XM Antifoul, Gaelforce antifoul ...any other antifoul?

[yodave]

Boat; 32ft bilge keel on saltwater, drying mooring, typically under 10 knots on the River Forth (East coast of Scotland).

Next month I'll be antifouling for the first time. I've had all sorts of views from club members. I've decided against the full copper coat treatment this year. Most say that antifoul paint is much of a muchness ...and without any clear guidance or strong opinion, I'm thinking that I should simply buy on price.

So I can currently pick up 6 litres of XM antifoul for less than £70 delivered ...and 5 litres of Gaelforce own lable for around the same money.

Why spend more? Any bad experiences? Any reason not to do this? If I spend more money will I get better results? Any better price/performance deals out there?

Thanks in advance.

 

[sailorman]

Boat; 32ft bilge keel on saltwater, drying mooring, typically under 10 knots on the River Forth (East coast of Scotland).

Next month I'll be antifouling for the first time. I've had all sorts of views from club members. I've decided against the full copper coat treatment this year. Most say that antifoul paint is much of a muchness ...and without any clear guidance or strong opinion, I'm thinking that I should simply buy on price.

So I can currently pick up 6 litres of XM antifoul for less than £70 delivered ...and 5 litres of Gaelforce own lable for around the same money.

Why spend more? Any bad experiences? Any reason not to do this? If I spend more money will I get better results? Any better price/performance deals out there?

Thanks in advance.

Look at the Shepherd marine site for Jotun no more money & it works

http://www.smlmarinepaints.co.uk/antifouling

 

[Tradewinds]

Look at the Shepherd marine site for Jotun no more money & it works

I agree

 

[ffiill]

Gaelforce certainly seems to be the best deal in price when you can pick it up locally.
Suprised about the 6 litres-My heavy displacement 34 foot long keeler takes about 4.5litres for two coats

 

[vyv_cox]

I have not used Gaelforce A/F but I have used XM and the cheaper Screwfix Flag variety. I didn't find much difference between them and the many International, Plastimo, and several other more expensive ones. However, for the past 8 or 9 years we have been more or less constantly on the move. When we kept the boat on a swinging mooring we only ever used International Cruiser, whose results were variable, good one year and less good another. This year we will be buying Flag again but only because we can buy it locally and thus it tends to be the cheapest for us.

A tip I read recently was to check the weight of the tin, which varies according to the amount of copper it contains. However, perhaps the worst performance we have experienced was from an A/F bought in Mallorca that advertised itself as containing more copper than any other brand.

 

[FishyInverness]

Just for information in view of the previous post, The GaelForce own brand is made for us by Flag.

 

[[10753]]

I used Flag last year and it seemed to work well. However, apparently last year was a poor Barnacle / Weed year so who knows. Saying that I will be using Flag again this year.

One thing I did wonder - can you add your own copper and if so how much ?

 

[Pasarell]

I don't know who makes the Gaelforce and XM products but it is likely to be someone like Flag or Teamac I expect so if price is important you are probably best off going for the cheapest. Copper is the biggest biocide by volume and weight of can gives you an indication of how much is in each product. A lot of what you pay for is the boosting biocides that don't add any weight but do cost a lot. The better the brand the better quality the boosters should be.
Adding extra copper will be very difficult. Even if you can keep it in suspension during application - and that will be very difficult in a product not designed for more heavy copper - it probably won't have much effect. More important is the boosting biocides which you don't know about and can't buy. As a general rule copper works well against shell fouling and the boosters are there to improve performance against weed and slime

 

[yodave]

Many thanks to all who have replied.

sailorman & Tradewinds: Thanks for your input; I might well take your advice and go for Jotun SeaForce 30.

ffiill: Thanks. Unfortunately I can't pick it up locally, so the XM is marginally better priced per litre.

vyv_cox: Interesting observations; from what you're saying it sounds as though the variable conditions and lack of consitency in the products means that there's a bit of luck involved no matter how much you spend. Thank you.

FishyInverness: That's good to know. I'll keep that in mind. Thank you.

ospreyk30: Thanks for you opinion. If you're using Flag again, then it can't have done such a bad job.

Pasarell: Thank you for the info. That sounds as though it makes sense, although I really don't know what the variable conditions actually mean in my location, given that it's my first year.

I'll give this some more thought, and make a call over the next couple of days. Not so sure about the XM as (other than vyv_cox) nobody has had much experience of it. So it's probably GaelForce (made by Flag), or the Jotun. Seems that both will do the job. GaelForce just has it on price ...but the difference wouldn't put me of using Jotun if it's going to perform better.

Thanks once again to all contributors!

 

[prv]

Another fan of Jotun here, though admittedly I don't have much to compare it to. I originally picked it because it's a name I was familiar with from painting big steel ships (used by the Tall Ships Youth Trust I occasionally volunteer with) where it gives good results. The fact that until quite recently it was very much fishing-boat-and-container-ship-paint rather than posh-yotty-paint appealed to me as likely to be a) good and b) cheap.

Last year due to a delivery mixup (antifoul mistaken for red wine, don't ask) we were forced to paint KS with some excruciatingly expensive top-brand stuff from the swindlery, and the result has been no better than the usual Jotun.

Pete

 

[Scubadoo]

I used to use Flag and then the supplier changed brands to a Premier One brand antifoul which I have used for two years and works the same.

http://www.discountantifoul.com/?kw...24&network=s&gclid=CMSu4fPIka4CFYgmtAodUnR4dw

Good price.

 

[MrCramp]

On the river Deben in Suffolk I have used XM antifoul with good results. My son has used International stuff and Blakes and has had loads of fouling. He is going to take Dad's advice and use XM this year.

 

[KAL]

Mmm. Was thinking of using Jotun this year, but any advice which one? I see they have the seaforce range, then also the racing and nonstop ranges listed in their "yachting" section. Are the latter more expensive? Can't see them on the sml website? Any advice based on experience?

 

[sailorman]

Mmm. Was thinking of using Jotun this year, but any advice which one? I see they have the seaforce range, then also the racing and nonstop ranges listed in their "yachting" section. Are the latter more expensive? Can't see them on the sml website? Any advice based on experience?

i have sea queen

 

[PuffTheMagicDragon]

. However, perhaps the worst performance we have experienced was from an A/F bought in Mallorca that advertised itself as containing more copper than any other brand.

If I may ask, would that be the 'EU-45' brand? The reason I ask is that I shall soon be buying A/F and am looking for something suitable for the med. Previously I used to get International Ecoloflex (sp?) as used on ships but my source is no longer available.

 

[jordanbasset]

i have sea queen

We also used sea queen, easy to apply and an effective anti-foul, only slime at the end of they season, washed off easy.

 

[FishyInverness]

Last year due to a delivery mixup (antifoul mistaken for red wine, don't ask)

Pete

Still, a good excuse to leave her hauled out for a bit longer while you "test" the antifoul! How many litres?

Yodave, incidentally, where are you based in Scotland, p/m me if you'd prefer.
[Edit : Just read the original post properly - Forth, east coast, now I know! ]

 

[vyv_cox]

If I may ask, would that be the 'EU-45' brand? The reason I ask is that I shall soon be buying A/F and am looking for something suitable for the med. Previously I used to get International Ecoloflex (sp?) as used on ships but my source is no longer available.

Unfortunately neither of us can remember its name, although I don't think it was EU-45. We were hauled out in Mallorca when a salesman approached us and asked if would like to buy his product. Its price was OK and convenience could not be better, delivered to the boat. It was available throughout Europe and placed emphasis on its copper content, 'maximum allowed by law'.

I looked at their website and it does seem familiar. Maybe there has been a name change? In its defence, the colour we bought was white. The datasheet suggests that this may have a copper-free composition, as it can be applied over aluminium and zinc. I would try one of the colours.

 

[greenalien]

I bought 9 litres of XM antifouling for a good price 2 years ago, enough to last me 3 years. I have previously used it with good results. The results in 2010 were not good - lots of tubeworm, then weed on top. 2011 was much better, mostly just slime with a bit of weed and barnacles, although I did use the boat a bit more. One thing I have noticed - I bought the dark (navy)blue colour, but it soon turns light (air force!)blue after immersion in salt water - I'd rather use paint that stays the same colour!
Most people at my yacht club use Jotun, and get good results.

 

[PetiteFleur]

Look at the Shepherd marine site for Jotun no more money & it works

http://www.smlmarinepaints.co.uk/antifouling

I've also used Jotun for the last few years and it's excellent. I've usually put it on the scrubbing posts midseason and there has only been a bit of slime. (on the East Coast)