Sterndrive antifoul

[Step1]

Now I think I know the answer to this but any advice gratefully received. We've used our new boat at least every 3 weekends since we bought her at the end of May so she hasn't been sat idle. Happened to have a quick look under the bathing platform last night and I thought I was looking at a rocky outcrop rather than a pair of sterndrives. Lots of fuzzy weed covering the drives, barnacles and the odd mussel. Does this mean the antifoul has failed and I should get her lifted quick smart and reapplied? It was done 9 months ago, and as I say we have been using the boat so I'm thinking a lift and scrub won't do it and I should just get her re-antifouled?

 

[TheOrs]

Mine fouls up really quickly. I think this is partly because I have to leave it trimmed up and it sits just below the water in the sunshine.

Could you trim it up and scrub it off by lying on the platform and getting your arm wet? I'm having to do this to my prop once a week now the weather's gotten a bit warmer.

My stern-drive anti-foul (black Trilux) doesn't seem work anywhere near as well as that on the hull (red Hempel) but also, on the hull; the nearer the surface, the worse the fouling.

 

[wipe_out]

I used Trilux the first year on our old boat which turned into a bush as you describe.. I then switched to the Premier Paints anti foul ( https://www.premiermarinepaints.co....tdrive-sterngear-antifouling-yacht-boat-paint ) which seemed to work much better.. I suspect it maybe because the Premier Paint is slightly ablating so maintains a fresh surface better.. Nothing will stop the growth completely though..

 

[lisilou]

Ours foul up pretty quickly too. Personally, I wouldn't bother lifting her out just for the o/drives unless of course you feel the hull is equally bad. (Have you lost speed?) I'd just scrub what I can from the swim platform or have a scrub from the tender.
We have ours anti fouled once a year and usually have a lift and scrub at some point in between to keep it in check.
L

 

[oGaryo]

I've been using this brush on paint for the last two seasons after buying a tin on a whim at the Soton boatshow and without a doubt, it's the best I've used. forget the spray on AF, it's rubbish in my opinion. spread this on thick, it's erodible so I find the mullet keep the drives freeish too as any slime or weed build up isn't anchored to the drive so easily as spray on antifoul. lots of barnies on the props that I scrape off as per Lisa's advice but nothing on the drives as yet.

TheOrs, if you have to leave your trimmed up, have you considered a black bin liner over the drive when you're not there to keep the sunlight off the drive(s)? A fella in our marina does it to good effect.

Here's the product I use.. think they do black too: https://premiermarinepaints.co.uk/buy/premier-outdrive-sterngear-antifouling-yacht-boat-paint/26

 

[Andy Bav]

aggressive growth in Sant Carles is well documented but as Ogaryo has suggested, bin liners over the drives work a treat. Bit of a faff getting them on, but they do work...

 

[Step1]

Thanks all for your comments. Decided to bite the bullet and opt for the current MDL lift and scrub summer offer yesterday. Hull wasn't too bad at all, but outdrives covered in weed, mussels and barnacles. The later having also made a nice home for themselves in the bowthruster tunnel. Now all nice and sparkly, fuelled up and ready for our week's holiday starting tomorrow. Now just need to work out where to go....and pray for decent weather.