Mike Fox Posted November 9, 2008 Report Share Posted November 9, 2008 (edited) Frisky is now ashore for the winter, after an unexpected second summer afloat due to unforeseen events earlier in the year. We used International Cruiser Uno, which was designed for one coat coverage, and one season afloat. It's a soft eroding antifoul, suitable for slower boats that don't get quite so much pounding. Our first summer was fine, with no appreciable growth, and nothing other than slime. The shaft anode fell off, but I had hoped the main hull anode would continue to provide some protection. We only managed a few trips over the winter, but again, little growth was noticed. The boat wasn't used much in the early part of the summer 2008, and following the Spring's algae bloom we did a scrub in late July - but was unable to easily reach the prop area. The picture here shows what the prop area was like after being afloat for 2 years without a scrub. Barnacles and sea-squirts mainly, with bristle weed too. The overall drag was enough to reduce speed from 6 knots at 2,500 rpm by about 1 knot. A lot would have been due to the prop being inefficient, but also the drag from the growth. Moral of the story? One season afloat for me for now on, and Cruiser Uno was fine for one year. A second is pushing it. Mike Edited November 9, 2008 by Mike Fox Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Fox Posted November 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2008 I should have mentioned the prop is bronze, and careful polishing usually brings enough copper to the surface to prevent growth for a year. The shaft is stainless, supported by a p-bracket with cutlass bearing. The shaft is usually greased, to make later cleaning easier, and usually has minimal growth of bryozoans (sea mats) etc. I've found over the last 20 or so years that painting the shaft and prop just doesn't work, as all of the "goodness" from the antifoul gets leached out with the turbulence etc, and then the "dead" matrix remaining attracts growth. How do others do it? Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
great white Posted November 9, 2008 Report Share Posted November 9, 2008 Mike although it looks worse than usual its not that bad for two seasons. I would have been more worried about losing the anode. I did comparison tests at work a few years ago, selected the best to put on the workboats and the following year it was not good. Continued changes in the various brands seem to make it a bit of a lottery. A lot of the Yachts at PYC are now using erroding seajet or international micron extra where the faster boats tend to use International interspeed or Trilux. Seajet is cheaper than International so I think I will be trying their new hard type next year on Alfresco. How long are you out for? and how is the hulls moisture content after being afloat for so long? Charlie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Fox Posted November 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2008 Hi Charlie, am probably ashore until March now, and the hull will lose a lot of moisture over that time. I don't have a meter, so not sure how damp it is currently. It's an isophthalic gelcoat on the Moody, which is quite rare, but is designed to be more impermeable to moisture than the standard. They certainly suffer less osmosis problems than many fibreglass boats. I also have been warned by my insurer that they require a full out of water survey before renewing in October 2009. I will have had this boat for 7 years by then and it will be 20 years old, and suspect there will be a few recommendations that I will have to do (new rigging, check/replace keel bolts etc). It might be an expensive winter! Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coddy Posted November 9, 2008 Report Share Posted November 9, 2008 Hi Mike I too am using Crusier Uno and can see a little bit that has worn off due to sitting on the mud every tide. I think I will be using a harder version in the spring. I used Trilux on the leg and it seems to stand up well so far, they do say spray on props and legs is best. Would have thought Trilux would work ok on your P bracket and cutlass bearing and prop if needs be. Also read that black is the best colour to use in Holes Bay to minimise growth Might be worth looking at this site http://www.shepherdmarine.com/index.php they use this paint on the big tankers and such! Coddy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinbad Posted November 10, 2008 Report Share Posted November 10, 2008 Interesting post for those of us stuck in the water.... Put me down for International Interspeed... I've just taken Imagine off the swinging mooring, and after 6 months, there wasnt a single barnacle present - all that was required was a quick jet off to remove some loose brown slime. Although I paid the price in June when I could have been Cod fishing.. after 2 years without re-painting - large areas of the existing antifoul had fallen off back to the gelcoat, and the hull was pretty fouled all over. After some advice from Charlie, the gelcoat was rubbed back to key it, and a coat of primocon applied, then two coats of antifoul. Result is excellent so far, and for the remaining winter period I'm not expecting much growth until april, when she'll get a top up coat. Only problem is the stainless trim tabs, which werent very successful, with the primer / antifouling falling off. Regards Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Removed Posted November 12, 2008 Report Share Posted November 12, 2008 Why bother with antifoul at all??? You might not need it, seriously... We had a swinging mooring at Salterns - and what that meant was a lot of growth. Plus a lot of seagull droppings. The engine speed halved in 1-2 months, then we would pay a minor fortune to get the boat out of the water and pressure wash it several times a year. The pressure washing then results in knocking off bits of GRP that result in further repair costs. Not to mention having to regularly wash off sea gull droppings... Cobbs Quay offer a really good deal on dry stacking which looks like it will be much cheaper and a lot less cleaning. So far Cobbs Quay have been very good at dropping the boat in the water quickly and we are impressed ..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomBettle Posted November 12, 2008 Report Share Posted November 12, 2008 Why bother with antifoul at all??? You might not need it, seriously... We had a swinging mooring at Salterns - and what that meant was a lot of growth. Plus a lot of seagull droppings. The engine speed halved in 1-2 months, then we would pay a minor fortune to get the boat out of the water and pressure wash it several times a year. The pressure washing then results in knocking off bits of GRP that result in further repair costs. Not to mention having to regularly wash off sea gull droppings... Cobbs Quay offer a really good deal on dry stacking which looks like it will be much cheaper and a lot less cleaning. So far Cobbs Quay have been very good at dropping the boat in the water quickly and we are impressed ..... Or Parkstone Bay Marina where you boat remains at a height you can get on and off when you want and is 25 minutes closer to the harbour entrance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinbad Posted November 12, 2008 Report Share Posted November 12, 2008 Isnt it a tad shallow at LWS Tom? Or is there a channel right through. When I sailed years ago off that area, it was a no go. ? Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted November 15, 2008 Report Share Posted November 15, 2008 (edited) I use black International Interspeed Ultra on the hull and white Trilux on the outdrive, trim tabs and waterline. My reasoning for the black is that, all growth needs sunlight so the less light reflected about under the boat the less growth, well that's my theory. launched June 2005 took it out Sept 2008, over 3 years afloat and only a thin brown slime to pressure wash off, but then I'm moored at Wareham in fresh water. Edited November 15, 2008 by Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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