Micron Optima antifoul

[Plevier]

Anyone on here tried it - good or bad?
I know just one person who uses it regularly. It seems to do very well for him but it never seems to be included in the magazine comparative tests.

 

[VicS]

Anyone on here tried it - good or bad?
I know just one person who uses it regularly. It seems to do very well for him but it never seems to be included in the magazine comparative tests.

The fact that is its a two component coating would probably put a few people off.

The price will put most people off

 

[Plevier]

The fact that is its a two component coating would probably put a few people off.

The price will put most people off

You may well be right.
However it's water based with a long pot life after mixing, and really it's not much more cost than other premium ones e.g. Optima is £95 for 2L with same coverage as 2.5L of Extra 2 at typically £90. £10 difference for a 30-35ft boat is irrelevant against all the other costs if it does a better job.

Edit - There is a feature that could be quite difficult to cope with - after touching in the cradle pad areas, it needs 24-48 hrs drying time before launch. Also a problem if it rains.

 

[Pete7]

Hmm, £95 for a 2 litre tin or Cruiser Uno at £70 for 3 litres. Since I want 6L the decision is easy.

Pete

 

[Plevier]

Hmm, £95 for a 2 litre tin or Cruiser Uno at £70 for 3 litres. Since I want 6L the decision is easy.

Pete

But is Cruiser Uno worth putting on? Not sure it is, at least where we are.

Do you use 6L on a 31 ft boat? That would tilt the economics. 5L of Jotun Non Stop that we tried last year does a Dehler 35 quite comfortably.

 

[johnalison]

I have used it for the last 15yrs or so. I first encountered it when our then boat was on a swinging mooring in Maylandsea creek. Using standard A/Fs, which may have been Blakes, I can't remember, the bottom was usually discoloured withing a few weeks and foul within months. A friend with a boat nearby was using Optima and usually ended the season with a nearly clean bottom, while I was have to scrub mid-season. I observed this over several years and decided to change when we got our new boat.

Most of the last years have been alternately English Channel or trips to the Baltic. Clearly, the latter is a low fouling environment, especially with return trips through the Netherlands. However, our bottom is usually pretty good even with Channel waters at the normal end of season, say end of September, and usually looks its colour, sometimes with some greening around the waterline only, and usually compares well with other boats in our marina.

I have found the two-pot system to be easy in practice, and the ability to wash equipment and hands in water an advantage. The larger tin has the correct space to accept the contents of the smaller easily. A good stir is then needed and ten minutes left for the paint to become activated, time enough to apply the masking tape. The only disadvantage in practice is the need to wait for the paint to cure for an hour before immersion, which means that the pad areas can't be quickly applied during the launching process, though it would be possible perhaps to do this during the yard lunch hour with the boat in the slings if the yard is agreeable.

I dare say that other A/Fs do the job but I have found that paying a bit more to avoid the need for a possible mid-season scub worthwhile.

 

[Plevier]

johnalison that's very positive. Surprised you can get away with launching after an hour, the product data sheet says 24 hrs or 48 hrs if below 10 degrees, potentially quite a problem.

 

[johnalison]

johnalison that's very positive. Surprised you can get away with launching after an hour, the product data sheet says 24 hrs or 48 hrs if below 10 degrees, potentially quite a problem.

I haven't looked at that piece of paper that comes with it for fifteen years! I'm sure you are right, but an hour will do I think for the odd patch.

 

[Robin]

we used Optima very successfully for several years on a Poole Based W33 and again when we bought a Jeanneau Sun Legende 41. However when we later raised the waterline and switched from Black Optima to white Optima so not to clash with a hull stripe colour, we had a bad batch which blistered badly in use ( golf ball size blisters) between the new white and the black underneath, even though it was well washed down and rubbed down with wet/dry. IT appeared to be a problem of the paint batch because the blisters started/ended wher I changed cans and yes it was all mixed ptoperly and the applicarion conditions were correct. .We had to remove all the layers of antifoul back to the base hull before recoating and that had to be by wet sand blasting which removed some of the epoxy barrier coat too sadly, after which we applied an overall primer coat as a key. International sent their rep down and 'gave' us enough Optima to recoat, however we were on a restricted schedule for re-launch and the temp constraints etc of Optima would have made it difficult to meet our lift in date, so we re-negotiated and International supplied us with MIcron Extra instead which was less restrictive on conditions. Micron worked well but slime built up by summer cruise time and we had a diver wipe the bum clean just before the off. Thereafter the difference in price between Optima and Micron would have paid for 2 diver cleans per season although in fact only one was needed, so we stuck with micron until we sold that boat.


Now USA based we continue to use Micron, but USA made 'Micron 66'. this kept us clean in the tropics for 12 months but after that we have a regular monthly diver wipe ($55) and anode check/replacement. It is common here to only haul out for a bottom repaint every 3 years which will be up this coming summer, but so far the diver reports it still in good condition (we had originally applied 3 coats of black Micron 66, over 5 coats of Interlux epoxy), so we may be able to stretch a few more months yet. .

 

[Pete7]

Do you use 6L on a 31 ft boat? That would tilt the economics. 5L of Jotun Non Stop that we tried last year does a Dehler 35 quite comfortably.

Yup, twin keels add a bit of surface area.

 

[Plevier]

Yup, twin keels add a bit of surface area.

Ah didn't think of that. Still seems a lot. I did a 32ft Jeanneau with twin bilge keel stubs plus a centre blade out of 5L with a bit left.

 

[pvb]

It might depend on where you are, but I've found over many years that applying the recommended quantity of ordinary Micron gives 2 years' protection. Boat afloat 24/7 for 2 years; marina based. But you have to apply the recommended quantity, not a couple of thin coats from a damp roller.

 

[johnalison]

It might depend on where you are, but I've found over many years that applying the recommended quantity of ordinary Micron gives 2 years' protection. Boat afloat 24/7 for 2 years; marina based. But you have to apply the recommended quantity, not a couple of thin coats from a damp roller.

Differences can be very local. Maylandsea was especially bad for us because suspended matter soon coated the bottom and seemed to stop the antifouling from working.

 

[LONG_KEELER]

I used it for the first time last season on the East Coast.

I applied the Optima in April choosing the right conditions as recommended on the tin.
i.e. not too cold and with no chance of rain . It goes on very easily and a doddle to clear up as mentioned.

I found the results a little disappointing . I have a retractable rudder which makes inspection easy.
Even after light scrubbing in the summer months, slime returned quickly (marina berthed ).

On the plus side, no heavy covering with weed and easy to remove slime build up.

On the basis of the test PBO conducted in the January 2016 issue , I'm going to give Hempel Cruising Performer a go at £49.95 for 2.5 ltrs.