Do i really need antifoul paint ?

[Sulaire]

I have a hookah dive system, that I use to clean the hull and change anodes , i clean the hull every month or so and change anodes each year underwater.

I have not applied antifoul paint for two years now and I was getting round to paying for a lift out to do this when I got to thinking WHY!?

OK the antifoul on the hull now is more or less shot, but as i am cruising in warm waters, a quick trip over the side each month is no problem.

I think it is force of habit making me think of lifting her, afterall, all antifoul does is try to keep the beasts and weed away, its not as if it is a barrier coat, right?

We live aboard full time, so the saving if i do not bother painting her is not insignificant.

Am I mising something? Or does this sound like a good plan?

Charlie.

[pbiJim]

When your monthly dip fails to keep up with the growth that you see accumulating, then it's time to yank her out & give her a fresh coat. In the mean time, ride the old bottom paint for as long as it serves your purpose. At least that is my opinion.

[Sailmonkey]

You'll need to scrub closer to weekly as the paint really dies

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by Sailmonkey

You'll need to scrub closer to weekly as the paint really dies

Yup. In three weeks I had a solid ring of barnacles.

To the thread starter, I think you'd need to do it every week.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by Sulaire

...does this sound like a good plan?

No, it does not sound like a good plan.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by Sulaire

I have a hookah dive system, that I use to clean the hull and change anodes , i clean the hull every month or so and change anodes each year underwater.

I have not applied antifoul paint for two years now and I was getting round to paying for a lift out to do this when I got to thinking WHY!?

OK the antifoul on the hull now is more or less shot, but as i am cruising in warm waters, a quick trip over the side each month is no problem.

I think it is force of habit making me think of lifting her, afterall, all antifoul does is try to keep the beasts and weed away, its not as if it is a barrier coat, right?

We live aboard full time, so the saving if i do not bother painting her is not insignificant.

Am I mising something? Or does this sound like a good plan?

Charlie.

I have often pondered the same thing. Todays AF paint works very slowly and doesnt really stop the growth. The barnacles die once they reach 1/4 to 3/8 diameter.. but they are still stuck to the hull. Brand new Trinidad AF became so covered in barnacles in the DR after sitting 4 weeks (3 months since new) that it took most of a whole day to remove them to leave.
I really wonder if AF is worth it anymore... use the money to pay a diver. In some places you are going to have to clean more often than monthly though!

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

I really wonder if AF is worth it anymore... use the money to pay a diver. In some places you are going to have to clean more often than monthly though!

I will not speak for anywhere other than California, but I know from personal experience that boats with no, or ineffective, anti fouling paint become essentially uncleanable within a short period of time. You literally can't clean them often enough to keep ahead of the growth.

I will say with certainty that boats that live in saltwater (regardless of where in the world that is) need anti fouling paint.

[Sulaire]

Yep, sometimes each month is just a quick brush over with a scrubbing pad, but other times the scraper is required!

Last time was surreal , i got us into an anchorage with 0.5m under the keel in white sand and water clear as gin and stood on the bottom, cleaning away quite happily. A school of fish hovered over my shoulder grabbing any tasty bits!!

If it was always like that, then i would take it up as a hobby!!

C.

[barnakiel]

I think a monthly scrub is a minimum when the paint is gone.

b.

[CrazyRu]

I had my boat in water for four summers and three winters. NE USA. Starting third summer I had to dive every three weeks, forth summer, I had to dive every two weeks to keep the bottom in somewhat sailable condition.

[onestepcsy37]

cheechako - i've been using pettit trinidad for the past twenty plus years here in florida/bahamas and have gotten 3 to 4 years easily, and that's without bottom scrubbing. not sure why your results were so much worse in the DR.

[Sulaire]

Thanks for all the advice, i will get another couple of layers of paint on her early next year and see how long I can last, by scrubbing when it needs, hopefully 2or 3 years.!

When I was in the usa, trinidad impressed me alot. When i got the boat back to the uk and med ( where we are now) , i could not source it. Wish I had bought an extra few cans!

Charlie.

[zeitgeist]

I’m a liveaboard in Southern California. It’s 2022, and the last time I painted was 2018. I don’t sail around all, my boat is too much my home now with glassware, a loose mini fridge on the back, and just loose items everywhere. I’ve not had time anyway, and don’t plan to for a couple years.

I have a service that cleans the hull every two months and it seems to be working well. I have some worries about long term issues, but not sure what those would be. The divers haven’t made any mention of cleaning being difficult or about the state of the paint. Hauling out for a paint job would be even more a PITA than prepping for sailing. I’m hoping/planning on a couple more years before I finish school and clean everything up and out for a bottom job.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by zeitgeist

I’m a liveaboard in Southern California. It’s 2022, and the last time I painted was 2018. I don’t sail around all, my boat is too much my home now with glassware, a loose mini fridge on the back, and just loose items everywhere. I’ve not had time anyway, and don’t plan to for a couple years.

I have a service that cleans the hull every two months and it seems to be working well. I have some worries about long term issues, but not sure what those would be. The divers haven’t made any mention of cleaning being difficult or about the state of the paint. Hauling out for a paint job would be even more a PITA than prepping for sailing. I’m hoping/planning on a couple more years before I finish school and clean everything up and out for a bottom job.

In a place where (even with paint in good condition) in-water hull cleaning is typically done every four weeks and with your paint being at or near the end of its useful lifespan, I'm a little shocked that your dive service isn't pressing you to haul for new paint. I know I would be.

[seandepagnier]

Originally Posted by fstbttms

I will not speak for anywhere other than California, but I know from personal experience that boats with no, or ineffective, anti fouling paint become essentially uncleanable within a short period of time. You literally can't clean them often enough to keep ahead of the growth.

This statement seems untrue.

Where does the growth return faster than you can scrape it off?