Recommendations for chemical anti-foul stripper

[Tranona]

If you want a long lasting solution then the only way is blasting on an iron keel. I did mine (Bavaria 33) 2 years ago to replace the Coppercoat which had not adhered properly. Coated immediately with Hempadur epoxy - 6 coats then Coppercoat. Cost of blasting and materials about £600. DIY application.

Before, after and 12 months on. Unfortunately almost impossible to do all of the underside of the keel, but does give an idea of how effective Coppercoat is.

 

[Neeves]

If you want a long lasting solution then the only way is blasting on an iron keel. I did mine (Bavaria 33) 2 years ago to replace the Coppercoat which had not adhered properly. Coated immediately with Hempadur epoxy - 6 coats then Coppercoat. Cost of blasting and materials about £600. DIY application.View attachment 128977View attachment 128978View attachment 128979

Before, after and 12 months on. Unfortunately almost impossible to do all of the underside of the keel, but does give an idea of how effective Coppercoat is.

Tranona,
I wondered about your comment 'almost impossible etc .....'

What stops Coppercoat being applied to the hull, completely, and then the hull being supported with the keel off the 'ground' allowing the keel to be coated. I appreciate there will be a cost factor - but CC applied retrospectively is expensive - and the extra cost is surely not that prohibitive - or have I missed something.

I do note that most of the keel looks good

I also note that here Bavs at commissioning were lifted onto the keel, keel 'installed' and the Sika allowed to set off with the yacht hanging and the keel completely unsupported (or only supported by its bolts (and the Sika. ) as that is how the keel will be supported when afloat.

Jonathan

 

[AntarcticPilot]

Tranona,
I wondered about your comment 'almost impossible etc .....'

What stops Coppercoat being applied to the hull, completely, and then the hull being supported with the keel off the 'ground' allowing the keel to be coated. I appreciate there will be a cost factor - but CC applied retrospectively is expensive - and the extra cost is surely not that prohibitive - or have I missed something.

I do note that most of the keel looks good

I also note that here Bavs at commissioning were lifted onto the keel, keel 'installed' and the Sika allowed to set off with the yacht hanging and the keel completely unsupported (or only supported by its bolts (and the Sika. ) as that is how the keel will be supported when afloat.

Jonathan

The main problem is that coppercoat takes several days to become load bearing after application - I think at least 4 days is recommended. You would need a custom made cradle to spread the load; the usual type would impose point loads on a hull where the weight isn't mainly taken by the keel. Further, you would have to do the hull, wait until that was load bearing, transfer the boat to the special cradle and do the keel. Using a hoist would mean blocking the hoist for 4+days and I can't see any boatyard allowing that.

 

[Neeves]

Thanks AP - I had not realised that there was a 4 day delay within the process. But if the delay did not incur excessive expenses then sitting with the keel supported fore and aft for 4 days and then supported in the middle for 4 days would be the answer - but possibly not cost effective and thus (as Tranona said) 'almost impossible'

Jonathan

 

[AntarcticPilot]

Thanks AP - I had not realised that there was a 4 day delay within the process. But if the delay did not incur excessive expenses then sitting with the keel supported fore and aft for 4 days and then supported in the middle for 4 days would be the answer - but possibly not cost effective and thus (as Tranona said) 'almost impossible'

Jonathan

It's bad enough doing under the pads of a normal cradle! I did mine in a boatyard that didn't allow anyone but boatyard staff to change propping etc, so I had to do the main part, wait 4 days and then get the boatyard to erect temporary props, then do under the pads, wait a further 4 days and then replace the original propping. This when I was 400 miles from the boat, an eight hour drive!

None of the usual leaving the tail end of the last tin of antifoul for the boatyard crew to slap a couple of coats on under the pads before launching!

 

[vyv_cox]

Thanks AP - I had not realised that there was a 4 day delay within the process. But if the delay did not incur excessive expenses then sitting with the keel supported fore and aft for 4 days and then supported in the middle for 4 days would be the answer - but possibly not cost effective and thus (as Tranona said) 'almost impossible'

Jonathan

My keel is Coppercoated. When coated the keel was supported on two wooden blocks of about 15 cm square, it was thus possible to coat the underside of all except these two small areas. Just before launch the boat hangs in slings for a few minutes to allow for antifouling the squares where the cradle pads sat (hull is conventional a/f). I include the naked patches of the keel in the last minute a/f treatment.

 

[Amlov]

My keel is Coppercoated. When coated the keel was supported on two wooden blocks of about 15 cm square, it was thus possible to coat the underside of all except these two small areas. Just before launch the boat hangs in slings for a few minutes to allow for antifouling the squares where the cradle pads sat (hull is conventional a/f). I include the naked patches of the keel in the last minute a/f treatment.

I did much the same, but when I came out the following year I made sure the wooden blocks were in a different place so I could then Coppercoat where the original blocks had been.

 

[LONG_KEELER]

Anyone tried Peelaway ?

 

[Tranona]

You can see in the second photo where it sat on the blocks - and obviously that is where the growth is even though I slapped on some AF while it was in the slings. The problem is that those areas were not blasted for obvious reasons so not a good surface for AF. When the boat was new (the Coppercoat was done within a week of the boat leaving the factory, complete with keel attached) we discussed lifting it high enough in slings to do the bottom of the keel. Not surprisingly the yard wanted a fortune for hiring the hoist for a week! Even lifting to change the position of the blocks would have been £250 - they moved the props without lifting. I guess with a bit more time and patience when I redid it at the club it would have been possible to lift it even higher and moved the blocks - only £50 a lift - but I had already spent 2 weeks of glorious sailing weather on it.

Boat gets lifted on the 31st for the buyer's survey. Hope it looks as good as it did in the photo which was taken last April.