Safeboatskin and Antifoul

[WestPier]

I am planning to keep the boat in the water this summer for the first time ever and need some advice about antifouling. I didnt really want to use antifoul paint on the virginal gelcoat. I looked at the threads about Safeboatskin and the reviews were mixed though I think I will give it a go. Are there any other non-paint type products I should consider? Is Safeboatskin a total waste of money? I have some other questions as well about bilge pumps etc but will post these on a seperate thread. Thanks for your help.

[DGR]

In my experience - SBS doesn't do what it says on the tin. I've been told that I obviously applied it wrong - which I struggle with, as I can follow instructions. And if I b*ggered it up the first time, no idea what went wrong the second time.

To be fair, I suspect that it may work in some conditions, just none that I have come across. I moor in an estuary, and I pull the boat out every 4 weeks or so and give it a jetwash (in the summer it keeps itself clean as it gets used so much). It's quite odd, but my mate takes his boat out at the same time as me, and although we only moor about 200 metres apart, the growth on them is completely different - so I suspect that's why SBS has patchy success.

ANYWAY - I decided that I didn't want to anti-foul mine, and so jet wash it regularly and it's fine. At this time of year when the lurgies are growing fast, then it might slow you down a bit by the time you get to week 4, but any other time it has been fine. BUT...it has taken me 3 hours to jetwash it this afternoon!!

D...

[Tim M]

I have been going down this route. I didn't want to antifoul, but I'm getting fed up of borrowing 4x4s and pulling the boat out and scrubbing. So, antifoul is the way to go. I'm going to give the hull a really good clean, then paint 3 coats of antifoul straight on. This way I HOPE it will stay on reasonably well, but will satisfy my need not to sand the hull. Hopefully if I decided to take it off, I can get some major stuff which will strip the antifoul off, and with a bit of work I will have a reasonably shinny hull once again.

[DGR]

Tim,

I think that's what Jono does - it sticks well enough that it works, but you can get it off again when you want to get rid of it.

I'd be interested to see how you get on!!

D...

[alystra]

I just painted one coat straight onto the cleaned hull, no sanding for the reasons you mentioned and neither did I bother with undercoat etc. It stuck on all season, no trouble. Have overcoated it this year with one more coat. Mind you, I rarely do more than 25knts. and my max is just over 37knts. All quite sedate it seems from other posts here.

I used one of those small rollers to apply the antifouling, which gave a pretty smooth surface. However, I think I may have to get the lot off next season and start again, as this years coat is showing roller/brush marks.

[IanE]

I'm still looking for a solution for the tubes - standard anti-foul works fine on the Hull and I've just used prop-o-drev on the leg so far so good.

Any thoughts anyone??

Ian

[alystra]

Originally Posted by IanE

I'm still looking for a solution for the tubes - standard anti-foul works fine on the Hull and I've just used prop-o-drev on the leg so far so good.

Any thoughts anyone??

Ian

PolyMarine sell some antifouling made specially for tubes. Haven't tried it, so can't comment on it.

[storrc]

I've got my boat on a swinging mooring at St Mawes Cornwall, and have been taking the boat out of the water every 3-4 weeks and pressure washing. The fouling hasn't been bad at all get a coating a slime and the odd barnacle that pressure wash off no problems, normally takes me an hour and half to do.

But having read about SBS I have been willing to give it a go but can't find anywhere to buy it, the links on the SBS website don't work. Howerver I have come acorss this stuff while looking around on the web. http://www.auroramarine.com/aurora/c...250/index.html

Has anyone tried this stuff?

[Nos4r2]

PM user ID Boatcareuk -he sells SBS.