Anti-Fouling of GRPs

[sal garfi]

For those of you with GRP boats, how often do you anti-foul them? The previous owner of mine used to do it every year; but he was, he is, a very meticulous individual.

 

Sal

[Bearsteen]

We have just had ours done at 18 months but we also had the outboard serviced ready for the new season

[gazza]

Every two years here.

 

Flag crusing AF has worked very well for us on the Nene.

 

We have no slipping costs at our club which helps!

[Alan de Enfield]

Roughly 'Annually'

 

If you are DIY anti fouling do it now.

The EU is in the process of making DIY application of antifouling illegal, and only yards with the correct drainage and disposal facilities will be licenced for applying antifouling.

 

Huge number of discussions on yachting forums.

 

Maybe worth using one of the very expensive coatings that last for 'years' as you will not be able to do it again in the future (unless we vote out of Europe)

 

I have used this stuff (Jan 2015) Should last at least 10 years

 

http://coppercoat.com/faqs/

[sal garfi]

Roughly 'Annually'

 

If you are DIY anti fouling do it now.

The EU is in the process of making DIY application of antifouling illegal, and only yards with the correct drainage and disposal facilities will be licenced for applying antifouling.

 

Huge number of discussions on yachting forums.

 

Maybe worth using one of the very expensive coatings that last for 'years' as you will not be able to do it again in the future (unless we vote out of Europe)

 

I have used this stuff (Jan 2015) Should last at least 10 years

 

http://coppercoat.com/faqs/

 

Thanks for this, I'll look into it.

 

Sal

[Dharl]

on the salty stuff used to anti-foul every year. Would have thought a lot less on 'freshwater' canals?

[Alan de Enfield]

on the salty stuff used to anti-foul every year. Would have thought a lot less on 'freshwater' canals?

 

You have obviously not seen the mussels that stick themselves to the bottom of boats based in 'our marina'. (inland)

Edited May 20, 2016 by Alan de Enfield

[Dharl]

had the raw water intakes blocked after discharging cargo on the Thames once due to mussels...had to get the PLA divers down to free us up!

[gazza]

 

You have obviously not seen the mussels that stick themselves to the bottom of boats based in 'our marina'. (inland)

Ours hadn't been out of the water for years before we had her. It was thick with muscles. Now in our care there are none on the bottom when she comes out biannually.

 

The narrow boats that get dragged out at our place fetch them away by the wheelbarrow load. They are also mostly on a biannual cycle. Bitumen and muscles seem good company

[Claude]

Not being a GRP boat owner myself I don't really understand why a GRP hull would be any more susceptible to freshwater mussels (muscles! ) than a steel hull?

 

Most narrowboats aren't anti-fouled, so assuming a GRP boat is staying in freshwater and travelling at canal/river speeds then why would it need anti-fouling? I know plenty of GRP boat owners at my mooring who don't bother and their boats seem fine whenever they take them out on the river. I suppose if one has raw water intakes then you need to keep them clear but there are other ways to do that like applying a stiff broom in the appropriate places once a week and it still doesn't explain why the whole hull needs to be anti-fouled?

 

I await further education.

 

You have obviously not seen the mussels that stick themselves to the bottom of boats based in 'our marina'. (inland)

 

But I don't understand why mussels would affect GRP boats any more than steel boats?

[Murflynn]

Ours hadn't been out of the water for years before we had her. It was thick with muscles.

is it called Tarzan?

For those of you with GRP boats, how often do you anti-foul them?

the only possible answer is - 'whenever necessary'.

 

you can easily see if the hull is covered in weed and feel (from a dinghy alongside) if it is growing mussels.

[Alan de Enfield]

 

 

Most narrowboats aren't anti-fouled,

 

What do you consider is the purpose of 'blacking' ?

[gazza]

Not being a GRP boat owner myself I don't really understand why a GRP hull would be any more susceptible to freshwater mussels (muscles! ) than a steel hull?

 

Most narrowboats aren't anti-fouled, so assuming a GRP boat is staying in freshwater and travelling at canal/river speeds then why would it need anti-fouling? I know plenty of GRP boat owners at my mooring who don't bother and their boats seem fine whenever they take them out on the river. I suppose if one has raw water intakes then you need to keep them clear but there are other ways to do that like applying a stiff broom in the appropriate places once a week and it still doesn't explain why the whole hull needs to be anti-fouled?

 

I await further education.

 

 

But I don't understand why mussels would affect GRP boats any more than steel boats?

The clue is in the title, Anti Foul. Mussels don't like AF coatings.

Bituminous paint has no AF properties (and very little corrosion protection but that's not the point) as such, mussel stick like shit to a blanket on it.

is it called Tarzan?

 

the only possible answer is - 'whenever necessary'.

 

you can easily see if the hull is covered in weed and feel (from a dinghy alongside) if it is growing mussels.

Well spotted, bleedy fone!

[pete.i]

Not being a GRP boat owner myself I don't really understand why a GRP hull would be any more susceptible to freshwater mussels (muscles! ) than a steel hull?

 

Most narrowboats aren't anti-fouled, so assuming a GRP boat is staying in freshwater and travelling at canal/river speeds then why would it need anti-fouling? I know plenty of GRP boat owners at my mooring who don't bother and their boats seem fine whenever they take them out on the river. I suppose if one has raw water intakes then you need to keep them clear but there are other ways to do that like applying a stiff broom in the appropriate places once a week and it still doesn't explain why the whole hull needs to be anti-fouled?

 

I await further education.

 

But I don't understand why mussels would affect GRP boats any more than steel boats?

 

I did mine because it makes the boat look pretty whilst it is sitting on it's trailer waiting to be sold. I don't think the original anti foul that was on it when I bought the boat lasted very long judging by the minimal amount of work I had to do to get it off.

[Alan de Enfield]

The clue is in the title, Anti Foul. Mussels don't like AF coatings.

Bituminous paint has no AF properties (and very little corrosion protection but that's not the point) as such, mussel stick like shit to a blanket on it.

 

Well spotted, bleedy fone!

 

I must disagree - 'blacking' is a Tar / Bitumin based 'paint' which leaches its 'oil' based contents slowly and indeed acts as an Antifouling. Our blacked NB never had mussels attached, and very very little weed growth (except around the water line where it was damaged/scraped)

 

Blacking is dissolved by diesel (basically as its just a thick version on the same 'stuff') and as most marinas and much of the waterways has a very thin 'skin' on diesel on the water surface this is why the blacking tends to get 'damaged' at the waterline.

[gazza]

 

I must disagree - 'blacking' is a Tar / Bitumin based 'paint' which leaches its 'oil' based contents slowly and indeed acts as an Antifouling. Our blacked NB never had mussels attached, and very very little weed growth (except around the water line where it was damaged/scraped)

 

Blacking is dissolved by diesel (basically as its just a thick version on the same 'stuff') and as most marinas and much of the waterways has a very thin 'skin' on diesel on the water surface this is why the blacking tends to get 'damaged' at the waterline.

Not my experience on the Nene, I'll take a picture of Mussel corner later on.

 

I'm not kidding when I say they are fetched away by the wheelbarrow load.

 

Our slip is busy, 26+ boats a year, every member gets a 2 week slot, some manage to do their in a week freeing up another slot.

 

Only two steel boats are on the same AF as us and are not affected by the mussels.

 

All other steel boats have blacking if one form and another and always come out plastered in em.

[gazza]

I meant to say as well, AF suit some geographical locations better than others.

 

Flag cruising works extremely well here on the Nene, Blake's (now Hempel) is crap as is international inland cruiser AF.

Once you find one that works it pays to stick to it.

Edited May 21, 2016 by gazza

[Alan de Enfield]

Not my experience on the Nene, I'll take a picture of Mussel corner later on.

 

I'm not kidding when I say they are fetched away by the wheelbarrow load.

 

Our slip is busy, 26+ boats a year, every member gets a 2 week slot, some manage to do their in a week freeing up another slot.

 

Only two steel boats are on the same AF as us and are not affected by the mussels.

 

All other steel boats have blacking if one form and another and always come out plastered in em.

 

AS you say - personal experience.

At our Marina on the Trent boats that were never blacked (or had 'years' in between blacking - you know the ones !) were coated in mussels, whilst those regularly blacked were virtually free of them.

 

Certainly AF is far superior to blacking but still needs doing every 18 month / 2 years.

[gazza]

 

AS you say - personal experience.

At our Marina on the Trent boats that were never blacked (or had 'years' in between blacking - you know the ones !) were coated in mussels, whilst those regularly blacked were virtually free of them.

 

Certainly AF is far superior to blacking but still needs doing every 18 month / 2 years.

Perhaps our mussels are less fussy than their northern counterparts?

[Alan de Enfield]

Perhaps our mussels are less fussy than their northern counterparts?

 

Isn't that indicative of the 'Southerners' taste in beer as well ?

[Claude]

 

What do you consider is the purpose of 'blacking' ?

Preventing corrosion. Why, what do you consider the purpose of blacking is?

 

Antifouling is a specific product designed to prevent growth of aquatic life (the clue is in the name!) Blacking doesn't do that - and that's why you get the mussel growth etc.

[gazza]

Isn't that indicative of the 'Southerners' taste in beer as well ?

 

A greenie for you

 

I'm a cider drinker so not lumped into that bracket

Preventing corrosion. Why, what do you consider the purpose of blacking is?

Antifouling is a specific product designed to prevent growth of aquatic life (the clue is in the name!) Blacking doesn't do that - and that's why you get the mussel growth etc.

Lots of threads on here, air drying bituminous based blacking products are a waste of money.

There are many better protective coatings available. But as always, there's none so deaf as those who don't want to hear.

Edited May 21, 2016 by gazza

[Claude]

The clue is in the title, Anti Foul. Mussels don't like AF coatings.

Bituminous paint has no AF properties (and very little corrosion protection but that's not the point) as such, mussel stick like shit to a blanket on

You clearly didn't understand what i was asking. I'm well aware of the difference between antifouling and blacking, I was asking if narrowboats don't need antifouling then why do GRP boats in fresh water (travelling at canal/river speeds) need it?

 

Lots of threads on here, air drying bituminous based blacking products are a waste of money.

There are many better protective coatings available. But as always, there's none so deaf as those who don't want to hear.

Yes of course there are better paint systems than bitumen for preventing corrosion. I have Jotamastic 87 two part epoxy on my boat, but bitumen will be better than nothing at all at least for a couple of years. Since you mention those who fail to hear, again this was not really my question and is off topic. We were talking about why GRP boats need antifouling in fresh water.

Edited May 21, 2016 by Claude

[gazza]

You clearly didn't understand what i was asking. I'm well aware of the difference between antifouling and blacking, I was asking if narrowboats don't need antifouling then why do GRP boats in fresh water (travelling at canal/river speeds) need it?

I did understand. You frame your question poorly.

 

AF keeps the bum smooth saving fuel and keeping speeds up.

 

Not all of us are <4mph on a ditch.

[Alan de Enfield]

Preventing corrosion. Why, what do you consider the purpose of blacking is?

 

If all you wanted was corrosion protection you would use one of the many alternative (and better) products - even standard paint would be better as it would not be so easily dissolved.

Products are also available that will give better impact protection and better 'electrical' protection.

 

Antifouling is a specific product designed to prevent growth of aquatic life (the clue is in the name!) Blacking doesn't do that - and that's why you get the mussel growth etc.

 

Blacking gives a good level of AF protection, just look at the waterline of a boat blacked, and one blacked some time ago where the AF has 'eroded / dissolved'.