Antifouling paint

[Weyalan]

To my mind, if you are a crusier and you are worried about what anti-foul gives you the best speed, maybe you aren't as much of a cruiser as you like to think that you are. If we were talking about what anti-foul lasted longest between recoats, or what antifoul provided best bang for your buck, now that I could understand, but in terms of speed, whoa nelly!

[viking69]

Anyone tried the coppercote, copppershield style antifouls that claim up to ten years use out of them???? heres one i found on the net. i know there are others.
Ecosea, cuprotect, copper antifouling - Extended Life - Guaranteed

[GordMay]

Jim Seidel, assistant marketing manager at Interlux, says the industry has experimented with spices and other organic ingredients*, all with negligible results.

* ie: Cayenne & Chili peppers (capsaicin), tetracycline hydrochloride (antibiotic), Zinc Oxide (Desitin diaper rash cream) etc

[Lancerbye]

Viking69
I looked at the site for Cuprotect and it looks good but not available in North America. I found the article I talked about ealier. It was in PBO and it was hot chili powder that was mixed with the antifouling paint not cayenne pepper. I knew it was something hot.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by senormechanico

I realize this thread is a couple of years old, but I'm considering going the opposite way from the original poster. I've got VC17 on my boat and am considering going to something else. The VC17 has been burnished and I like the speed difference over the old paint which wasn't burnished (+15%) but I sure could use something which combats slime. If I leave the boat parked for a couple of weeks, I get grass about 8 inches long at the waterline!

VC 17 is formulated for use in freshwater. I suspect you have a fairly low rate of fouling up in the San Juans, but even so, you would probably be much better off with something else. I recommend a modified epoxy like Petit Trinidad SR. Excellent anti fouling properties, durable and can be burnished to a very smooth finish.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by viking69

Anyone tried the coppercote, copppershield style antifouls that claim up to ten years use out of them???? heres one i found on the net. i know there are others.
Ecosea, cuprotect, copper antifouling - Extended Life - Guaranteed

My experience with copper-loaded epoxies (like Copperpoxy) is that in moderate to high fouling regions they give VERY poor performance. I would never recommend them, ever.

[senormechanico]

fstbttms,

I'm somewhat South of the San Juans with a canal system moorage. The water does get a little fresh water runoff when it rains, but it's basically salt around 50 degrees f.
In the summer with long hours of sun and on those days when there's not much tidal change the surface temp can get to 65 for a short time. That's when the grass fairly explodes!

Thanks for the recommendation. Would I have to remove all the paint first as the VC is vinyl based?

Steve B.

[Vasco]

VC 17 has teflon and has to be wiped completely off before applying any other paint except VC Offshore.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by senormechanico

Would I have to remove all the paint first as the VC is vinyl based?

As Vasco noted, vinyl-based paints are not compatible with other types.

[lolanreg@smartc]

Lancerbye, All those add ins(pepper, anti-biotics, etc) were in favour years ago in Oz, I used them myself, but none worked at all. I even tried the copper epoxy. What a waste of time and money.The best anti fouling was and probably still is the tin based products. Although illegal here except for aluminium hulls, and boats over, If I remember correctly, 90 ft and larger. it was really good. It seems paradoxical that a huge commercial boat/liner can use the tin based paint and pollute the water but a little yacht can't.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by lolanreg@smartc

The best anti fouling was and probably still is the tin based products. Although illegal here except for aluminium hulls, and boats over, If I remember correctly, 90 ft and larger. it was really good. It seems paradoxical that a huge commercial boat/liner can use the tin based paint and pollute the water but a little yacht can't.

Tributyl tin (both above and below the waterline) has been banned worldwide on all vessels as of this year. Nobody gets to use it on anything anymore.

[Cheechako]

I used VC17 on on boat but found it to of little use as bottom paint, even up here in the northwest where paints aren't challenged like in southern waters.. The slime that develops might slow you down more than what paint you have.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by fstbttms

Tributyl tin (both above and below the waterline) has been banned worldwide on all vessels as of this year. Nobody gets to use it on anything anymore.

Actually, the new USE (application) of TBT was banned as of Jan. 1, 2003.
The presence of previously applied TBT was banned as of Jan, 2008.
This means that existing TBT anti-foulants must have been removed or effectively covered, by then.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

I used VC17 on on boat but found it to of little use as bottom paint, even up here in the northwest where paints aren't challenged like in southern waters.. The slime that develops might slow you down more than what paint you have.

VC17 is suitable for freshwater use only.

[Liberty28]

VC17 comes in a marine version that I just painted on my bottom which will be seeing saltwater. I hope it works! It originally had freshwater VC17 on the bottom, but that would have had to be completely removed since nothing will stick to it (teflon). Anyways, if it doesn't work, I'm only out about $100 for the paint, but I'll need to do a complete bottom paint removal job to use anything else. What a pain.