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Old 05-29-2013, 08:22 PM   #37
Art
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City: SF Bay Area
Vessel Model: Tollycraft 34' Tri Cabin
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 12,569
Quote:
Originally Posted by fstbttms View Post
FYI to all who believe otherwise- anti fouling paint has a lifespan, and it is typically 2-3 years. That's the length of time these products are designed to last. Beyond that, they have leached out enough of their biocide to become essentially ineffective. Some of you claiming dramatically longer performance from your paint probably either boat in areas where fouling is very low, or you simply do not realise how foul your bottom actually is becoming between cleanings.
From decades of experience docking solely in salt water (Atlantic and Pacific)... as such bottoms needing often cleaning as well as yearly or bi yearly at longest new bottom paint... then for last four years docking in completely fresh water... I agree with fb, i.e. "Some of you [us] claiming dramatically longer performance from your [our] paint probably - boat in areas where fouling is very low..." Having never kept a boat in fresh water before, and experiencing the last four years doing so, my dive under boat this Memorial Day for cleaning metal parts, wire brushing zincs, and soft brushing the bottom was further proof that in freshwater (not salt water) can greatly extend the duration between need for new bottom paints. After six (6) months since I last went under to clean the metal parts had little growth attached, zincs were not too coated, and hull had a bare skim on its surface. Intake grates were still well open too. I’ve not seen any barnacle or other growths in the four years. I do like the ease-on-boat submerged portions of docking and operating in freshwater only. Major ease on engine raw water cooling parts too!
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