"Reactivating" Cuprotect

[Puggy]

Hi all,

My boat has Cuprotect copper based antifoul system applied in 2006 (by the previous owner). I find its performance distinctly underwhelming and I have been pondering replacing it with Coppercoat, at a fearsome price.

However, I am wondering if I am missing something? Searching the YBW forums, forumites hint at rubbing down the copper coating to reactivate the copper. However, the manufacturers of both Coppercoat and Cuprotect say this shouldn't be done and isn't necessary, however I have nothing to lose by doing it, as it doesn't work anyway. I also found an article where Dick Durham had his boat done in Cuprotect and it didn't work at all, so maybe I am flogging a dead horse.

So, I am toying with either stumping up to move to Coppercoat, or trying some reactivation exercise and seeing how we go next season.

Does anyone now if reactivation through sanding it down works, or is it a waste of time?

Thanks in advance

Piers

 

[fireball]

Green scourer should be all you need - a hard scrub with that will expose any fresh copper

 

[duncan99210]

We've got some brand of copper bonded into epxoy on Rampage - applied about 12 years ago. It was not as good as it had been last summer, so this winter SWMBO attacked it with about 200 grit wet and dry, just a light skim. It has brought the stuff back up to expectations. Give it a go - nothing to loose except a bit of sweat.

 

[macd]

...forumites hint at rubbing down the copper coating to reactivate the copper. However, the manufacturers of both Coppercoat and Cuprotect say this shouldn't be done

Can't speak for Cuprotect, but AMC, suppliers of Coppercoat, say no such thing. They do say it's rarely necessary, but may be worth doing on first launch into a high-fouling area and possibly as a later freshen-up. As fireball writes, a green abrasive scourer is all that's needed, although AMC suggest 600 grade wet and dry as an alternative.

 

[Puggy]

Thanks all. I think I will give this a go first.

 

[EwanClark]

Coppercoat has copper mixed throughout the epoxy, so if you burnish the surface you will expose more fresh copper.

But Cuprotect is simply a thin layer of copper dry sprayed on to tacky epoxy. There is no copper IN the epoxy, the only copper is ON the epoxy. If you abrade this product you simply take off this thin layer of copper and get back to bare epoxy.

Consequently while sanding Coppercoat (if required) is an option, sanding Cuprotect is not.

Overcoating Cuprotect is simple enough however, and any anti-foul (including Coppercoat) can be applied on top. I believe that Goodacres at Port Solent have a Nauticat 43 booked to have its failing Curpotect overcoated with Coppercoat later this year.

 

[EwanClark]

Piers - I've just been told by my colleague Jayson that the Nauticat I am thinking of is actually your boat! From memory, both Foxes (Ipswich) and Hayling Yacht Company (Hayling Island) have overcoated Curpotect with Coppercoat.