfying greenish. Hurrah! I would have a pic except the battery has gone on the digi camera,but anyway, take it from me that some bits of the plate/dish are normal reddish browny copper colour whereas the lemon-juice-applied area is distinctly bluish greenish.
Thus once you have applied the trilux-copper mix i reckon the thing to do is spray it with mild acid to promote oxidation of the copper before sticking boat in the water. I will be using dilute HCl i think, as it is a bit easier to get hold of than lemon juice esp after all the grief from swmbo about using even just a bit of one poxy lemon. And just now she's gone and washed up the flippin plate which i left near the sink so I can't get picture anyway dammit.
