CopperCoat with weedkiller

[thinwater]

Looks like that’s not approved for UK.

Then, if it were me, I'd use Trinidad. You wouldn't go far wrong. Yup, $$$.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Then, if it were me, I'd use Trinidad. You wouldn't go far wrong. Yup, $$$.

Also not approved in uk.

 

[greeny]

On the contrary. Whilst coppercoat repels barnacles quite effectively, it does not stop the thick layer of slime build upin a very short time. My own boat becomes virtually un sailable in 12 weeks. I have spoken to lots of people who agree. I have spoken to professional people who actually jet wash the boats & they all report layers of slime in varying thicknesses. This comes off easily enough. However, if the boat's performance is affected then one can suggest that the product is not doing the job properly. There is also the problem of weed growth around the waterline. Even those that love Coppercoat sometimes admit to that problem.
I use coppercoat to avoid annual antifoul painting & over the years it has been cheaper to launch the boat clean at the startof the season. Go sailing to the channel islands, or whatever. Then have the boat jet washed mid season for the same cost as an application of paint & equipment. Then finish the season off.
I have shogun 33 on the keel & that does significantly better than coppercoat. I was looking at the boat today & note that it also does a better job of holding back the rust. I do not mind antifoul paint on the keel as it is easy to do & a small area.
Would I have coppercoat again-- yes-- but i do know its limitations & it is NOT as good, performance wise, as some paints.

Not going to argue over the amount of weed slime anyone gets with coppercoat. It's probably down to boat location more than anything. It definitely works down here. My previous boat had it on for 11 years when I sold it and still going strong with a bit of touch up each lift. Going to do my new one this winter.

 

[gaylord694]

Also not approved in uk.

Looks like really good antifoul and $400 dollars to your door from the USA

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Looks like really good antifoul and $400 dollars to your door from the USA

I’ll grant you this is probably just regulatory, the manufacturers may not have tried for approval. But it’s still illegal. Just like usung a US trailer. On the other hand, it may contain banned ingredients. and it’s 3 times the cost of most UK antifouls.

 

[harvey38]

+1 for Copper Coat.

Ours is 12 years old and still doing a good job in Ramsgate. When last lifted it was noticed the epoxy is starting to come off in places so coming out in May to be blasted back to original gelcoat and a new application of CC.

 

[gaylord694]

I’ll grant you this is probably just regulatory, the manufacturers may not have tried for approval. But it’s still illegal. Just like usung a US trailer. On the other hand, it may contain banned ingredients. and it’s 3 times the cost of most UK antifoul

I’ll grant you this is probably just regulatory, the manufacturers may not have tried for approval. But it’s still illegal. Just like usung a US trailer. On the other hand, it may contain banned ingredients. and it’s 3 times the cost of most UK antifouls.

Thanks thinwater for info on Trinidad antifoul like say Mauripro will send enough for 30ft boat for $400 .... ..Thats more than enough for you to do your xod Slave Chiara if your interested

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Thanks thinwater for info on Trinidad antifoul like say Mauripro will send enough for 30ft boat for $400 .... ..Thats more than enough for you to do your xod Slave Chiara if your interested

They don’t do white, and as my mooring is already in doubt due to the seagrass in the area, I’ll give it a miss. Mr Packham is a local, I doubt he’d approve.

 

[oldgit]

Still convinced after 30 years of slapping on A/F of all colours , including soft/ hard expensive/cheap and deadly stuff liberated from commercial yards along drum of something the RNLI left behind, remain convinced the water conditons ie. temperature /salinity or lack off /sunlight during that year determines what ends up attached to the bottom of your boat.
Using the boat also seems to help.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Agree with all that. Our tri is bad ATM in part as OH has just had a hip replacement and cannot yet get on board. Also I have lacked the time and motivation to scrub.

 

[Kelpie]

Seeing as nothing works for long in the Caribbean, the water is warm, and the lifys are expensive, I just want the most scrubbable AF possible.
Which I'm pretty sure is CC.
I don't mind getting in every few weeks to clean the hull.

Question- the previous owner had trouble getting the CC to adhere to the cast iron keel. Last time we lifted I used a fairly expensive 'hard, scrubbable' AF from SVB24 (we were in Spain at the time). It was ok for about a year but it's now out performed by the very elderly CC. It wasn't especially hard and would leave a cloud of colour in the water if you scrubbed it. Similar to Trilux which I've previously tried for boot top and been disappointed with.

Suggestions for a genuinely hard and scrubbable AF please?

 

[AntarcticPilot]

Seeing as nothing works for long in the Caribbean, the water is warm, and the lifys are expensive, I just want the most scrubbable AF possible.
Which I'm pretty sure is CC.
I don't mind getting in every few weeks to clean the hull.

Question- the previous owner had trouble getting the CC to adhere to the cast iron keel. Last time we lifted I used a fairly expensive 'hard, scrubbable' AF from SVB24 (we were in Spain at the time). It was ok for about a year but it's now out performed by the very elderly CC. It wasn't especially hard and would leave a cloud of colour in the water if you scrubbed it. Similar to Trilux which I've previously tried for boot top and been disappointed with.

Suggestions for a genuinely hard and scrubbable AF please?

No suggestion, I'm afraid, but even AMC admit that getting Coppercoat to adhere to a cast iron keel long term is challenging. The problem is that cast iron commonly has inclusions of slag and other imperfections, and no matter how good your preparation, it's difficult to be sure that every imperfection is removed or sealed off, and eventually the adhesion will fail at such points. Of course, if you're lucky and have a good casting, the problem is less. If, like me, one side of the casting looked like the surface of the moon after being blasted, it's going to fail sooner or later. I got 6 or 7 years before I had to resort to antifouling the keel.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Out hard racing antifoul is all scrubbed off by September. Currently Nautix, but they’re all the same in that respect. It’s not brilliant by Cowes Week. We crane out on the Friday before and use Harken Mclube.

 

[oldmanofthehills]

Weed killer isn't illegal,people use it all the time on there gardens you can actually buy it in Sainsbury's

Contamination of water courses by weedkiller is illegal.

Its pity our supposed Environmental Agency is so inert or in collusion with big business that it does take more action and fine more folk such as cavalier farmers but there we are.

Anyway if it is water soluble it will leach straight out of antifouling or coppercoat so pointless as well as inappropriate.

PS the Bristol Channel barnacles seem to love Coppercoat but the Algea dont, so at least its easier to clean up on lift out.

 

[gaylord694]

Contamination of water courses by weedkiller is illegal.

Its pity our supposed Environmental Agency is so inert or in collusion with big business that it does take more action and fine more folk such as cavalier farmers but there we are.

Anyway if it is water soluble it will leach straight out of antifouling or coppercoat so pointless as well as inappropriate.

PS the Bristol Channel barnacles seem to love Coppercoat but the Algea dont, so at least its easier to clean up on lift out.

Like I've said before oldmanoverthehills there's plenty of options

 

[oldmanofthehills]

Statements that have so much support in fact that it is still entirely legal in most countries across the globe

Roundup is a probable carcinogen, certainly there is risk when used by farm workers in large quantities. Mind you industrial pesticides greatly increase risk of Parkinsons and no doubt many other debilitating ailments

Probably not so bad for use gardeners and landscapers using Roundup sparingly, but it comes with health warnings

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Like I've said before oldmanoverthehills there's plenty of options

Lots of perfectly legal antifouling coatings, yes.

 

[KevinV]

Roundup is a probable carcinogen, certainly there is risk when used by farm workers in large quantities. Mind you industrial pesticides greatly increase risk of Parkinsons and no doubt many other debilitating ailments

Probably not so bad for use gardeners and landscapers using Roundup sparingly, but it comes with health warnings

No argument with your nuanced statement - as opposed to the scaremongering, unsubstantiated post I objected to

Like all herbicides and pesticides it's designed to kill, so should be used as per the (not very complicated) instructions, every time. I get a bit peeved with people whinging that a product that they abused has then bitten them on the bum. My father in law's nervous system was (allegedly) affected by sheep dip - the stuff that's been banned for years now - but then he would occasionally end up in the tub with the sheep through poor practice

 

[srm]

Was nattering with an American cruiser and the topic of CopperCoat came up. I'm a huge fan of CC, btw.

With the epoxy that the copper powder is suspended in being waterbased, he asked if adding a waterbased weedkiller to the mix might help prevent the growth of weed that is CC's only downfall. Hmm, a good question, me thinks?

What does the panel think?

I applied Coppercoat (DIY) to my present boat in 2009. At that time I seem to recall the details saying that there was a biocide in the mix as well as the copper. Touched up in 2019, but did not read all the bumph then.

Having kept my boat in Orkney marinas and the Azores I endorse those who say slime and growth depends on the waters. Counter intuitively I got much more slime in one year in Orkney's cold water, (and it differed between marinas with Kirkwall worse than Stromness) than over 3 years plus afloat in warmer waters in the Azores. The difference probably due to the amount of fertilisers applied every year to the fields in Orkney.

 

[gaylord694]

Lots of perfectly legal antifouling coatings, yes.

That's one option