Examples of Bottom Fouling Rate in San Diego Bay

[Yeti]

Hey all, I'm just throwing something together to illustrate a little bit about bottom fouling and the rate of fouling in San Diego. I imagine this is something that maybe not everyone sees that much and maybe it will help illustrate the issue somewhat.

I should state clearly though, I AM NOT AN EXPERT on these matters and I'm sure that I could do things better over all. But I do clean my own bottom and have for about three years now. On occasion I actually log when I do it and take some pictures.

So, the pics I'm trying to share should show what growth looks like at 6.5 weeks and 2.5 weeks, and also what clean looks like for me and my boat. The "whole thing" was done sometime during the week of 5/30 - 6/3 ( I didn't log that for some reason) and this week should be considered our first week. The next cleaning was done on 6/29 and because I was either lazy or needed to be done quick, I did not strap on the scuba stuff and only "free dived" it. Because of this I DID NOT do the keel and prop. The last cleaning in this series was on 7/16. On that day I cleaned up the prop and keel but did not do the rest of the boat as I have other things to do and can't spend forever on it. I plan to clean the rest up tomorrow or Thursday.

I will also say that as a Yeti I'm kind of of a big guy and not exactly in sparkling physical shape. Strapping on scuba gear and/or freediving and cleaning the bottom is definitely a workout for me. When I do the whole thing it usually takes me about 90 minutes of in the water time. I'm 100% sure that guys like fstbttms and other pro's do it quicker and probably better. (at least I hope so....)

So for pics there is:
6.5 weeks of growth on the prop.
far shot of 6.5 weeks of growth on the keel
close up shot of 6.5 weeks of growth on the keel
shot the shows the difference between 6 weeks and 2.5 weeks of growth
cleanish keel (obviously not a racing yeti ...)
clean prop (with new zinc)

Any thoughts....

oh yeah... the paint is Trinidad SR (with irgarol) and I put it on right at a year ago maybe 13 months. 2 gallons total...more or less a 3 and 2....obviously not enough on the bottom of the keel.

[zeehag]

there have been testings done in san diego of bottom paint.
you may want to research and find the ongoing results....
not certain bu ti think it was shelter island boatworks involved. was somewhat intresting/

as trini sr is a nicely ablative paint, why have you not gone to sea to clean your hull, or why not clean it occasionally when growth builds up. it takes so little time and is so very necessary to move boat around.

there are many dive services in san diego.....

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by zeehag

...as trini sr is a nicely ablative paint, why have you not gone to sea to clean your hull...

Trinidad is not an ablative paint.

[a64pilot]

I'm older and not as spy and thin as I used to be either, I knocked up a Hooka using as old Reg I had laying around for things like cleaning the bottom, I used an oil less compressor but of course you can just leave the tank on the dock and use a long hose too. Beats getting in and out of the water with a tank

That is about four times the growth rate I think that we see in the Gulf

[zeehag]

most of the folks in sd bay use dive services. the folks i know who have used trini religiously actually use their boats. they take the boat sailing 1-2 times monthly to keep bottom cleaned of the foulness that grown while sedentary.
but, then, they followed the directions of application and use--- wipe it with a piece of carpet after 3 months and go sailing 1-2 times monthly for a clean hull. they have yet to need dive service for hull cleaning.( divers and dive services hate to hear this as they need to make money from hull cleaning. oops did i hit sore spot there with that one.. sadly i am not sorry.)they also haul every 5 years to repaint with trini sr.
this boat i own and cruise was done in trini sr in 2002 or so. divers keep telling me my paint is good. h aha ha ha h aha ha i tell em how old it is and they open eyes wide.
just like every other boat here, i require cleaning every 1-1.5 months. ok my paint sucks..h a h aha ha ha an of course i must be lying as i have no usa based dive service to tell me what and how to do the things i already know how to do.
no. i rely on an underwater welder/licensed salvor to advise me of my paints progress. not bad, actually, as he has nothing to gain or lose by using the quaint and underused tools called honesty and intelligence. oh yeah and common sense

whether trini is ablative or hard is irrelevant, as it works. for many years it works. my friends who introduced me to it told'me the divers will hate it. ok i like it


seems a while on back some INTERWEBZZZ hull service person told me that i have no paint on my hull as it is so old. i call bs on that, as i have no excessive growth and not needing cleaned more than anyone else´s with brand new antifouling paint. when i call bs on my paints quality, i am argued down in spanish. ok.
if you aint under my hull seeing that which is occurring, you have no business declaring anything about my hull or paint. you have not been consistent in the declaring of what my paint has been when i state the info, you bash me. ok. . trini is a hard ablative doesnt work donot use it paint that angers dive services as they are unnecessary after the use of this wondrous paint when it is used as is directed, and never never ever go so long without hauling out to repaint as it is not working despite what is observed. ha ha ha ha ha
the boat in commercial basin, aka ac harbor ha ha ha ha was in a cove with much fouling frequently. they found success with the directions followed to the letter and did not have to hire a hull cleaner again. bravo. i am in favor of this.

[Blue Crab]

"as trini sr is a nicely ablative paint, why have you not gone to sea to clean your hull, or why not clean it occasionally when growth builds up. it takes so little time and is so very necessary to move boat around."

Zee, ya might want to take a sec to actually read the OP.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by zeehag

but, then, they followed the directions of application and use--- wipe it with a piece of carpet after 3 months and go sailing 1-2 times monthly for a clean hull.

Nobody in San Diego is getting away with quarterly cleanings and the ocassional sail. As indicated by Yeti's pix, the growth rate there is far too robust for your methodology to result in a clean bottom. Further, I guarantee that the makers of Trinidad have no such "directions of use," as you claim. What they will tell you is that the bottom should be checked several times a month and that any fouling should be cleaned off immediately. Feel free to prove me wrong.

Originally Posted by zeehag

...they have yet to need dive service for hull cleaning.( divers and dive services hate to hear this as they need to make money from hull cleaning. oops did i hit sore spot there with that one.. sadly i am not sorry.)

No sore spot hit. Knowlegable boat owners who care about performance understand that regular in-water hull cleaning is a necessary part of proper boat maintenence. Whether the owner does it him/herself or hires a service. But there aren't enough DIYers to put a dent in anybody's business, especially in SoCal, where hull cleaning labor is about as cheap as it gets.

Originally Posted by zeehag

this boat i own and cruise was done in trini sr in 2002 or so. divers keep telling me my paint is good.

Regardless of what you believe or are being told, the fact is that your Trinidad SR paint was designed to leach out all of it's copper biocide within 3-4 years. It is simply not possible for your 14-year-old paint to still be actively retarding growth.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by Yeti

When I do the whole thing it usually takes me about 90 minutes of in the water time. I'm 100% sure that guys like fstbttms and other pro's do it quicker and probably better. (at least I hope so....)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzawnxVPlL0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgPmXg1-o5g

[Yeti]

Thanks for the videos. I think I've seen those before but it still amazes me how efficient one can make things look when they have the experience. I suppose that comes from several thousands of cleanings vs. a few dozen for me.

I definitely have noticed that the moving the boat around does help with the growth but I have also noticed that no matter how much it moves I have to get down there every 3-4 weeks if I want to keep things "manageable". Just the nature of the game.

I certainly hope to get 3 good years out of the paint as that is what my haul out budget/plan is designed around. If a 4th year of usefulness were to occur I wouldn't mind it all. As it is I who do the cleanings I'm sure it will become apparent when the usefulness of the paint has expired. My first haul out was in 09/2012 and was done in Ensenada. The "package deal" included Seahawk Sharkskin and two coats were applied. At the time I was still very "new/" to boat ownership and was not aware of what would be considered the better options in bottom paint. The sharkskin worked ok for 2+ years. It was VERY obvious that by around the 2.5 year mark it wasn't effective at all. Every time I was down there cleaning it was like I was mowing an inch of fine growth off.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by Yeti

I certainly hope to get 3 good years out of the paint as that is what my haul out budget/plan is designed around. If a 4th year of usefulness were to occur I wouldn't mind it all.

In general, cleaning more frequently, rathan less, will help you acheive this. The 3-4 week cleaning schedule you are using is proper maintenenance for that product.

[Tayana42]

I can confirm that in Southern California with Trinidad bottom paint, 2 coats and 3 at the waterline and leading edges, with a monthly dive service I get 3 years between haul outs. At three years I still have mostly good anti fouling except on the rudder and waterline on the side that gets the most sun light.


S/V B'Shert

[deluxe68]

Quick question regarding bottom paint. I am considering having my boat shipped from Jamestown RI to San Diego next year and I was going to have it bottom painted when it gets there. Will I need to, due to regs, remove all the current paint or provide proof of what is on the boat before the boat gets a new coat of antifouling?

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by deluxe68

Quick question regarding bottom paint. I am considering having my boat shipped from Jamestown RI to San Diego next year and I was going to have it bottom painted when it gets there. Will I need to, due to regs, remove all the current paint or provide proof of what is on the boat before the boat gets a new coat of antifouling?

Currently, there are no limitations on anti fouling paint use in San Diego or anywhere in California (other than regional VOC restrictions.) However in San Diego you cannot have someone (other than the boat owner) clean an ablative paint.

Your main concern is the length of time your paint is exposed to air during the trip west. If you have an ablative paint- no worries. If you have a hard paint, that's a different story and you may need to repaint.

[deluxe68]

Originally Posted by fstbttms

Currently, there are no limitations on anti fouling paint use in San Diego or anywhere in California (other than regional VOC restrictions.) However in San Diego you cannot have someone (other than the boat owner) clean an ablative paint.

Your main concern is the length of time your paint is exposed to air during the trip west. If you have an ablative paint- no worries. If you have a hard paint, that's a different story and you may need to repaint.

The boat needs a new coat of anti fouling but I was going to have it done when it gets to California. The RI yard manager thought there might be some restrictions in California, he said I might have to have ALL of the old paint stripped off.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by deluxe68

The boat needs a new coat of anti fouling but I was going to have it done when it gets to California. The RI yard manager thought there might be some restrictions in California, he said I might have to have ALL of the old paint stripped off.

Your yard manager is misinformed, as many are.