Antifoul Paint - RAGE

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by Jimbo485

What do you think of the level of professionalism in your field as shown by your competitors?

The same as in any other segment of the marine service industry. There are those that treat their businesses as a profession and those that don't.

[Jimbo485]

exactly!

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by Jimbo485

exactly!

So find one that does if you're unhappy with your current diver.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by Jimbo485

The problem is that the local hull cleaner´s own economic prosperity is directly improved if the antifoul is terrible.

maybe.... Fast Bottoms is quick to respond often to the mention of the "bottom paint ripoff". I see he's based in SF, but talking about east coast paints.....If the knowledge is there... where's the spread sheet for us showing what paint to use where?
My opinion is there are no paint offerred in the US anymore that will work in southern lattitudes. You might as well just put whatever is cheap on and plan on cleaning often.

[nigel1]

I'm biting the bullet and going for this Coppercoat stuff, meant to be good for 10 to 15 years, at least then I wont have the annual worry about whose AF to use

[colemj]

Originally Posted by fstbttms

PS tests in two locations on the East Coast only. I find their results to be essentially useless.

Their Northeast test site was our old marina. Their test boards were hung underneath a dock in shallow stagnant water. They saw no sunlight and no current or tidal flow. I tried the paint they rated as the best in the NE waters (thinking hey, that's my exact marina, it should work well for me). Once that paint hit sunlit waters and was in higher current and tidal flow, it grew stuff like crazy. And this was only 300' away from their test sight.

I would look at those test boards all the time and wonder how they got the results they published. I can tell most of the bottom paints by their colors and textures and the results I saw had little resemblance to the results they published.

Mark

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

I see he's based in SF, but talking about east coast paints.....

The paints you use there are the same products we use here. The difference is fouling conditions.

Originally Posted by Cheechako

My opinion is there are no paint offerred in the US anymore that will work in southern lattitudes. You might as well just put whatever is cheap on and plan on cleaning often.

In regions of high fouling, you should be cleaning frequently regardless of what's on the bottom.

[Jimbo485]

We don´t use a diver. I don´t see the point for us. If necessary, I do it myself.

However, you, Sir Fastbttms, are quite sensitive to an industry-wide perception. That perception is real. Used car salesmen, priests and politicians recognise the public´s perception of many of the bad apples within their group. How do the good ones deal with it?

BTW, we slapped on a few coats of Seahawk Islands 44 last week. No need for even me to clean it for quite a while yet!

[sailorboy1]

I've never had a diver clean my boat in Salem MA. Even the crappy paint I used a couple of years ago didn't do that bad a good. My first year I got weed along the waterline, which I fixed the next be moving the bottom paint up an inch.

I think that the fact that bottoms need cleaning so much in SF just shows that the paint doesn't work! And this just shows that the info the manuacturers put out is useless.

So .............. RAGE!

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by Jimbo485

BTW, we slapped on a few coats of Seahawk Islands 44 last week. No need for even me to clean it for quite a while yet!

Yes, I'm sure. You choose to use a paint that is banned in most of the civilized world. Nice.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by Don Lucas

I think that the fact that bottoms need cleaning so much in SF just shows that the paint doesn't work! And this just shows that the info the manuacturers put out is useless.

1.- The fouling conditions you experience are not the fouling conditions everyone experiences.
2.- You should not expect anti fouling paint to eliminate fouling growth. That just isn't realistic.
3.- Paint manufacturers aren't going to tell you a particular product isn't effective. If you believe otherwise, I've got a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you.

[minaret]

Originally Posted by Don Lucas

I've never had a diver clean my boat in Salem MA. Even the crappy paint I used a couple of years ago didn't do that bad a good. My first year I got weed along the waterline, which I fixed the next be moving the bottom paint up an inch.

I think that the fact that bottoms need cleaning so much in SF just shows that the paint doesn't work! And this just shows that the info the manuacturers put out is useless.

So .............. RAGE!

Well THERE'S yer problem! As fstbttms said, anti-fouling paint is not no fouling paint. It will never totally prevent all growth, no matter what an advertisement may tell you, and no matter what paint you use in what conditions. I paint my bottom every two years, but my divers are on a regular 3 month schedule. They pop by every 3 months and do the zincs, clean the running gear, check thru-hulls, and once or twice a year clean the bottom. Just part of owning a boat, unless you dive on it yourself, IMHO. Develop a good relationship with a good diver, and you'll find the regular schedule is much cheaper than dive-on-demand. Our's do everyone on the dock who use them at one time, makes it much easier for them. They like this and charge much less as a result. It's just common sense, what if you suddenly have a stray current problem from a new neighbor or something? Your zincs could be gone in weeks and your running gear at risk. Regular diving is a no-brainer, and as long as they're down there they might as well clean the gear or bottom if it needs it. This means a clean bottom at all times, safe running gear, and less frequent bottom painting. It pays for itself really...

[S/V Antares]

Great subject for the late Andy Rooney.....

With the enviromental laws making it very difficult for us to poison our way out of this problem the paint folks are just trying new ideas. I used to feel the same way about Rum.

[Marksman]

I have an Ameron product on my bottom. It's 70% copper in a vinyl based paint (hard/non ablative) made I believe for the commercial market. Got it from the PO. Put on two thin coats over the brand new epoxy bottom 4.5 years ago and have only gotten brown slime that comes off with a towel. Have only had to clean the bottom once in 4.5 years. Boat resides in Apple Tree Cove, central Puget Sound.

For what it's worth.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by minaret

Well THERE'S yer problem! As fstbttms said, anti-fouling paint is not no fouling paint. .

The half dozen little critters I get during the year don't bug me much.

Maybe some people out there are spending extra money on divers to rub their antifouling off!