Micron 99 and barnacle’s

[Sundowner 39]

Anybody had any experience of this product.....it was recommended by international’s tech department for use in the Caribbean.

My reason for asking is that I had the recommended three coats applied and in just a few months started to get barnacle’s ......lifted just under seven months later to find barnacle’s universally spread over the hull.

This is International / Interlux’s premium product and as I say was recommended not just once but twice by there tech department.

So far the local arrear rep is being extremely casual about it.........I am starting to feel a little aggrieved as this was not a cheap exercise and was meant to be a two/three year fix.

Your thoughts...

 

[Tranona]

Barnacles are particularly bad this year in the UK. I have had them for the first time in over 20 years in the same location and many other local boats have the same, independent of type of AF, except Coppercoat which I have. Loads on prop though which has the same type (Trilux) as used for the last 7 years.

Do they claim that Micron 99 is particularly effective against barnacles?

 

[duncan99210]

Did you apply this yourself or have it applied for you? If someone else put it on, how certain are you that they used the actual stuff you were billed for and also if they put on the three coats specified?

 

[Neeves]

Its not simply 3 coats, its 3 coats of a specific thickness. You can easily eke out AF (or any paint) by adding a little, or a lot of thinner.

Specifying 3 coats is a bit of a waste of time.

The best suggestion is, prior to treatment, is to give your vessel dimensions to the AF company of your choice and demand of them the volume of AF you will need to give you a satisfactory coating thickness. Buy the volume of AF recommended and then apply evenly until you finish.

Ablative AF needs to ablate to work, coating thickness and vessel movement (and speed at which it moves) determines life. If the boat does not move, or only moves slowly, it will develop fouling. The type of fouling is location specific and varies year to year.

Commercial AF, for commercial vessels, are now supplied for vessels that are static, vessels moving at speeds of less than 4 knots, speeds of less than 12 knots and speeds between 12 and 20 knots (and maybe speeds over 20 knots (don't know about the latter). Noting the frequency with which many yachts are used I wonder that we don't have similar AF for leisure. The trouble with the static AF is that they wear off quickly with movement. Sadly these specific commercial AF are not applicable for leisure vessels, in many parts of the world, for a variety of reasons

If you have AF professionally applied - a visit during application is a very wise move.

I have seen anodes painted over - which you will not notice when you pick the yacht up from the quay side

Jonathan

 

[Sundowner 39]

Thanks for the interest.

I’m in the Caribbean so barnacles are every year.

I was present for all coats and the pot was mechanically stirred during application

This is a commercial product ...twice recommended by Iternational/Interlux’s own tech dept....they also recommended coverage rate.....3 gallons.

Thanks for your thoughts

 

[Sundowner 39]

Forgot to mention.....this season travelled from Trinidad to Norfolk Virginia on anchor most of the time but rarely stopped for more than a week,so not a static boat.