Hempel tiger xtra on motorboat?

[Koops]

I’ve got my first motor boat and have nearly finished scraping off years of antifoul which had a very rough surface. I read the PBO review and purchased Hempel Tiger Xtra. The boat will have to come out of the water annually for servicing the duo prop drives so my thinking is a soft coat will be easier to sand off and replace than a hard one. I’m retired so time isn’t an issue.

Hempel say that Tiger Xtra is good for 25 knots which I dont anticipate exceeding often because of fuel consumption (boat is capable of 35+). The boat will be moored at Weymouth harbour for most of the year, probably used once weekly for typically a 20 mile round trip spring to autumn, and lifted for a few weeks a year to do maintenance.

However a couple of people in the boatyard said that they use hard antifoul (on their yachts) and think that I will be creating excessive maintenance work for myself.

So has anyone got actual experience of Hempel Tiger Xtra similar to my situation and can let me know their experience?

Thanks in advance

 

[rafiki_]

I don’t think you need to scrape off the old anti foul annually. I never did. You can probably build up 10 layers or so before scraping. I used to use soft eroding on my motorboats, but now use Coppercoat. This lasts 10-12 years with little maintenance.

 

[jon and michie]

I never removed antifoul after each season just abraded it and re applied.
++ if you can go for the Copper Coat definitely a plus - yes a bit of an outlay at the beginning but your not on your back year after year cursing while you apply the next coat of antifoul

 

[Farmer Piles]

I would use either Hempel Hard Racing or the Seajet equivalent.. Wessex Marine use the former on all their new Botnia Targa boats. I don't even rub down before slapping a couple of coats of hard anitfoul onto my boat and it works fine.

 

[rafiki_]

My Azimut with Coppercoat.

 

[Koops]

My Azimut with Coppercoat.

Im on the cusp of buying 8 litres of coppercoat tomorrow (Friday) instead of using the eroding antifoul. Because of various deadlines I need to apply the coppercoat monday or tuesday but i’m a bit short handed at the moment. I will need to use a 4” roller because of the strake spacing. I’ve nearly convinced myself i could mix 0.5L at a time and apply that myself within around 30 minutes (before it starts to cure). So I could just about apply 4 coats in around 9 hours allowing 1 hour for measuring/mixing etc. Start at 9am, finish at 6pm. Clearly that’s too late at this time of year so either 2 people or I do one side Monday then the other Tuesday.
What does your experience tell you about whether this is realistic? Ideally I need to find another fit /competent person to team with on this….

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Seems a major task to get the hull stripped, faired and prepped for copper coat by Monday on your own, how are you removing the last of that AF?

 

[Koops]

Seems a major task to get the hull stripped, faired and prepped for copper coat by Monday on your own, how are you removing the last of that AF?

Down to an original coppercoat layer. Have sanded off all the green (oxidised copper), the grey is some form of primer on the gelcoat. All smooth and hard. Around 3h sanding remaining to finish

 

[rafiki_]

Im on the cusp of buying 8 litres of coppercoat tomorrow (Friday) instead of using the eroding antifoul. Because of various deadlines I need to apply the coppercoat monday or tuesday but i’m a bit short handed at the moment. I will need to use a 4” roller because of the strake spacing. I’ve nearly convinced myself i could mix 0.5L at a time and apply that myself within around 30 minutes (before it starts to cure). So I could just about apply 4 coats in around 9 hours allowing 1 hour for measuring/mixing etc. Start at 9am, finish at 6pm. Clearly that’s too late at this time of year so either 2 people or I do one side Monday then the other Tuesday.
What does your experience tell you about whether this is realistic? Ideally I need to find another fit /competent person to team with on this….

Two experienced folk applied the copper coat to my boat. They did it in a day, but this was not their first rodeo.

 

[Sianna]

Yup I've used Hemple Tiger Xtra on our mobo, it works fine on our mooring in the Solent. I just give it a quick sand each year before two fresh coats. It doesn't seem to erode too quickly as we generally cruise at 25knts with blasts up to 30.

 

[Rappey]

I had a super light boat with a 200hp 2t for 18 years. Used to put anything that was cheap on it. Never encountered the af coming off.
If it can stay on when being pressure washed it will never come off under way as 60 knts isnt even close to the power from a pressure washer.
I also discovered that a quick blast at over 60 knts does not clean the hull.

 

[Aardee]

Im on the cusp of buying 8 litres of coppercoat tomorrow (Friday) instead of using the eroding antifoul. Because of various deadlines I need to apply the coppercoat monday or tuesday but i’m a bit short handed at the moment. I will need to use a 4” roller because of the strake spacing. I’ve nearly convinced myself i could mix 0.5L at a time and apply that myself within around 30 minutes (before it starts to cure). So I could just about apply 4 coats in around 9 hours allowing 1 hour for measuring/mixing etc. Start at 9am, finish at 6pm. Clearly that’s too late at this time of year so either 2 people or I do one side Monday then the other Tuesday.
What does your experience tell you about whether this is realistic? Ideally I need to find another fit /competent person to team with on this….

In my experience Coppercoat really needs a couple of warm, dry days (and nights) to cure and "stick" properly. I'd be concerned about temperature and moisture levels while the epoxy fully cures.

The guys who do Coppercoat professionally in our marina wouldn't be applying it outdoors this time of year.

 

[rafiki_]

In my experience Coppercoat really needs a couple of warm, dry days (and nights) to cure and "stick" properly. I'd be concerned about temperature and moisture levels while the epoxy fully cures.

The guys who do Coppercoat professionally in our marina wouldn't be applying it outdoors this time of year.

Mine was applied last week. Ambient was 15c, and a bit of breeze to help cure.