Anti-fouling report

[seasick]

As promised, here are the results of my experiences with several anti-fouling treatments for my boat. I pulled the boat yesterday for the season. I didn't use it all that much this year and it sat in salt water for weeks at a time.

Bottom paint: Pettit Hydrocoat. Bottom had slime as expected but not a single barnacle. Power washing cleaned up the bottom well and did not blow off the paint. At the beginning of the season, I scrubbed the bottom, sanded a few chipped spots and painted a coat on the whole hull and two coats on the heavy wear spots. So after 3 seasons with Hydrocoat, I am sold on it. It really is a lot easier to apply and clean up. I could probably get away without painting next season but I am not ready to take that chance!
This year I applied Pettit Alumacoat spray to my motor parts that sit in the water. I followed directions and applied 4 coats.Results: many barnacles on parts. I have tried Interlux 33 spray in the past with dismal results and the Pettit works a bit better but not great. I didn't scrape the barnacles off yesterday since the light was fading so I can not say if that are going to be easier than with the Interlux. The good news is that I got the Pettit paint at a big discount as opposed to the usual $30 price for Interlux 33 spray.

As I have done for many years, I used two coats of MDR transducer paint. As I have also experienced in the past, it works very well but if you miss the smallest spot ( I did miss one), barnacles will attach.
This past season was bad for barnacles in my area.

Does anyone have feedabck on the newer non copper based anti-fouling paints?

 

[steveditt]

Same here second year with Pettit Hydrocoat, slime coat from the L.I. S. but overall very clean ,this year I only repainted a few spots . Now wondering if I should try for another year without painting ,like you said so much easier to work with with excellent results .

 

[1998sailfish]

Our boat is a Long Island Sound boat also. A few years ago I had my 272 Sailfish soda blasted. I barrier coated with Pettit and then applied a Hydrocoat base coat of red followed by a top coat of black. For the next two years I would steam clean the hull as soon as it was hauled to remove the slime and misc live barnacles. In the spring I give the bottom a quick light sanding with 100 grit paper to remove any loose scaling, wipe down with a wet sponge and recoat with a full coat of black. I can see the wear areas that have removed the black to the red at the time of recoat so extra mils are applied in those areas. That boat had a B164 flush, tilted element, thru hull brass transducer. I would simply take a dive and clean is during the season. The top of the trim tabs near the piston would be the real growth collection area. I recoated the tabs with 33 every year and scrubbed the rest during the season.

I plan to use Hydrocoat Eco on my new to me Marlin 300 after I have the hull walnut blasted prior to Barrier Coating before this next season.

 

[fishbust]

I am using petit Trinidad these days. So far so good after the first season, painting over what was already on the hull. If I get a 2nd season out of it I will be happy.

So far, the absolute best paint I have ever used (I have tried all types and many brands) was VC Offshore. Least friction, best fuel economy and speed, goes on water thin so very minimal build up. Seems more expensive looking at the price of a gallon but I have gone THREE seasons between paint jobs. This makes it the lowest cost, best paint available to me. The only drawback, if you want to call it that, is it is not compatible over other paints, so you have to strip it down to use it for the first time. If I ever strip the Grady bottom, VC is what will be going on it over a coat of barrier coat, that I use as a primer after a strip.

The ablatives I cannot stand. Makes a mess, gets on everything, even gets on large fish that bump the boat after gaffing. Bottom paint is poison. Poison on my fish = not good.

I agree the aerosols are useless but the Trilux 33 in the quart can works very well on my underwater metals. Do take the time to put on a couple/few coats to guarantee desired results.

 

[Meanwhile]

After my first couple of months in a slip I noticed the growth on the skegs of my 250's. They do not come clear of the water.

The lower water inlet is also where the lower unit gear lube drain is hiding. I just blasted the area with the pressure washer to remove the growth.

Next year the boat will be in a slip May-October. What is recommended for the lower skeg, and the important water inlet behind the plastic screen?

 

[fishbust]

After my first couple of months in a slip I noticed the growth on the skegs of my 250's. They do not come clear of the water.

The lower water inlet is also where the lower unit gear lube drain is hiding. I just blasted the area with the pressure washer to remove the growth.

Next year the boat will be in a slip May-October. What is recommended for the lower skeg, and the important water inlet behind the plastic screen?

You need to use paint for aluminum, like Interlux Trilux. This would annoy me greatly if my gear cases did not clear the water and would probably install motor wedges so they would clear the water....

http://www.bobsmachine.com/Transom-Wedges_c45.htm