Coppercoat. Is it worth it ?
- Thread starter Frogmogman
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AntarcticPilot
Well-known member
I applied Coppercoat in 2014. The boat had been out of the water all winter, but not undercover. The old antifoul was removed by professional grit blasting. As others have said, applying it isn't difficult - but mixing and stirring the resin was a full-time job. We had three people; two applying it and one mixing and stirring. Barring a beard at the waterline, we get little growth; mainly slime. I have never abraded it, and the one time I was considering it, AMC said not to. Their reasoning was that as long as it was a nice green colour, it was working and didn't need further attention. Rust had started to come through on the keel, and last year that was antifouled, but the hull is fine.
I think most failures arise from not keeping the resin very well stirred before application. It is absolutely essential, as the copper rapidly falls out of suspension.
We did use the AMC supplied thinner; I think that it would have been difficult to apply otherwise.
I think most failures arise from not keeping the resin very well stirred before application. It is absolutely essential, as the copper rapidly falls out of suspension.
We did use the AMC supplied thinner; I think that it would have been difficult to apply otherwise.
sailaboutvic
Well-known member
It seen by what written here,we the only once that manage to apply CC without thinners .
Also with only two people one mixing one applying.
When we did the first boat one question ask was if we needed to use thinners and at the time we was told not unless we needed to.
We did order thinners but has i said we didn't find the need to use it .
The second boat I didn't bother order any.
If its not mixed well and kept on mixing I can see it could get thick quickly.
But hey what ever works for you.
Thinners may be the reason why some have said with two people applying one each side by the time they get to the end it ready for a second coat ,
where I found by the time I did both side it was just about tacky and ready.
Also with only two people one mixing one applying.
When we did the first boat one question ask was if we needed to use thinners and at the time we was told not unless we needed to.
We did order thinners but has i said we didn't find the need to use it .
The second boat I didn't bother order any.
If its not mixed well and kept on mixing I can see it could get thick quickly.
But hey what ever works for you.
Thinners may be the reason why some have said with two people applying one each side by the time they get to the end it ready for a second coat ,
where I found by the time I did both side it was just about tacky and ready.
Elessar
Well-known member
Even if it is going on well thinners in the final coat will give the best finish.
5% in the first 4 10% in the 5th is my sort of guide.
5% in the first 4 10% in the 5th is my sort of guide.
Elessar
Well-known member
Agree with every word of this.
Seven years and you haven’t had to abrade (except pre first launch).
You may need to in the next year or two but if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.
geem
Well-known member
Whether you need to abraded may well depend on the level of fouling. When we first sailed to the Caribbean in 2004 we had Micron Extra antifouling. It was totally useless. We had to lift out and replace with an antifouling tailored for the Caribbean. When I went to lift a tin of the antifouling off the shelf in the shop I couldn't believe how heavy it was. Totally different stuff and way more toxic. We sail predominantly in the Caribbean. All antifouling has to work hard in that environment. If you sit still and don't move antifouling seem to perform less well than when you are moving a lot. I think this explains a lot of the differences people experience with the same a antifouling the same area when for one it doesn't work and for another its fine. If we don't move much our CC grows more slime and red blotchy growth. That then becomes a base for barnacles if left long enough. Its why we scrub once a month as it super easy to do when it's just slime. We found Scrub Dadies an excellent scrubber that is easier to use and more effective than the 3M type pads under water
GHA
Well-known member
Anyone else have usb microscope images before/after burnishing?
LONG_KEELER
Well-known member
Slightly off topic but I am not convinced that slime comes off after a good lively sail. A power boat moored a few berths from me seems to confirm this. He re- engined his boat but it would hardly get up off the plane. An engineer was sent to investigate . Despite a short period of relaunch and fresh antifoul, he found lots of slime on the hull after rocking the boat about. The boat was held in the slings and the slime was removed. The boat then was able to get on the plane easily. The owner now regularly uses a proprietary type of manual hull scrubber. Perhaps it has something to do with the boundary layer ? My own yacht seems to confirm this. The only bits that come off are the "hairy" bits on the waterline area after a sail.
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Chiara’s slave
Well-known member
The beauty of coppercoat for us is that you can get pretty physical with the brush. Most other antifouls get scrubbed off with the slime.
AntarcticPilot
Well-known member
I use a Scrubbi brush every now and again. You can see that the slime etc. comes of very easily.
geem
Well-known member
If you move a lot you still get slime but not as prolific. We also don't get the other stuff that comes from not moving such as the red and brown hairy growths that are common in the Caribbean. Move a lot and we can reduce cleaning to about every 6 weeks instead of 4.
Daydream believer
Well-known member
My coppercoat does not perform anywhere near as well as the manufacturers claim & I have had endless discussions on this forum. I have had an earlier version by Wessex ( copperbot, NOT coppercoat)that did not work. 2 applications of Coppercoat that only partially works & requires jet washing after a few weeks & another make( forgot the name) which I have on my Squib which lasts about a week longer than professionally applied Coppercoat on other Squibs sitting on adjacent trots. That still rarely lasts 4-5 weeks before heavy slime build up.
But to get a real answer to your question on how effective it is I suggest that you go to the area where your boat will be predominantly used. Then go & speak to the people who do the jet washing.
I have to have my boat lifted mid season and have had it done in St helier ( where the ex lifeboat captain Billy hibbs told me it was useless) in Cherbourg where the bloke shrugged & waved his hand as much as to say "not worth the effort", I Dover where it got the Thumbs down. In Inverness where it got the thumbs up - possibly due to the fresh water in the Cally canal. In Shotley where they say it is not as good as antifoul paint & quote owners going back to conventional products.
as far as I am concerned this year it was useless with 2 inch weed under the hull ( not the waterline) after a few weeks whereas the Shogun applied to the keel ( I am now getting rust) was pretty good in comparison. I think that the hot weather may not have helped. I do not know.
However, I am going to have another application soon as after 8-10 years I have abraded most of it & I want to have it applied by a professional co. rather than do it myself.
I will do it because I want to avoid the hassle of antifoul painting which makes me ill every year& the cost of haul out is compensated by the paint & gear cost if one ignores the cost of coppercoat.
The mid season scrub gives me a nice clean hull as well
But to get a real answer to your question on how effective it is I suggest that you go to the area where your boat will be predominantly used. Then go & speak to the people who do the jet washing.
I have to have my boat lifted mid season and have had it done in St helier ( where the ex lifeboat captain Billy hibbs told me it was useless) in Cherbourg where the bloke shrugged & waved his hand as much as to say "not worth the effort", I Dover where it got the Thumbs down. In Inverness where it got the thumbs up - possibly due to the fresh water in the Cally canal. In Shotley where they say it is not as good as antifoul paint & quote owners going back to conventional products.
as far as I am concerned this year it was useless with 2 inch weed under the hull ( not the waterline) after a few weeks whereas the Shogun applied to the keel ( I am now getting rust) was pretty good in comparison. I think that the hot weather may not have helped. I do not know.
However, I am going to have another application soon as after 8-10 years I have abraded most of it & I want to have it applied by a professional co. rather than do it myself.
I will do it because I want to avoid the hassle of antifoul painting which makes me ill every year& the cost of haul out is compensated by the paint & gear cost if one ignores the cost of coppercoat.
The mid season scrub gives me a nice clean hull as well
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MoodySabre
Well-known member
Hope you're enjoying yourself Sam.
Mine is still working well after 8 years. Done at Tollesbury.
sailaboutvic
Well-known member
Even if you are disappointed with it , it's much better then AF when all you need to do is haul , wash and back in rather then that sanding and re AF plus the cost .
Daydream believer
Well-known member
Have I indicated otherwise. I just want people to understand that manufacturers claims are not all they seem to be & many have found to their cost.
But do not take my word. Do as I suggest & ask the people who have to wash it down. They see far more than an individual owner & generally have no axe to grind.
sailaboutvic
Well-known member
Hey my posting was a polite reply just saying it's better then AF, even if it's not working how you would like it To do
What is it with you , you seen to want to be bite my head off when ever I reply to one of your posting .
Carry on like that and I won't bother again .
sailaboutvic
Well-known member
My option of CC as I posted we did two boats our self Dufour 385 and a Moody 42 we was happy with the result on both,
We stay friends with the guy who brought the Dufour and before he sold her then the cc was 8 years old it was still working fine .
The Moody was six year CC when I sold her again it was still working .
Hand up we did keep slime away by cleaning and diving which probably helped.
The Boat we have now was CC 8 years ago so I understand it was done professionally, still got the invoice , when it was pulled out for survey there was three heap of mussels all started from a through hull fitting , the rest of the hull was clean , I was told the boat as not been haul for three years and for one it hardly moved,
It was kept in Plymouth.
So as far as am concerned CC is well worth the expense if it done right .
Some here have said they added thinners to help apply we never and we had no problems rolling it on in quite warm weather in the Med , I just wonder if it's thin out too much would that effect it working as well.
Just saying .
It's a fact CC don't work as well in some places as others it also falls off so e boat but because its not apply right ,
But as I posted before I was taken down a peg ,
At The very less is much better to haul and pressure wash then to have to AF every year .
Add to that the time will come when yards won't let you AF your self .
We stay friends with the guy who brought the Dufour and before he sold her then the cc was 8 years old it was still working fine .
The Moody was six year CC when I sold her again it was still working .
Hand up we did keep slime away by cleaning and diving which probably helped.
The Boat we have now was CC 8 years ago so I understand it was done professionally, still got the invoice , when it was pulled out for survey there was three heap of mussels all started from a through hull fitting , the rest of the hull was clean , I was told the boat as not been haul for three years and for one it hardly moved,
It was kept in Plymouth.
So as far as am concerned CC is well worth the expense if it done right .
Some here have said they added thinners to help apply we never and we had no problems rolling it on in quite warm weather in the Med , I just wonder if it's thin out too much would that effect it working as well.
Just saying .
It's a fact CC don't work as well in some places as others it also falls off so e boat but because its not apply right ,
But as I posted before I was taken down a peg ,
At The very less is much better to haul and pressure wash then to have to AF every year .
Add to that the time will come when yards won't let you AF your self .
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GHA
Well-known member
Another happy customer >
Needing a bit of a scrub now and then comes up all over the place on google, really shouldn't come as a surprise for anyone having done any online research into coppercoat.
How he applied it >>
Needing a bit of a scrub now and then comes up all over the place on google, really shouldn't come as a surprise for anyone having done any online research into coppercoat.
How he applied it >>
sailaboutvic
Well-known member
ON NO I can see where I when wrong now with my CC application,
I forgot the sweets and the other two helpers.
I also forgot to cover the CC over night with a cardboard box.
Thank my lucky stars mine came out fine after tho three mistakes.
Love the boat.
We met people who had real problems with CC two cruiser that we know very well both had sheets of it fall off within no times both done by a yard,
I could had predicted it was going to happen to one which we sew it being applied the hull still had bits of undercoat left, he was warn but the yard told him it won't be a problem.
There another YouTube video some where I can't be bothered to look for it,
He spend thousand getting the yard to re do it , if I remember rightly three or four time , CC at one point send a guy out to check, another so call professional job.
In my view CC isn't difficult to do a diy job, it's nerve racking when you start ( lots of money involve to get it wrong) and I really tho when we did the first boat we was going to mess it up after the first coat when on but coat on coat it took shape.
It probably been less stressful if I had one other person to help putting it on but I think four would just getting in each other way,
No wonder he had so much food , they need something to do while saying for the next coat.
When we did the first boat we mast it half way along the bottom of the hull because we plain to do half one day and the other half the next day,
leaving keel,rudder to be done when we do the pads but with just me applying it didn't take long before one side was done and too wet to work on so the tape came off and the whole hull was done in one coat.
Photos of before and after the hand job .
I forgot the sweets and the other two helpers.
I also forgot to cover the CC over night with a cardboard box.
Thank my lucky stars mine came out fine after tho three mistakes.
Love the boat.
We met people who had real problems with CC two cruiser that we know very well both had sheets of it fall off within no times both done by a yard,
I could had predicted it was going to happen to one which we sew it being applied the hull still had bits of undercoat left, he was warn but the yard told him it won't be a problem.
There another YouTube video some where I can't be bothered to look for it,
He spend thousand getting the yard to re do it , if I remember rightly three or four time , CC at one point send a guy out to check, another so call professional job.
In my view CC isn't difficult to do a diy job, it's nerve racking when you start ( lots of money involve to get it wrong) and I really tho when we did the first boat we was going to mess it up after the first coat when on but coat on coat it took shape.
It probably been less stressful if I had one other person to help putting it on but I think four would just getting in each other way,
No wonder he had so much food , they need something to do while saying for the next coat.
When we did the first boat we mast it half way along the bottom of the hull because we plain to do half one day and the other half the next day,
leaving keel,rudder to be done when we do the pads but with just me applying it didn't take long before one side was done and too wet to work on so the tape came off and the whole hull was done in one coat.
Photos of before and after the hand job .
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oldgit
Well-known member
South East Coast.
Princess 360 MoBo , believed to have been Coppercoated by previous owner about 6/7 years previously.
Previously hauled and jetwashed by present owner in May 2022 and Coppercoat abraded.
Boat in constant use since, including fast run to the Netherlands month or two ago.
Due to speed loss boat was hauled again this weekend.
Hull with heavy covering of barnacules , bit of weed and slime.
We have a very powerful jetwasher which will remove anything on hull coated with normal A/F.
There remained a a faint outline of the barnacules despite considerable jetwashing efforts on the Coppercoat.
Due to time constraints boat was refloated without abrading this time.
Very heavy fouling regards weed/slime and barnacules this summer on all boats no matter what A/F used.
Princess 360 MoBo , believed to have been Coppercoated by previous owner about 6/7 years previously.
Previously hauled and jetwashed by present owner in May 2022 and Coppercoat abraded.
Boat in constant use since, including fast run to the Netherlands month or two ago.
Due to speed loss boat was hauled again this weekend.
Hull with heavy covering of barnacules , bit of weed and slime.
We have a very powerful jetwasher which will remove anything on hull coated with normal A/F.
There remained a a faint outline of the barnacules despite considerable jetwashing efforts on the Coppercoat.
Due to time constraints boat was refloated without abrading this time.
Very heavy fouling regards weed/slime and barnacules this summer on all boats no matter what A/F used.
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