International Micron 66 results

[Nick_H]

I think a few people were interested in how effective this new a/f would be, as it is sold as a replacement for TBT a/f's, with much better performance claimed than the usual crop.

The P57 was painted with 2 coats in April 2008, and lifted last week for re-coating. Whilst there was no crustacean growth, there was a fair amount of weed and slime, and I was down from 30 to 22 knots, although I reckon most of this was due to the barnacle growth on the props.

The manager at the yard remembered putting the M66 on my boat, as I'm the only owner that has asked for it, and he commented that it didn't look any better after a year than one coat of their normal antifoul, Uni-Pro, which I think is just the trade version of Cruiser Uno.

Watching other boats come out over the two days I was there, I would have to agree with him.

In fairness to International, they say a minimum of 3 coats, and I only had two put on, but they also say those 3 coats will last two years, and i'm very doubtful of this, at least in med fouling conditions.

As it happens, my boat minder had forgotten to order M66 when she booked the yard this year, so I had no choice but to use Uni Pro anyway, but based on these results i'm not planning to change back.

 

[jfm]

Hmm, I had better results than that nick. Mine was black. I'll post some pics later, too busy now

 

[Sundays_Child]

That's bad?

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

I would say that most of your speed reduction is down to growth on the props and sterngear. I don't think that kind of hull fouling could lose more than 1-2 kts. On the advice of Hurricane, I have applied Velox Plus to my sterngear this year. I haven't seen my boat for a few weeks but the bloke that looks after my boat reported yesterday that the props look promisingly free of barnacle growth which is encouraging considering that this is the prime growing season. I'll know for sure after this weekend

 

[MapisM]

After one full year in the Med (possibly with longish period of no boat moving in between?) that's not a bad result imho.
My guess is that if you would have launched it after just a pressure wash, you could have found her in pretty much the same shape after another year.
Barnacle growth on the props definitely can affect badly the performance of a planing boat, and that could easily explain most if not all of the 8 kts loss. Also because the "worst" part of the hull is not even touching the water at that speed.

 

[Nick_H]

No, not bad at all, but seemingly no better than the standard a/f used by the yard. I suppose the other way of viewing the same information, is that the M66 works quite well in the med, but so does Uni-Pro?

Mike, yes i'm sure nearly all the loss of speed is down to the growth on the props

 

[MapisM]

If also this pic was taken before washing the hull, the a/f definitely did its job properly.
Are you moored facing south by chance?

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Yup, that's bad. Is that a whole season's worth or have you had a diver clean them during the season? This is what 6 month's fouling over winter on my sterngear looks like (pic taken in 2006)

The boat was about 8 kts slower just before she was lifted. On the advice of locals, I changed from Interspeed on the hull to Titan Medium and that seems to perform very well. In fact this year, I didn't repaint the antifoul at all

 

[Richard10002]

Like others, I would say that the props etc. are the problem.

If the picture is before any jet washing or scrubbing, then it looks fine, or even incredibly clean. But, as you say, if stuff at half the price does the same job, why spend the money?

My props were like yours for my last trip in 2007, and I couldnt get more than 4.5 knots in a flat sea with no wind over 55 miles. Normally get up to 7 knots with a bit in reserve.

Cleaned props in April and I was easily doing 6 knots without any effort.

 

[Nick_H]

The hull had been powerwashed by the time of the second photo. Strangely they didn't powerwash the sterngear at the same time, a different bloke did it the next morning just before putting the acid on.

 

[Nick_H]

I have diving gear on board, so scraped them 2 or 3 times during last season, the last time was probably September.

 

[John100156]

I dont think Hurricane was too pleased with Velox, he has removed it following his return from Malta.

Following images taken a few days ago in SCM boatyard, after only a few months, mind you JW has been well scrubbed on the trip:

JW was re-launched yesterday, Mike at helm with Mary complete with damaged digit on the bow - what a nice boat!:

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

That is not good. I know JW has probably completed about 2 season's cruising in about 2 months but I was hoping to see better results than that. I'll see how my treatment goes over a more typical Med season but I'm now less optimistic. Seems like all of these prop treatments are just not capable of adhering to a fast spinning prop on a planing boat. In fact just about the only things that do stick are those effing barnacles

 

[MapisM]

You didn't have your boat treated in the same yard, unless I'm mistaken?
I'm asking because these JW pics lead me to think that the application was poorly done, to start with.
A "normal" adhesion problem shouldn't give such uneven results.
Rudders clearly show that, not to mention flaps, which seem to have lost bits of paint and primer even on the fixed part of the hinge, which is clearly unacceptable. In fact, brackets (whose scrubbing is comparable) are in much better shape.
That's why I'd be very curious to compare the results with an application made elsewhere, after a comparable mileage.
Any cruise to Malta in your summer plans?... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[mjf]

Yes the prop growth will do you for 8/10 knots as you have seen.

You down by 400rpm too?


I'm a little surprised at the hull growth which i assumed would errode with Micron 66.


As you may have seen on Daka's sealift thread I intend to alter my routine this year. paint one year then lift, wash and anode the second with the paint ashore in alternate years. Will sealift between times to get rid of any fuss and acid clean the props etc

 

[gjgm]

wow, thats an unusual blue feathered weed you have there !

 

[John100156]

I believe Mike did the job himself, just to make sure it was done properly! I have Velox on my props too, had the chaps in the boatyard apply it, I hope to check it properly in a couple of months time. I may pull the drives up later this week though just to have a look!

Sorry, going off thread a bit, I think Mike will post soon in this regard. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

No I got the treatment applied in a different yard in Majorca but it reminds me of the Propshield treatment that I tried in that the coating was removed from the props and the leading edges of the rudders within just a few weeks. I'll see how the Velox treatment goes for a few months before making a definitive judgement

 

[Hurricane]

Just got home to Devon
I will put up a new thread on the Velox when I have some time free.
Its not a complete disaster - just not for me.