Antifouling – What is it?
Antifouling is the process of protecting your hull from marine growth by applying a protective paint layer to the bottom of your boat.
Antifouling is arguable the most important painting job carried out by boat owners. It is vital to protect your boat through antifouling, as once fouling has a hold on your hull it will rapidly colonise the surface, making it difficult to remove. Applying an antifouling paint will prevent the attachment of fouling organisms, such as barnacles, weeds and slime, to the hull of your boat – a fouled hull can cause serious problems, therefore prevention is much better than cure.
Why do I need to do it?
If your boat lives afloat then the seawater and marine particles can build-up on the underside of your hull. This growth of marine algae can significantly affect the performance of your hull and your fuel efficiency. Heavy levels of growth on the hull can slow powerboats by 5knots and could increase fuel consumption by over 30%.
How often do I need to do it?
The frequency of antifouling depends on the usage and storage of your boat. Boats that live afloat or that are used regularly should be checked every year to assess whether it needs reapplying. Boats that live ashore and have been washed down may only need antifouling every other year. The team at Total Refinishing can assess your hull and give you their professional opinion once your boat is ashore.
How is it done?
Antifouling is done by painting a specialised solution onto your boat. Antifoul paint isn’t your normal household paint. Modern antifoul paint is a special chemical combination which includes copper and biocides to obstruct the growth of marine organisms. The amount of antifoul paint that needs to be applied will depend on the condition of the hull. If your boat is antifouled every year, then it is likely it will only need 1 coat. However, it is has been a few years since the hull’s last antifoul, then it may need 2 coats.
The types of antifouling available can be split into two types, hard and eroding. Hard antifouling does not wear away much at all, although abrasive material in the water such as silt and sand may lead to a very minor reduction in film build. Eventually however, you are left after a few seasons with a build up of product that requires removal. The product becomes unsound and does not retain sufficient internal strength to be able to hold together when new product is applied to it. If you have a seriously fast boat or a fast boat that is used very regularly then hard is probably the best way to go. Boats moored in fresh water normally use these types, as the eroding types may not erode very well. Keen racing types sometimes prefer hard products as they can be wet sanded to a smooth finish prior to racing.
Eroding antifoulings, as their name suggests, wear away leaving eventually no antifouling on your hull. In theory, whilst there is antifouling on your hull it will give a degree of protection. With the current generation of paints however this does not happen because as the paint film starts to get thin, the biocides are preferentially washed out leaving paint that is essentially not antifouling paint. This is the time to apply new product. Total Refinishing are experts in selecting the perfect antifoul solution for your vessel. There are many different antifoul products on the market, however it is imperative to match the right product with your vessel, to ensure the best possible results. Contact us today to find out more.