More on anti-fouling

[davidej]

Does anyone have experience of the newer budget priced antifouling eg Compass, Seago etc.

I have always used Blakes Tiger but we moor in a high fouling area (N Essex) and still have to scrub once or twice a season.

Would a budget paint be a false economy or do they all have the same ingredients anyway?

Any personal experience would be appreciated.

 

[pvb]

[ QUOTE ]
Would a budget paint be a false economy or do they all have the same ingredients anyway?

[/ QUOTE ]Basically, yes, most popular antifouls contain the same active ingredient. Cheaper antifouls tend to have less of it. More expensive antifouls usually have added biocides to increase effectiveness.

The key factor in successful antifouling is putting enough of the stuff on. Those who make a small amount go a long way will find the results less than spectacular.

I use Micron and get 2 years afloat between applications.

 

[Tranona]

Life long user of Blakes Tiger until 3 years ago. Changed to XM and can't tell the difference. Much cheaper and in a 3 litre tin which leaves enough for an extra coat around the waterline. Boat located in Poole harbour.

 

[Jonathanpaul]

I have used compass for the last few years and found it to work just fine. East coast swing mooring.

 

[T_C]

YM ran a test a few years ago, the results of which were a bit muddled when it came to publication. However, from my reading of it, the Compass stuff seemed to come out OK and I've used Compass since then. It seems to do fairly well, thin layer of slime at the end of the season, and very little barnacle growth and no trailing seaweedy bits.
Give it a go for a season and see how it works in your area.

 

[rjp]

Up until last year I used Cruiser Uno which never seemed very effective. Last year I changed to Seago and only needed a light scrub at the end of the season. Of course it was a miserable summer, so perhaps water temeperature was a factor. but I'll be going the cheap route again this year.

John

 

[alexrunic]

i have always used the cheaper ones and never had any problems with weed or barnacle growth. i'm sure you are just paying for the name on the expensive stuff.

 

[wooslehunter]

I tried XM a couple of years ago. I have a swinging mooring at the top of Chichester Harbour. Barnacle growth was smaller than the expensive types I tried but weed & slime was worse.

For the 3rd year, I'll be using Shogun. But that's after trying several different types of more expensive & cheaper paints.

It's really a case of getting a recommendation from people in your area who do your kind of sailing. We have a club member who was away cruising France for 3 months. He came back in to the harbour at the end of the season clean & withing a week, noticed slime starting to grow.

 

[richardabeattie]

I never use any at all. Makes very little differenece and I save a lot of time, money, effort and pollution! I dry out and scrub off mid season (half an hour with a bilge keeler) and pressure wash when I haul out.