Excessive fouling this year

[PaulRainbow]

We were out for a scrub and some antifoul in April but last weekend we were down to 14kkts, with a normal cruising speed of 25knts, 28kts flat out. So, it's time for another scrub. Ipswich wanted £400, after taking off 30% because we're annual berth holders ! Suffolk Yacht Harbour are doing a Summer special, £250 for our 45ft boat. The travel hoist looks a bit tight, tucked in the corner, but there's a little pontoon that you tie up to and the "boat crew" walk the boat in. I have to say, what a great team ! Nothing was too much trouble, they did a really good job and didn't rush me when i asked if i could give the props a quick once over with a big wire brush on a grinder. We'll definitely be using them again.



There were so many barnacles in the bow thruster tunnel and on the props that it's performance was seriously affected



Looking good again

 

[fredrussell]

Pesky critters.

I use the scrubbing grid at Levington and, like you, I have found the staff there very helpful.

 

[Snowgoose-1]

Thanks for posting.
Do you remember what antifoul you applied in April ?

 

[PaulRainbow]

Thanks for posting.
Do you remember what antifoul you applied in April ?

Hempel, same as last year.

 

[PaulRainbow]

Pesky critters.

I use the scrubbing grid at Levington and, like you, I have found the staff there very helpful.

My props wouldn't like the scrubbing post, unfortunately

 

[MikeBz]

Blimey, that’s bad. We launched late April and haven’t scrubbed, but gave the side I could reach from the pontoon a quick once-over with the Scrubbis device about 6 weeks ago. Doesn’t seem excessively fouled even now (plenty of slime obviously). 2 coats of Micron 360 applied pre-launch, berthed in Brightlingsea marina.

 

[LittleSister]

Hempel, same as last year.

I didn't know Hempel made fouling food!

I am surprised how bad the fouling is, but glad you found (and reported) good service for your lift and scrub.

 

[The Q]

I'm dreading looking at my hull , even though we are on inland tidal waters a hot summer causes a lot of growth on the bottom both shelled and vegetation .

 

[tillergirl]

Have booked for a scrub next week!

 

[Malish]

We were out for a scrub and some antifoul in April but last weekend we were down to 14kkts, with a normal cruising speed of 25knts, 28kts flat out. So, it's time for another scrub. Ipswich wanted £400, after taking off 30% because we're annual berth holders ! Suffolk Yacht Harbour are doing a Summer special, £250 for our 45ft boat. The travel hoist looks a bit tight, tucked in the corner, but there's a little pontoon that you tie up to and the "boat crew" walk the boat in. I have to say, what a great team ! Nothing was too much trouble, they did a really good job and didn't rush me when i asked if i could give the props a quick once over with a big wire brush on a grinder. We'll definitely be using them again.

There were so many barnacles in the bow thruster tunnel and on the props that it's performance was seriously affected

Is your boat moored in the same location as last season?

 

[PaulRainbow]

Is your boat moored in the same location as last season?

Yes, exact same berth as the last 3 years.

 

[PaulRainbow]

Should add, we do actually use the boat too, we've done 40 hours and over 300 miles so far this season.

In the second picture you can see tufts of some sort of plant, these are 2-3 inches long, never seen anything like those before.

 

[Tradewinds]

Jamie and the boat movement team really are excellent and a great asset to SYH.

 

[John 32i]

I had a swim around ours on Monday and was surprised how bad the growth is - particularly on the port side which probably gets more sun.

 

[Shaz77]

You normally only get that level of growth if you scrub but fail to anti foul. If I had that level of fouling after 4+ month I would be sending the photos to Hempel

 

[PaulRainbow]

You normally only get that level of growth if you scrub but fail to anti foul. If I had that level of fouling after 4+ month I would be sending the photos to Hempel

That's the whole point of posting, this year isn't normal, there are many, many people having abnormal fouling this year.

 

[Sailing steve]

You normally only get that level of growth if you scrub but fail to anti foul. If I had that level of fouling after 4+ month I would be sending the photos to Hempel

I've tried sending pictures of premature and excessive fouling in the past to both Hempel and SML paints.

It'd be a Really Good Thing if both companies put as much effort into actually making "premium" and "commercial grade biocide" products as they subsequently did bullsh1tting about how effective they are when presented with evidence clearly to the contrary.

Walton Backwaters with SML Paints CuPro mid season.

 

[Frayed Knot]

I lifted & anti fouled with Hempels Tiger in May but due to ill health hadn’t used the boat til a couple of weeks ago.
Hull only has a layer of slime but the prop, which I paint with hard scrubbing and remained clean last year, was a ball of barnacles; engine could only just reach 2000 rpm & gave 3kts - half usual speed at those revs.
Plonked her on the mud at Waldringfield a couple of hours before low water & chin-deep at low tide I was able to reach the buggers & scrape them off. Although large they came off very easily.
If anyone saw us over at thirty degrees it was deliberate, honest!

 

[oldgit]

Out for annual jetwash and A/F in March ready for the season.
Out again in May having "lost" several knots and also needed to replace a couple a couple of prop anodes, hull fouled with slime and barnycules on stern gear.
Last week having lost about 7 knots coming back down from trip up to the non tidal Thames, boat went back on drying blocks today.
Covered in Slime and loads of middle sized barncules on both hull and sterngear.
One of our club boats had to get a lift out somwehere up the East Coast receently after struggling to achieve 8 knots on the way up , before commencing the journey back home.

 

[Sailing steve]

Antifoul certainly 'ain't what it used to be as some thirty years ago I used to get two whole summers protection out of a two pack tin of premium International antifoul - and that's with leaving the boat afloat during the intermediate winter to save on haul out and storage ashore costs.

Fast forward to now and a April to October season calls for two pressure washes to have any hope of keeping a hull clean in the same geographical area.

Doubtless the antifoul manufacturers are happy with that because they'll sell more of the wretched stuff every year and the yards are happy with that because of all the extra income from lifts and scrubs during their quiet season but I'll bet my house you won't find any boat owners who're happy about that at all.