is it just me or is antifouling not what we might hope for?

PaulR

PaulR

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antifouled as mnfrs recommendations pre launch in march- scrubbed when afloat during summer then dried and scrubbed properly early july pre summer cruise - since then losts of slime and some weed build up again - given the price of antifoul is it just me who finds it's performance doesn't deliver what it claims on the tin?

have tried most major mnfrs but not convinced so far any are as good as they claim - has anyone had weed and slime free boat for the season without scrubbing?
 
Since TBT was removed and other nasties from the contents, it is difficult for the manufacturers to produce stuff that is as effective as it used to be. Better get used to regular season scrubs or bite the bullet and try Cuprotect.
 
When we were in Italy one of the guys in the marina was testing bees wax in place of antifouling. He antifouled the boat but left a large patch bare and put a couple of coats of beeswax on it. It seemed to work, at haulout time that patch was clean.
 
Hard antifoulings, in my opinion, are the only way to go. There isn't enough decent biocide in modern erodables.
You could consider a copper epoxy which is in my view a form of hard antifouling.
 
Performance of antifoul paint depends on many factors.
The water temperature and amount of sunlight (includes clarity of water and light reflected of the bottom)
It also depends on the water make up ie percentage of fresh water and the amount of nutrients or other polution.

So it is most likely that if the performance is different for you this year something has changed. ie you may be scrubbing more often. Which does clean the boat but weakens the paint layer.

Your only options are to try a different paint or try without A/F that is if you really think you are being diddled. good luck olewill
 
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Hard antifoulings, in my opinion, are the only way to go. There isn't enough decent biocide in modern erodables.
You could consider a copper epoxy which is in my view a form of hard antifouling.

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I disagree. But you need a very soft erodable. My boat never has any fouling with it at all.
 
used tiger last this season ended up srubing and then used chilli power to boost performance bit rough to touch but was working well when i sold boat will use again
 
I am happy to say that I was delighted when Cottontail was lifted out on Wednesday, we did the antifouling in Spring and she came out spotless - didn't even need a wash off. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Now to get the rudder fixed and re-launch for some Autumn cruising. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
That's great news about Cottontail.
Would you be kind enough to tell us what brand of AF was used, and if not a brand, what were the ingredients, how it was applied, and whether the water was fresh, esturine or ocean all or part of the time cottontail was in the water?
Thanks
 
Aye indeed...

She is semi-permanently berthed in Eastbourne which is a clear-water but weed heavy salt water marina. Outside of the marina she is used along the South Coast. There are regular periods of inactivity.

The anftifoul was done in two seperate stages, first we scrubbed her back quite hard to get rid of as many preceeding layers of AF as was reaslistic and applied a single coat of hard Blakes Tiger. The boat was then used briefly and when lifted again we gave a wash off and applied two coats of errodible Blakes Cruising.

I am in no way suggesting that anyone should mix and match antifouls, this combination was simply what came about; as gelcoat was exposed during our first clean off we needed something to form a tough first layer.

I hope that helps?
 
I agree, have followed International's instructions to the letter and it doesn't work! Given the cost, which aint cheap, not to mention all other expenses associated with the haul out, you do wonder? If it were another product, ' not fit for purpose' springs to mind. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif
 
two coats of blakes cruising performance applied april 2006, boat out of water for survey in april 2007 - pressure washed and returned, lifted out yesterday hardly anything on the bottom, slight fouling on the rudder.
i may say that as a result of info posted on this forum prior to april 05 i changed to red colour af - seems to have worked perfecty. boat used in clyde and west of scotland.
i agree it seems counter productive to scrub if using soft af.
 
Having an aluminium boat my choice of antifoulings is very limited as they mustn't contain copper. I have been using International Trilux and I'm not too impressed with its performance after a season of fairly intensive sailing in the Irish Sea and W. Scotland. Anybody know anything better for an aluminium boat?
 
It costs
It's an effort
It pollutes
It doesn't work well
So why bother?

Just dry out from time to time and spend half an hour scrubbing the worst off with the back of a broom.
 
Yet again i agree with you Simon...... Very soft antifoul is so much easier, no build up, and for me no mid season scrub.... International Optima two part antifoul, ok so its expensive, but it works.
 
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Very soft antifoul is so much easier, no build up, and for me no mid season scrub.... International Optima two part antifoul, ok so its expensive, but it works.

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Absolutely, Optima's the stuff! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
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You pay more and more each season for products that become less and less effective. This is called "progress" and is the result of intensive research and development.

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... and as far as manufacturers are concerned its a hundred percent effective at removing cash from customers pockets! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

The problem with antifouling is that it is not uniformly effective at what it is supposed to do. The particular mix of biocides may work quite well in one place, but not somewhere else, so that what has worked well on Internationals test rig on the east Coast is likely largely innefective on the South Coast.

Even in Chichester harbour I have found variations in effectiveness. I used to moor at Dell Quay - just below the main sewer outfalls (which of course Southern Water ASSURES us is properly cleaned up - even though solids are visible from time to time!). Blakes Cruiser worked adequately there, but International Bootopping actually seemed to encourage Grass to grow.

I then moved round the corner to Prinstead, where Cruiser has proved a complete waste of time - heavy growth within weeks, crustaceans too. Tiger Extra however works very well, and other than a coating of algal slime there is very little problem. OTOH it is apparently less effective than Cruiser at Dell Quay in the nutrient rich water there.
 
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