Can anyone recommend an antifouling paint for my new yacht? I do not race and intend to keep it in Middle Harbour. What is the difference between "hard" and "soft" paint?
Any of the well known and represented brands will stand you in good stead eg. Hempel, International etc; since the demise of TBT based paints the organic chemists have had to work a bit harder to make their products more efficient.
"Soft" paint is as its name says softer when it dries and as your boat moves through the water the top layer of the paint erodes, exposing a new layer of chemically active ingredients to discourage the critters from living on your hull.
"Hard" paints on the other hand do not ablate and as a consequence are slightly more toxic as there is no "wearing" of the layers.
As mentioned, TBT based paints are now banned globally, there is now also legislation being drafted to ban copper based paints globally. It's going to get to the stage where you pays your money and you takes your chances.
Hard antifouling is better suited to raceing boats that are scrubbed every couple of weeks as the antifouling wil stay on longer.
Soft antifouling is better suited to boats that are only scrubbed every couple of months as it leeches off buy its self and comes off when scrubbed.
Best way is to put it on is with a roller, starting at the bottom of the keel and working up as you get less paint on your self than starting at the water line and working down.
I use a hard antifoul on my cruising yacht. As it doesn't ablate you can scrub it as often as you need.
Pro divers in Sydney often won't scrub a boat with soft antifoul as it is illegal to put any bloom in the water from the paint, you can get 'booked'.
Ablative anti foul last about a year, maybe a bit more, without a scrub. I get 2 years by having it cleaned or doing it myself every few months from 12 months after the antifoul.
Jotun Seaqueen 36 ablative is supposed to last 36 months, I got 18 months on my fishing boat, working every day.
Have had Hempel hard on my yacht for 2 years and have just bought Altex No5 which goes on in a couple of weeks.
Hi Ramona
Interested in the fact that you use a hard antifoul, have been considering doing the same, any reason for you moving over to Altex No 5...?
If trailering the boat you'll want an ablative. Once a hard paint is exposed to air for 72 hours it will oxidize and lose its antifouling properties. Hard paint usually has more copper content for a lower price that ablative (in my research). Most are meant to roll right out of can.
If you are trailering a boat would you really need to paint antifoul wouldn't it be better to hi ptresure clean when out of the water?
Ramona, thank you for your reply, I have Altex No 5 on currently, she has been in the water for just on one year now and need to consider how long a life the Altex has left.
Would like to go to a hard anti foul but no many diver are keen to dive in our marina (Bull Sharks) hence why I am staying with the soft.
My other concern is that to date I have slipped yearly, it allows me the opportunity to address any thing untoward, buff the hull and replace the anode which is rather small on my Beneteau so am considering slipping in the next few months and will probably use the good old No 5.
The previous owner used Micron extra and apparently got 3 years of life from the product...?
Anyway thank you also Keensailor for your comment and look forward to any other advice or comment on this topic
Really we should slip our boats annually. The cost of antifoul is fairly minor compared to the other "stuff". Anode changes especially on sail drives should be kept up with. Keeping that gelcoat polished annually is going to be one of the best investments you can make on that boat.
Locally the reason owners go past 12 months slipping is simply not enough slips available for the yachts in the area.
