Antifoul Puzzle

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by Rustic Charm

Dockhead, I might be wrong but Micron is an ablative. I don't think your mean to pressure wash it let alone scrub it. I used it for one season, with three coats. One of red, blue and then final coat of black. After just 12 months I had patches of red and blue and black. Though I just put it down to my poor application at the time.

But I also concluded it simply wasn't worth the extra cost and I then used Sigma the following year at half the cost.

What did i say

What about VC Off Shore? Its the hardest antifoul International sell?

[Pete7]

DH, yes Micron Extra was washed with a small portable pressure washer. Last May I put two coats of Uno EU on and pressure washed her a fortnight ago with the same small portable pressure washer so nothing like the ones used in a boat yard. I can now see white patches underneath from the previous years Seajet as this was white. This is great for us as it doesn't build up.

You might try Seajet 33. Although it failed for us there was enough evidence that it was an unfair trial as it has worked okay in previous years. Just lack of use, high sea temp and soup was perhaps too much.

Its not cheap but is harder than Micron Extra and withstand a light scrub.

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by Rustic Charm

What did i say

What about VC Off Shore? Its the hardest antifoul International sell?

I have used this on a previous boat actually a 22ft rib which lived in the water all year round. It wasn't very effective in a very high fouling area, but the worst was nothing would stick to it the following year so all had to be scraped off. Thankfully it was only 22ft but still took 4 days to remove clean and then replace. The best thing to do with VC is take the copper granules which are supplied loose, chuck the VC away and put the copper into something else.

Pete

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Rustic Charm

What did i say

What about VC Off Shore? Its the hardest antifoul International sell?

Only racers who dry sail, use hard antifoul, over here. Among cruisers, 100% of antifouling is ablative. VC Offshore is no good for boats which are in the water all the time, at least in our fouling conditions here.

But there is a great variety in the hardness, of different ablative antifouling.

My beloved Jotun Sea Queen was ablative, but could be pressure washed 8 or 9 times before it started to wear thin. It LIKED to be pressure washed; pressure washing reactivated it by exposing fresh biocide.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Pete7

I have used this on a previous boat actually a 22ft rib which lived in the water all year round. It wasn't very effective in a very high fouling area, but the worst was nothing would stick to it the following year so all had to be scraped off. Thankfully it was only 22ft but still took 4 days to remove clean and then replace. The best thing to do with VC is take the copper granules which are supplied loose, chuck the VC away and put the copper into something else.

Pete

Yes, the International Paints tech support guy told me, today, not to use VC on any boat which is in the water more than a couple of weeks at a time.

And, as you said, nothing else can be applied over it, so you have to completely strip the bottom if you change from it to something else.

[Sandero]

After 30+ years I've concluded the best... and it's not a good solution... is an inexpensive hard paint (multi year) and get spend coin on a diver scrubbing it as often as you can. Bottom paints are far as I can tell are a bit of a scam. I'd rather give my money to a diver than to some huge paint company

[Pete7]

Think I have these in the right order:

1. Micron extra 2 tins applied May 14 and photo taken early May 15.

2. Cruiser Uno a week later in May 15.

3. Cruiser Uno Aug 15, the white spots are were I tried to scrub it with a soft brush. The brush went straight through both layers of Uno, what was left of the previous coat of Micron and eventually stopped at the Seajet underneath.

4. However, to be fair it doesn't help doing things like photo 4 (Ashlett Creek - Jun 15).

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by Sandero

After 30+ years I've concluded the best... and it's not a good solution... is an inexpensive hard paint (multi year) and get spend coin on a diver scrubbing it as often as you can. Bottom paints are far as I can tell are a bit of a scam. I'd rather give my money to a diver than to some huge paint company

Sadly, it takes 4 people to put a commercial diver in the water in the UK if you do it properly. If you are caught breaking the rules the HSE wil come down like a tonne of bricks. Also most marinas don't allow it

1 x Supervisor
1 x Diver
1 x Standby diver
1 x rope handler

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Pete7

Think I have these in the right order:

1. Micron extra 2 tins applied May 14 and photo taken early May 15.

2. Cruiser Uno a week later in May 15.

3. Cruiser Uno Aug 15, the white spots are were I tried to scrub it with a soft brush. The brush went straight through both layers of Uno, what was left of the previous coat of Micron and eventually stopped at the Seajet underneath.

4. However, to be fair it doesn't help doing things like photo 4 (Ashlett Creek - Jun 15).

That's interesting.

Did you scrub the Micron Extra in the year after you applied it?

[Sandero]

Originally Posted by Pete7

Sadly, it takes 4 people to put a commercial diver in the water in the UK if you do it properly. If you are caught breaking the rules the HSE wil come down like a tonne of bricks. Also most marinas don't allow it

1 x Supervisor
1 x Diver
1 x Standby diver
1 x rope handler

Not in Northport, NY... one guy with a boat and the gear...

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Sandero

Not in Northport, NY... one guy with a boat and the gear...

A different country, with different laws, since 1776!

Although come November 4, the way things are going, it might actually really be time to revoke our independence

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by Pete7

Sadly, it takes 4 people to put a commercial diver in the water in the UK if you do it properly. If you are caught breaking the rules the HSE wil come down like a tonne of bricks. Also most marinas don't allow it

1 x Supervisor
1 x Diver
1 x Standby diver
1 x rope handler

Here in the U.S., the Occupational Health & Safety Administration (OSHA) regulations regarding commercial dive operations are only applicable to companies that actually employ divers. Owner/operator types or those companies using legitimate subcontractors are exempt. I wonder if the same isn't true in the U.K., as I have had conversations with hull cleaners in the U.K.

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

That's interesting.

Did you scrub the Micron Extra in the year after you applied it?

Hmm, the boat yard give it a good blast with a massive pressure washer each time she comes out as you would expect, so back to thin and patchy (but not flaky) would be a good description before applying the Uno.

Pete

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by Sandero

After 30+ years I've concluded the best... and it's not a good solution... is an inexpensive hard paint (multi year) and get spend coin on a diver scrubbing it as often as you can.

I will tell you that in areas of high fouling, using cheap, low-copper anti fouling paints is not cost effective in the long run. Of course you have to have the boat dived on some sort of regular basis no matter what you use, but with a low-copper product you will haul more frequently for new paint than if you had paid for the good stuff to begin with.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by fstbttms

Here in the U.S., the Occupational Health & Safety Administration (OSHA) regulations regarding commercial dive operations are only applicable to companies that actually employ divers. Owner/operator types or those companies using legitimate subcontractors are exempt. I wonder if the same isn't true in the U.K., as I have had converstaions with hull cleaners in the U.K.

There is one company here, called Matzen Marine Services, which will clean your hull with divers. I got a quote from them a few years ago for about $350, which is 50% more than a lift out by travel lift and pressure wash.

I might call them back and negotiate. I would bet that this method is a lot easier on the antifoul than pressure washing.


My Father always had his hull cleaned by a diver (this is in Florida). Every month. It cost him a cigar and two martinis (was a friend of his).


Maybe this is finally the time to do the diving courses and just start doing it myself. I already bought scuba gear, which Pete was kind enough to inspect the last time he was on board. Hmmmm.

As Pete said, the water is murky and cold here, but just out of the Solent I know a little bay where the water is rather clear. Might be a nice way to spend a weekend -- drop the hook, do a bit of hull diving, right at slack tide.