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Old 03-12-2014, 06:18   #1
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Barnacles on my dinghy

I didn't use any antifouling on my dink this year and ended up with barnacles the size of walnuts.

They scraped off easily enough but leave some hard residue behind where they were attached. This is a hypalon dinghy. Any recommendations for how to remove that residue (in preparation for applying antifouling) ??

Thanks!!!
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Old 03-12-2014, 06:47   #2
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Re: Barnacles on my dinghy

Does muratic acid affect hypalon?
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Old 03-12-2014, 06:49   #3
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Re: Barnacles on my dinghy

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Originally Posted by a64pilot View Post
Does muratic acid affect hypalon?
No.

You might try Vinegar or (very carefully) Muriatic Acid* on the calcium carbonate residue.

* Muriatic acid is hydrochloric acid at about a 25% concentration. Hydrochloric acid (up to 38%) does not attack plastics, such as
chlorosulfonated polyethylene (Hypalon).
GELLED hydrochloric acid at a 12 to 17 percent concentration for cleaning toilets might be safer.
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Old 03-12-2014, 07:05   #4
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Re: Barnacles on my dinghy

vinegar works well without chemical problems.
i used to scrape mine with a plastic scraper.
i found the hypalon dink antifouling paint was inadequate, so i saved dough and kept scraping and lifting dink out of water. good luck.
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Old 03-12-2014, 07:17   #5
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Re: Barnacles on my dinghy

FWIW, I was advised by the Achilles dealer in Annapolis that it's also safe & effective to use acetone on hypalon. Always better to start with vinegar or something milder, but sometimes the stronger stuff is needed.

Bummer to hear that the anti-fouling that is marketed for dinghies doesn't work, as I only recently bought some! Oh well, might give it a try anyway . . . .
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Old 03-12-2014, 07:31   #6
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Re: Barnacles on my dinghy

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FWIW, I was advised by the Achilles dealer in Annapolis that it's also safe & effective to use acetone on hypalon . . . .
I don’t believe Calcium Carbonate is soluble in Acetone.

Calcium Carbonate dissolves with effervescence in acetic acid, in hydrochloric acid, and in nitric acid.
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Old 03-12-2014, 07:38   #7
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Re: Barnacles on my dinghy

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I don’t believe Calcium Carbonate is soluble in Acetone.

Calcium Carbonate dissolves with effervescence in acetic acid, in hydrochloric acid, and in nitric acid.
I'm sure you're correct. Acetone is probably not the right choice for barnacles. Come to think of it, it was recommended to try and remove staining that looked like it was ingrained into the fabric. My mistake -- thanks for the info.
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Old 03-12-2014, 07:50   #8
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Re: Barnacles on my dinghy

I've used Pettit's dinghy paint on my RIB for several years with good results. Earlier this year I applied a Marpro (Bluewater) ablative with the same copper percentage as the Pettit and I had barnacles in two weeks. The barnacles did come off easily but the Pettit worked much better.
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Old 03-12-2014, 07:57   #9
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Re: Barnacles on my dinghy

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Bummer to hear that the anti-fouling that is marketed for dinghies doesn't work, as I only recently bought some! Oh well, might give it a try anyway . . . .
Fouling rates and organisms vary widely from region to region. An anti fouling paint that is a poor performer in Mexico may work very well in your neck of the woods.
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Old 03-12-2014, 08:04   #10
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Re: Barnacles on my dinghy

i used the specific use on hypalon dinghies antifouling paint in cali.
in cold water, it did not work.
was a lot easier to merely lift dink out of water daily

acetone is the chemical recommended by the creators of hypalon for cleaning before repairing. used before the 2 part glue specific fro hypalon dinghies, that creates a bond lasting many years.
vinegar is a lot cheaper and more easily obtained than is acetone in many places.

but, then, as i have only been aboard and used many products since 1990, i know absolutely nothing. rodlmffao


in mexico, most cruising folks do not use bottom paint on dinks as the dinks are lifted out of water and locked onto boat daily . no need for bottom paint.

funny how some presume the words written are about mexico, whereas many years were spent in cali waters prior to departure.
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Old 03-12-2014, 08:09   #11
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Re: Barnacles on my dinghy

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Fouling rates and organisms vary widely from region to region. An anti fouling paint that is a poor performer in Mexico may work very well in your neck of the woods.
Thanks fstbttms, and you oughta know! I suppose your advice applies the same for dinghy bottoms as it does for the mother ship. I've had good success with Pettit Trinidad SR (or "Pro") on my boat based on the Chesapeake Bay over the years. My dinghy is a Hypalon inflatable, however, and not a RIB -- seems to be fewer choices out there for this application. Never used bottom paint on it before so the experiment begins . . . .
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Old 03-12-2014, 08:17   #12
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Re: Barnacles on my dinghy

Quote:
Originally Posted by zeehag View Post
i used the specific use on hypalon dinghies antifouling paint in cali.
in cold water, it did not work.
was a lot easier to merely lift dink out of water daily

acetone is the chemical recommended by the creators of hypalon for cleaning before repairing. used before the 2 part glue specific fro hypalon dinghies, that creates a bond lasting many years.
vinegar is a lot cheaper and more easily obtained than is acetone in many places.

but, then, as i have only been aboard and used many products since 1990, i know absolutely nothing. rodlmffao


in mexico, most cruising folks do not use bottom paint on dinks as the dinks are lifted out of water and locked onto boat daily . no need for bottom paint.

funny how some presume the words written are about mexico, whereas many years were spent in cali waters prior to departure.
Good advice, Zee. I've always lifted my dink out too, but one time I forgot and it stayed in the water for about a week -- in Charleston in the summer! That was the beginning of the end for that aging dink. I recently acquired a new one, so thought I'd start off trying bottom paint on it for the first time. Probably can't hurt.
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Old 03-12-2014, 08:33   #13
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Re: Barnacles on my dinghy

Quote:
Originally Posted by GordMay View Post
No.

You might try Vinegar or (very carefully) Muriatic Acid* on the calcium carbonate residue.

* Muriatic acid is hydrochloric acid at about a 25% concentration. Hydrochloric acid (up to 38%) does not attack plastics, such as
chlorosulfonated polyethylene (Hypalon).
GELLED hydrochloric acid at a 12 to 17 percent concentration for cleaning toilets might be safer.
Thank you. I've been using muriatic acid for years and knew it was also called hydrochloric Acid but didn't know the distinction. It's great for removing calcium deposits of any type and to state the obvious: do not breathe the fumes
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Old 03-12-2014, 09:11   #14
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Re: Barnacles on my dinghy

i used the stuff from inflatableboatparts.com this year in NH and it was like peach fuzz after the season instead of like a vikings beard. i was happy with it
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Old 03-12-2014, 11:11   #15
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Re: Barnacles on my dinghy

If you are concerned about muratic acid check the plastic container it is stored in. I have no proof but bottom paint seems to be worse for dinghy bottoms than acid.
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