Coppercoat and weather conditions

[RabT]

Hello,

After scrapping old antifouling back to fibreglass and sand it with a 120 grade sand disc... I am ready to apply epoxy and then Coppercoat this weekend if the forecast remains rain-free.
The problem is that I am in Scotland’s west coast and temperatures are forecast to be between 7-12C, which is at the lower end of the “suitable” conditions.

I have contacted Coppercoat and they have been helpful with a few tips. Their message is that albeit the conditions are within the suitable range, just, if possible is better to wait until later in March or April when it should be warmer and drier.

Forecast is for dry weather but temperatures are expected as a minimum of 7C at night and 12C max during the day from Saturday to Monday.

Forecast 1

Forecast 2


Lift-in date is scheduled for Sat 7 April with the Club (i.e: low cost). I could wait and do a marina launch and mast step up at a cost of c£200 if I don’t get another weather window before Club lift-in date.

Question is: has any forumite applied Coppercoat (and the epoxy they supply) in conditions such as forecast this weekend in the Clyde area?

What would forumites that have applied Coppercoat before do?
Wait for better weather and ensure a 100% perfect application, or use the weather window this weekend even if it is at the lower end of suitable range?

Will it make a difference in the number of years the epoxy and Coppercoat will work efficiently?

Thanks in advance for any helpful guidance.

 

[Shanty]

You are not alone. I've finished sanding & filling Shanty's bottom ready for her second dose of copper epoxy. The first one was applied 12 years ago in a temperature controlled building. This one will be applied outdoors on a very non temperature controlled harbour wall.

Given the cost of the Coppercoat, and the amount of time that went in to prepping the hull, I'm inclined to wait for the right conditions. Coppercoat have told me that 8deg is the minimum for application, followed by 48 hours of dry weather, so don't know when the job will be done.

I suspect that low temperatures during application will lead to partial curing of the epoxy, which might lead to the stuff falling off - not based on any concrete knowledge - just a wild guess

Anyway, good luck.

 

[Chalker]

I was advised by someone who used to apply Coppercoat professionally that if the temperature was too low a following coat tended to lift off the previous one.

Given the cost of the coppercoat and our prep time, I'm going to wait until it's warmer, not just marginal.

 

[dslittle]

WAIT !!!

Hello,

After scrapping old antifouling back to fibreglass and sand it with a 120 grade sand disc... I am ready to apply epoxy and then Coppercoat this weekend if the forecast remains rain-free.
The problem is that I am in Scotland’s west coast and temperatures are forecast to be between 7-12C, which is at the lower end of the “suitable” conditions.

I have contacted Coppercoat and they have been helpful with a few tips. Their message is that albeit the conditions are within the suitable range, just, if possible is better to wait until later in March or April when it should be warmer and drier.

Forecast is for dry weather but temperatures are expected as a minimum of 7C at night and 12C max during the day from Saturday to Monday.

Forecast 1

Forecast 2


Lift-in date is scheduled for Sat 7 April with the Club (i.e: low cost). I could wait and do a marina launch and mast step up at a cost of c£200 if I don’t get another weather window before Club lift-in date.

Question is: has any forumite applied Coppercoat (and the epoxy they supply) in conditions such as forecast this weekend in the Clyde area?

What would forumites that have applied Coppercoat before do?
Wait for better weather and ensure a 100% perfect application, or use the weather window this weekend even if it is at the lower end of suitable range?

Will it make a difference in the number of years the epoxy and Coppercoat will work efficiently?

Thanks in advance for any helpful guidance.

Wait. I have just had my boat lifted. After pressure
washing the Coppercoat came off an area about 1sqm (not totally but bad enough). I contacted the person who applied it and Coppercoat. The answer would appear to be that the conditions were too cold when it was originally applied (as I paid someone else to do it, I wasn't aware). The contractor has said that he will redo that area later this month (I am out for a similar time to you). If he does I will be very satisfied. Where the Coppercoat has adhered, the results are superb - after pressure washing the hull is the same as when it went in.

As others have said, wait for the right conditions and I am sure that the result will last for a long time. Good luck.

 

[grafozz]

poor prep ?

If the coppercoat hs flaked off the hull / gelcoat , it is often caused by insufficient "key"
when initially applied . the surface should be abraded well for the coating to adhere to .
I have found various small patches of lost coating , and underneath there is always bright shiny gelcoat !

 

[dslittle]

If the coppercoat hs flaked off the hull / gelcoat , it is often caused by insufficient "key"
when initially applied . the surface should be abraded well for the coating to adhere to .
I have found various small patches of lost coating , and underneath there is always bright shiny gelcoat !

The hull was shot blasted before application and is OK below the Coppercoat. I am afraid that my problem was down to application in the wrong conditions!!!

 

[RabT]

frustrating

Thanks everyone for your comments.

Frustrating as it is, I am probably going to wait until temperatures rise a little closer to 15C.
Can't really afford to risk a sub optimal application.

Forecast is for a min 7-8C at night, max 11-12C from Saturday to Tuesday, with Monday and Tuesday having more sunshine hours.
Murphy's Law dictates that since I won't be doing this job, there will be a solar storm combined with an area of high pressure that will result in a very sunny weekend touching 15C during the day.

I guess there is no shortage of jobs to do: varnishing, cleaning down below, etc etc ad infinitum!

 

[srm]

I did this during May 2009 in Plymouth. Not only is temperature critical but also keeping it dry for 8 days (if I remember corrrectly) while it cures. Even though I tented from the toe rail to ground all round we still got run marks where rain water ran down over the Coppercoat a few days after application - but did not effect the performance so far.
Also, a GRP hull needs to be free of entrapped moisture as this has been reported to produce subsequent blistering if sealed under the coppercoat.

 

[Zorro]

I have never tried coppercoat before but it does sound interesting, can anyone let me know how much it would cost to do a sadler 29 and how long in reality it lasts before doing again.

 

[Gwylan]

We did ours at this time of year in 2006.
We had a daytime temperature in double figures, just.
We did have the surface professionally prepared and the good fortune to have a dry spell
All still seems good, nothing has dropped off, but we will really know when she gets lifted next week.

 

[maby]

I have never tried coppercoat before but it does sound interesting, can anyone let me know how much it would cost to do a sadler 29 and how long in reality it lasts before doing again.

It cost a total of around £2500 to have our 33 footer professionally Coppercoated - that was three coats of plain epoxy followed by three coats of Coppercoat. I think the materials for your boat would probably be five or six hundred quid. You can always find a few people reporting bad experiences, but the vast majority of people that have done it properly (or had it done properly) report eight to ten years of trouble free life - sometimes more. It still needs an annual lift and quick scrub, but no further painting.

If you do it yourself, you should break even within a few years and come out in-pocket well before it wears out. Less clear cut for us, having it done professionally - it will probably work out at around £250 per year and you could probably get an annual coat of Cruiser UNO whacked on for the same price. My rationale was that we did not want to be without the boat for a couple of weeks each year while it was hauled out and antifouled.

 

[Shanty]

I have never tried coppercoat before but it does sound interesting, can anyone let me know how much it would cost to do a sadler 29 and how long in reality it lasts before doing again.

I initially coated Shanty with copper epoxy (not Coppercoat, but a rival product from a now defunct firm) 12 years ago. During that time, she has only needed light pressure washing each autumn.

The coating had failed by haul out last year, so I'm going to re-coat with Coppercoat. The product cost was £600 for a 30ft long fin & skeg hull.

 

[pappaecho]

Having done almost exactly last year, my comments are as follows. The application of epoxy is a different job to applying the coppercoat on top.
With epoxy, you can apply several coats with a time delay of months at worst case between coats. You may also find that the minimum curing temperatures are different.

My advice is to do the epoxy coating first as it is much more time tolerant. You also need to look at both day and night time temperature.

With coppercoat you must apply coat upon coat almost immediately, and you need help as it is a labour intensive task to apply 5 coats in a day. In my case the day time temperature in mid march, resulted in almost continual application as by the time we had finished one coat, the first area was almost cured and only slightly tacky, so actually a lower daytime temperature within the curing range is beneficial, as it gives a longer application time, daylight permitting. As long as it is dry, once applied you have no need to worry even if the temperatures plunge at night

 

[rivonia]

It cost a total of around £2500 to have our 33 footer professionally Coppercoated - that was three coats of plain epoxy followed by three coats of Coppercoat. I think the materials for your boat would probably be five or six hundred quid. You can always find a few people reporting bad experiences, but the vast majority of people that have done it properly (or had it done properly) report eight to ten years of trouble free life - sometimes more. It still needs an annual lift and quick scrub, but no further painting.

If you do it yourself, you should break even within a few years and come out in-pocket well before it wears out. Less clear cut for us, having it done professionally - it will probably work out at around £250 per year and you could probably get an annual coat of Cruiser UNO whacked on for the same price. My rationale was that we did not want to be without the boat for a couple of weeks each year while it was hauled out and antifouled.

We had ours proffesionaly coppercoated in LARGS. There is absolutely no need to have her lifted out annualy.!Ours is in the Med now and NO GROWTH after three years!!!!!

by the way our 11 meter catamaran had FIVE coates put as recomended.

You makes your own choice. Good luck

Peter

 

[xyachtdave]

I'm thinking of stripping the hull next year and starting again, possibly with coppercoat.

What happens to it at the end of its life cycle in regards to removal?

Is it a bugger to get off, or do you reapply on top? I have looked at their website and didn't see a mention of what happens after.

 

[RabT]

weather window No 2?

Here we go again, this weekend's forecast is looking half decent, but is it good enough to apply Coppercoat and have a long-lasting successful application?

Friday 23: min 6C max 13C
Sat 24 & Sun 25: min 8C max 15-16C.
Mon 26 & Tue 27: min 8C max 16-17C.
Should by dry from Thursday 22 until Wed 28, southerly winds F3-F4 according to forecast.

Problem is I can't take Mon&Tue off at work, only Friday.
I need 3 consecutive days to apply the expoxy (2 different coats "on tacky") and then the Coppercoat all on day 3 on top of the epoxy.

Will probably contact product manufacturer again for advice but do forumites with experience of Coppercoat think the above conditions are suitable or should I wait until temperatures are closer to 20C? (which could be a few weeks away...)

Wish I could hire a heated shed for this job!


Forecast 1

Forecast 2

 

[Flapjack]

I have never tried coppercoat before but it does sound interesting, can anyone let me know how much it would cost to do a sadler 29 and how long in reality it lasts before doing again.

We've just had a quote from Coppercoat for our 34' Bruce Roberts which came in at £490 inc delivery for the materials and we will do the work ourselves when she comes out of the water in April, they recommend a minimum of 4 coats but 5 is better. We’re then hoping that the annual lift fee becomes the annual £15 to use the scrubbing piles.

 

[fireball]

We had ours done last year by ARC (Elessar on here) - so will be doing our first dry and wash in the next few months ...

 

[maby]

I'm thinking of stripping the hull next year and starting again, possibly with coppercoat.

What happens to it at the end of its life cycle in regards to removal?

Is it a bugger to get off, or do you reapply on top? I have looked at their website and didn't see a mention of what happens after.

I'm sure you could get away with a decent sanding to produce a good surface followed by another treatment.

 

[Monique]

Precautions

Coppercoated last Friday... DISASTER because some recommendations were not followed to the T. The problem will be fixed this week though but why go through the hassle. Do it once, do it right!

Recommendations after the fiasco.

1. Wait for the right temperature
2. Dilute with Isopropyl to 10%
3. Apply thin... THIN coats
4. Resist RESIST the desire to apply thicker
5. If you have too much material, apply more coats.

GL