EngNate
Senior Member
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2019
- Messages
- 312
- Location
- Canada
- Vessel Name
- Tenacious
- Vessel Make
- Uniflite 31 FB Sedan
Reading the thread about barnacle fouling I thought I'd share this. This year I tried something on my 17' skiff and was surprised how well it worked. Over freshly dried bottom paint I applied dry silicone spray lube, doused it thoroughly, wiped off excess, let dry, repeated 2 more times. I used about 2/3 of an $8 can. This boat had been my daily commuter, in the same location, and lived in the water for 4 years and I know how fast it gets fouled. It's just seasonal use now. We had a tidal grid and I put it up and cleaned it regularly. In summer it would be bogged down (it has just 50hp) after 6 weeks. I pulled it out after 3 months, July-Sept and there was very little on it and there hadn't been a noticeable loss of speed. What there was could be wiped off with a sponge, it was clean in less than 10 min with a pressure washer, no bottom paint even touch up will be needed. I think if it wasn't being put up a little attention in the water with a soft brush would have kept it good for weeks longer. It made a big enough difference to me - and cheap as borscht, that neither boat will go back in the water without it, save for some issue arising, it is a new trick...
The can I used, from 3-in-1, didn't have anything on it about toxicity. I see you can get this stuff that's approved for food contact, and silicone is basically inert, certainly so compared to copper oxide, and it seems like it will help keep the copper in the paint and the paint on the boat.
I think a key thing is the fresh bottom paint, clean and porous. It probably won't last (as) long over gel coat or metal. The bigger boat gets new paint next year so it's going to be 3 years for a good update on this...
The can I used, from 3-in-1, didn't have anything on it about toxicity. I see you can get this stuff that's approved for food contact, and silicone is basically inert, certainly so compared to copper oxide, and it seems like it will help keep the copper in the paint and the paint on the boat.
I think a key thing is the fresh bottom paint, clean and porous. It probably won't last (as) long over gel coat or metal. The bigger boat gets new paint next year so it's going to be 3 years for a good update on this...