Antifouling Paint

[bruce clarke]

Hi, has anyone found an antifouling paint that works in Sydney Harbour. I use the boat a lot but are getting slime build up in a couple of months and baby barnacles soon after. The problem seems to be getting worse every year.

[CassidyNZ]

Not sure about Sydney harbour but in my experience anti-fouling will not prevent slime. Comes off quite easy though and so do the little barnacles. They initially start from the waterline and only go down a few inches. They almost fall off with a paint scraper but don’t let it have a sharp edge - that’ll also remove the anti-foul.

It’s getting worse each year because our governments are demanding less biocides and copper in the anti-foul products making them commensurately less effective.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by bruce clarke

Hi, has anyone found an antifouling paint that works in Sydney Harbour. I use the boat a lot but are getting slime build up in a couple of months and baby barnacles soon after. The problem seems to be getting worse every year.

Regular in-water hull cleaning is necessary in regions of moderate to high fouling, regardless of the anti fouling paint product being used.

[johnny666]

Anti-foul effectiveness is location and climate dependent.
One that works well, in one place won't be the best in another.
If the boat is moored near an urban environment (Sydney) then you're going to get a lot of organic runoff into the water making for good conditions for growth.
As stated above, regular in-water cleaning is the only way to keep it clean.
I live in Hong Kong with warm 18c-31c water temp. It's like a science experiment here.
I dive on the boat every month and wipe off the slime using exfoliation gloves (very good !) It's the only way.

[CassidyNZ]

Originally Posted by johnny666

I dive on the boat every month and wipe off the slime using exfoliation gloves (very good !) It's the only way.

In that scenario you’re probably better off using a hard antifoul rather than an ablative. If I did that with my boat I’d have a large bright blue pool around it

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by CassidyNZ

If I did that with my boat I’d have a large bright blue pool around it

Then you’re doing it wrong.

[slug]

Originally Posted by fstbttms

Regular in-water hull cleaning is necessary in regions of moderate to high fouling, regardless of the anti fouling paint product being used.

Yup ... you must wipe down a bottom

Couple times per year

It’s the only way

Depart with a clean bottom and by the time you arrive on the other side of the ocean it’s slimed up with a few goose barnacles hitchhiking on the waterline , trailing edges and shafts