Antifouling for Maritime Canada

[Bloodhound]

What is the best antifouling (probably ablative) for use in the Canadian Maritimes? Is copper based permitted? Haulout there will be evey 6 months so I'm guessing an annual coat will be sufficient. Comments? Am currently hauled out and preping for road transport to PEI

[Shoalcove]

You can use copper based products here. Tin based are a no-no. The type of paint will determine the recoat schedule. I use Ameron ABC which is a multi-season ablative available in PEI (Mermaid Marine) although International is the dominant brand.
Where are you planning to keep your boat? We sail out of the New Brunswick side near Moncton.

[Bloodhound]

Thanks for the info Shoalcove. Will use as high a copper content as I can find. We'll be sailing out of CYC in Charlottetown although will probably moor most of the time at Wood Islands as it's only 10 min from home and is a very well protected harbour. If you PM me I'll contact you after the boat is recommissioned.

Ralph Weiland

[brianb00]

Hi, I had a bottom job completed on June 15 2012. I had a top brand ablative paint applied via spraying. I had the boat splashed and immediately set off on a 5K mile race/return. When I arrived at the finish line I dove the hull, all looked reasonable. Upon return, and a couple months of elapsed time, I notice that the ablative paint is nearly gone in large sections of the bottom. Is that type of wear normal ? Did the long miles take off the paint ? I have used this same paint for about 10 years on this vessel and had not noticed such a rapid erosion of the bottom. Will ablative paints wear off faster at higher speeds or warmer temps ?
Thanks for any info.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by brianb00

I had a bottom job completed on June 15 2012. I had a top brand ablative paint applied via spraying.

What product? Who did the work?

Originally Posted by brianb00

(After) a couple months of elapsed time, I notice that the ablative paint is nearly gone in large sections of the bottom. Is that type of wear normal ?

No.

Originally Posted by brianb00

Did the long miles take off the paint ?

Only if there was a problem with the product or it's application.

Originally Posted by brianb00

Will ablative paints wear off faster at higher speeds or warmer temps ?

Not appreciably so. And certainly not at the speeds a sailboat will attain or the temperatures found in the SF Bay.

[Bloodhound]

I suspect (but don't know for sure) that applying antifouling paint with a spray gun may leave what looks like a nice job but with a paint film of very nonuniform thickness. If so, the thin areas will obviously disappear first, and maybe quite soon. We always apply bottom paint with a roller, and use two coats.

[Kalinka1]

Hi Blood hound. I've used Micron cfc? on the east coats put 4 or 5 coats on and has lasted 4years with just minor touch ups

[Paul L]

I don't think it matters in Maritimes. The sailing season is a little over 72 hours long. Any bottom paint will last a season.