To clean or not to clean my bottom

[aberglas]

My yacht is recently antifouled with ablative Altex Nr 5 6 months ago. I put a good three coats on. It is sailing in warm Queensland.



But it now has a thin film of algae. Comes off really easily, taking some anti foul with it. It is very slippery to touch.


I am inclined to leave it there. No point taking off too much antifoul.


Thoughts?

[HankOnthewater]

I am using the same antifoul as you do, but water here is lot cooler (south of west Oz). My antifoul last 3 years, never dived and cleaned anything, and the growth is minimal, hardly any barnacles, no vegetation, mainly slime that would come up with a scourer. I apply 2 coats and 3 coats around prop, rudder, waterline and bow. I use the boat regularly. Must be the temperature I guess.

I would not take your boat out and redo things, maybe next season try a different antifoul. Talk to other boat owner where you are, and see what they use, and how long theirs lasts. Be careful though, as stories may not always match reality very well. Better still visit a travelift, when they get a boat out of the water, and see for yourself.

[aberglas]

My question is about the slime, not growth. Should that be removed or just left? It seems pretty harmless, but does it promote other growth?

[JPA Cate]

@ aberglas:

Sponge it off the bottom. What happens is that some of the corals get their feet in it and you will have more growth showing in a month or two that is not the green slime, but the fouling has gained a foothold. Sometimes, for us, we can go out there and exceed hull speed for a while, and the slime will blow off, but it doesn't do so once the crunchy fouling gets attached. The corals protect it against the friction of the water.

Pretty soon coral spawning time is coming to Oz. The process will be faster then.

Ann

[wholybee]

Clean often with a soft sponge. A little antifoul will come off with a soft sponge, but if you don't keep it clean a whole lot of antifoul will come off when you go at it with something abrasive.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by wholybee

Clean often with a soft sponge. A little antifoul will come off with a soft sponge, but if you don't keep it clean a whole lot of antifoul will come off when you go at it with something abrasive.

This ^^^

[Alistair242]

The Altex is ultra soft and a bunch comes off when rubbing.
Try Seavictor 50 if in Qld. It seems to work a lot better in warmer waters and is not as soft so a quick rub removes only the slime.

[Freyfrey]

I’m in Mooloolaba, when I clean the hull I use a window squeegee, great for removing slime but not removing to much antifoul .