Coppercoat - feedback

[Koeketiene]

In 2009 we had the boat Coppercoated.
Till April, we've been marina based.
Coppercoat had, so far, been as good as gold. We haul out once a year for a lift/hold/drop to change the anodes.
At worst, we had some slime around the waterline and on the keel which always came off very easily.

Since April, we're on a swinging mooring (River Orwell).
Been out for a couple of jaunts in local waters over the last few weeks and noticed a marked drop in boat speed (both under power and under sail) - about 1.5kts.
As we hope to be off on a 10 day cruise week after next, I arranged a lift/wash/drop with yard.
Below is what we found.
Green weed - in places nearly an inch thick. No crustations.

Question: anyone else experiencing similar? In particular, would like to hear from others with a Coppercoated boat on a swinging mooring.

 

[Daydream believer]

Our club on the river blackwater has a few squibs on moorings
owners normally lift & wash every 4 weeks or before a regetta
in the past Copper coat has been "average" & my own squib in Copper Tec has been markedly better
however, this year my Copper tec squib has been a disaster & the copper coat ones marginally better

My Copper coated Hanse 311 was really bad when done 2 years ago & following discussions with AMC I was supplied with more copper coat at a reduced price
Boat is currently in Inverness ( Rudder being renewed after running aground) having sailed round UK & through Cally canal & there is not the slightest bit of weed or even waterline scum since early May So I have finger crossed

 

[BlueSkyNick]

I don't have personal experience but a mate of mine has a 6 year old boat copper coated when new and is talking about anti fouling it next year.

He had the bottom pressure washed a month ago and now it is fouled up again.

It's always worse at this time of year due to warmer water but even so....

Not a swinging mooring but between trots in Lymington

 

[Javelin]

It does not have good results at Southwold.
Maybe it's a moving water issue as opposed to a static marina environment.

For us the choice is between International Cruiser Uno and Seajet, although we're trialling a Jotun product this year.
The three copper coat boats we've lifted in the last 6 months have all been worse than self polishing anti-foul.

 

[arawa]

I keep my 5-year old Coppercoated from new boat on a swinging mooring. I have never had more than a green slime (easily washed off) on the Coppercoated area but the untreated stainless steel rudder usually gets covered in weed.

 

[xyachtdave]

Loads of the Medway cruisers use coppercoat. It's excepted that it's not great at keeping growth down BUT can be jet washed often without a deterioration in performance.

Jet washing boats with convential paints on them in the Medway is like taking drugs - once you give in and give the boat a clean, it needs doing monthly!

Edit - these boats are on swinging moorings in the tidal river. A marina based boat locally won't experience 10% of the fouling as those in the river.

 

[sailorman]

Time for the wet n dry ole son to expose more copper

 

[rob2]

Sorry to ask, but I'm from the sarf - is the river muddy where you are and does the boat ground between tides? Any antifouling will be far less effective if it accumulates a layer of mud. On a half tide mooring nothing keeps the keel clean. Each grounding deposits mud on the keel and some areas which impact more often will have a conventional antifoul scraped off. On the plus side, even if you don't get her completely clean your cruise should blow most of the crud off after a few miles, especially if it's a bit choppy. I believe that Coppercoat and similar coatings don't work so well in freshwater either.

Rob.

 

[BlueSkyNick]

Jet washing boats with convential paints on them in the Medway is like taking drugs - once you give in and give the boat a clean, it needs doing monthly!
.

that's normal anywhere .... pressure washing antifoul affects its chemistry and reduces its ability to do the job.

 

[Koeketiene]

Sorry to ask, but I'm from the sarf - is the river muddy where you are and does the boat ground between tides? Any antifouling will be far less effective if it accumulates a layer of mud. On a half tide mooring nothing keeps the keel clean.

The boat's on a deep-water mooring - afloat at all times

 

[Sans Bateau]

If you suffer a lot of brackish water or run off from fields contaminated with fertilisers, then that will be the cause. (10 years experience of CC use)

 

[Koeketiene]

If you suffer a lot of brackish water or run off from fields contaminated with fertilisers, then that will be the cause. (10 years experience of CC use)

That may well be it. Definitely no longer 'pure' salt water where we are - surrounded by farmed land to boot.

Did you find a solution, or should I
a) learn to live with it and pressure wash from time to time?
b) move back into a marina?

 

[MikeBz]

The more flow there is the more nutrients there are to feed the stuff that grows on your bottom (so to speak).

Puzzled as to how/why jet washing antifouling makes it more prone to growth - sounds like an old wives tale so what's really going on there if anything?

 

[BlueSkyNick]

Puzzled as to how/why jet washing antifouling makes it more prone to growth - sounds like an old wives tale so what's really going on there if anything?

I was told by somebody who spends his life moving boats around a yard and marina, and lifting several a day. I think it is simply that the pressure washer erodes the material.

 

[Gwylan]

My experience is that after pressure washing and shortly before going back into the water you do need to abrade the hull. Found that 3M green washing up pads are about the best.

Have also used the polished with similar material but disc shaped with good results.

We did ours in 2006 and after the 'learning' we have only gone for a lift and wash every other year. But we do give it a bit of a scrub if we happen to dry out somewhere.

 

[Champagne Murphy]

Last winter we had the keel blasted back to metal and coppercoated. The hull had been scraped and conventionally antifouled a couple of years ago so we didn't do that. It'll be interesting to see the pic in November. I'll put it here then

 

[Elessar]

I was told by somebody who spends his life moving boats around a yard and marina, and lifting several a day. I think it is simply that the pressure washer erodes the material.

Just to be clear it erodes conventional antifoul. Coppercoat cleans easily with a pressure washer or brush but does not erode and keeps its performance.

 

[Davegriff]

Weed growth on boats has always been a mystery to me. Same boat, same mooring spot will have different amounts of growth throughout the years. I reckon there are so many factors involved that there's no guaranteed way to know how much growth to expect at any time, anywhere, so any attempted comparisons are probably futile.

 

[maby]

Loads of the Medway cruisers use coppercoat. It's excepted that it's not great at keeping growth down BUT can be jet washed often without a deterioration in performance.

Jet washing boats with convential paints on them in the Medway is like taking drugs - once you give in and give the boat a clean, it needs doing monthly!

Edit - these boats are on swinging moorings in the tidal river. A marina based boat locally won't experience 10% of the fouling as those in the river.

Our previous boat - Medway marina based - was Coppercoated professionally from new. When it was lifted, the fouling was limited to a bit of slime that pressure washed off easily - trouble was that a fair bit of the Coppercoat came off with it!

 

[MikeBz]

I was told by somebody who spends his life moving boats around a yard and marina, and lifting several a day. I think it is simply that the pressure washer erodes the material.

OK, so if you've got an eroding antifoul and you've put plenty on (i.e. you don't jetwash through this season's layer) then this should actually be a good thing in that you're exposing 'fresh' antifoul.