More experience of antifoul.

[supermalc]

I've recently helped to take out a few boats, most having been static, or almost static in the same small stretch of clear riverwater.

After finding aboat 5 bucketfulls of shellfish on a boat with antifoul, and only 1 on a boat of similar size with bitumin, that had been in the water almost twice as long, one could be forgiven for thinking the £40 for bitumin was better than the £180 for antifoul.

However a boat just across the river with antifoul, which I suspect was very expensive, as it was soft, and patchy, had hardly any fouling, whereas the boat next door, done with the same bitumin, was covered, despite only being there for 2 years, a year less.

So I can only assume antifoul is a bit like prop size.....different for every boat, depending on circumstance. If you find one that works for you, that's the one to use, but if not, it appears it is worth trying a different type.

 

[vyv_cox]

Our experience may be interesting. The boat is in the Med, where fouling is reckoned to be worse due to higher water temperature. For many years I have applied hard, scrubbable antifouling to the upper 12 inches or so, so that I can scrub off the majority of fouling without colouring the water. All lower surfaces are done in eroding.

This year we used Hempels hard racing white for the upper part and some old International Cruiser Superior white for lower parts. Performance has been excellent, but not for the obvious reasons. We have spent very little time in marinas, so the water line has remained fairly clean. I have scrubbed the upper part about three times in five months, it formed very little weed fouling but there has been a small amount of limpet-like shell, easily removed. The International Cruiser Superior, which performed poorly in North Wales, has been excellent, with very little fouling.

However, it is very evident that the main reason for this is that the fouling is regularly cleaned off by fish. There is plenty of evidence of this throughout the hull, and areas around the P-bracket that I noted were beginning to develop a circle of pubic hair-like strands of weed were completely clean the next time I looked. The water is so clear in Corsica that I have watched fish feeding on the surface of my rudder. I have seen some evidence of fish-assisted antifouling back in North Wales but to nothing like the same extent. So before you make decisions about the antifouling, also consider the marine life in your area!

 

[Guest]

Famous for not using AF .....

Me !! Loads of people make wise cracks about my cheapskate attitude to it ....

Basically my boat hasntt seen an AF pot or brush for about 6 years .... possibly 7. Now all was fine - as boat was moored in tidal mud berths and before on drying mooring out in harbour. Both effectively scoured the hull as it sank into and lifted out of the mud etc.
But last couple of years ... my pontoon berth has developed a hole in the mud where water remains in contact with a large portion of my underhull .... barnacles and growth have invaded ....

Will be interesting in next few weeks - as boat will be lifted for transport ... so will see real extent ... as she has been in water for approx. 4 yrs continuous now ... with only short periods out before for engine work.