Bottom growth in New England?
 

Normally, my catamaran powers at about 7.5 knots, but on its last trip
last fall, it could only muster about 6 knots. I assumed it was do to a
foul bottom as the boat had not moved for the previous month, and I had
gone 2 years on the bottom paint. Indeed the bottom, and especially the
aft sections around the saildrives, was a mess, both with barnacles and
some type of small clam-like critter.

I didn't think much about it until someone at the yard said he had the
same problem - his Seidleman could only get to 4 knots at the end of the
season, and he said other owners reported the same thing.

So my question is, was last fall particularly bad for growth in New
England, especially Boston Harbor?

Bottom growth in New England?
 

On Thu, 26 Mar 2009 17:58:00 -0400, jeff wrote:

Normally, my catamaran powers at about 7.5 knots, but on its last trip
last fall, it could only muster about 6 knots. I assumed it was do to a
foul bottom as the boat had not moved for the previous month, and I had
gone 2 years on the bottom paint. Indeed the bottom, and especially the
aft sections around the saildrives, was a mess, both with barnacles and
some type of small clam-like critter.

I didn't think much about it until someone at the yard said he had the
same problem - his Seidleman could only get to 4 knots at the end of the
season, and he said other owners reported the same thing.

So my question is, was last fall particularly bad for growth in New
England, especially Boston Harbor?

I think you should go back to Micron Extra! No matter what, I never
have even a single barnacle attached. All I get is slime and fuzz,
which wipes off pretty easily.

Bottom growth in New England?
 

Bottom growth in New England?
 

On Thu, 26 Mar 2009 21:53:12 -0400, jeff wrote:

So my question is, was last fall particularly bad for growth in New
England, especially Boston Harbor?

I think you should go back to Micron Extra! No matter what, I never
have even a single barnacle attached. All I get is slime and fuzz,
which wipes off pretty easily.


Well perhaps, but the stuff I had on (old version CPP formulated then by
Petit but since changed I believe) worked pretty good for almost 2
seasons, at half the price. There was no speed reduction during my last
trip of the summer; it was only going to the haulout in mid October that
the problem was apparent. And the worst of the fouling was on parts
where I can't use copper paint anyways, the Saildrives. In any case,
I've got two gallons of Blue Water Copper Shield 45 ready to go on this
Spring.

Micron Extra gets a lot of recommendations and there are good reports
about Trinidad SR also. You can get special paint for the aluminum
sail drives which is quite effective if applied properly.

http://www.shipstore.com/SS/HTML/INT/INT5493A.html

Don't the saildrives require a haulout for zinc replacement every 6
months?

Bottom growth in New England?
 

Wayne.B wrote:
On Thu, 26 Mar 2009 21:53:12 -0400, jeff wrote:

So my question is, was last fall particularly bad for growth in New
England, especially Boston Harbor?
I think you should go back to Micron Extra! No matter what, I never
have even a single barnacle attached. All I get is slime and fuzz,
which wipes off pretty easily.

Well perhaps, but the stuff I had on (old version CPP formulated then by
Petit but since changed I believe) worked pretty good for almost 2
seasons, at half the price. There was no speed reduction during my last
trip of the summer; it was only going to the haulout in mid October that
the problem was apparent. And the worst of the fouling was on parts
where I can't use copper paint anyways, the Saildrives. In any case,
I've got two gallons of Blue Water Copper Shield 45 ready to go on this
Spring.

Micron Extra gets a lot of recommendations and there are good reports
about Trinidad SR also.

I used Micron and Micron Extra for about 6 years, but when the price
went up over $200 (now $240) I decided it was extortion. The CPP worked
so well the first year, I decided to let it go another so I could shed a
few pounds. As I said, it almost lasted two seasons. The Blue Seas is
top rated, and less than half the price of Micron, so its worth a try.

You can get special paint for the aluminum
sail drives which is quite effective if applied properly.

http://www.shipstore.com/SS/HTML/INT/INT5493A.html

That's what was on the saildrives. It nowhere near the old TBT based stuff.


Don't the saildrives require a haulout for zinc replacement every 6
months?


Yes, but hauling after 6 months is the norm in New England. I just
replaced them yesterday.

Bottom growth in New England?
 

Dave wrote:
On Fri, 27 Mar 2009 16:16:59 -0400, jeff said:

I've got two gallons of Blue Water Copper Shield 45 ready to go on this
Spring.

Hmm. I note that unlike their Copper Pro SCX 67, the marketing blurb for
this line doesn't say "can re-launch after extended haul-out while retaining
original antifouling properties."

Sure you ordered the right stuff?

Yes, the current version of Copper Shield 45 is rated as "Multi-Season"
but Practical Sailor does not have it in the 18 month survey so I'm not
sure if it will go two seasons.

However, I've never had an issue with extended periods with any ablative
as long as the boat keeps moving. I only had a problem last fall after
being idle for 7 weeks. My query was not about paints, but whether
other people noticed abnormal growth at the end of last season.

Bottom growth in New England?
 

On Fri, 27 Mar 2009 16:16:59 -0400, jeff wrote:

Wayne.B wrote:
On Thu, 26 Mar 2009 21:53:12 -0400, jeff wrote:

So my question is, was last fall particularly bad for growth in New
England, especially Boston Harbor?
I think you should go back to Micron Extra! No matter what, I never
have even a single barnacle attached. All I get is slime and fuzz,
which wipes off pretty easily.

Well perhaps, but the stuff I had on (old version CPP formulated then by
Petit but since changed I believe) worked pretty good for almost 2
seasons, at half the price. There was no speed reduction during my last
trip of the summer; it was only going to the haulout in mid October that
the problem was apparent. And the worst of the fouling was on parts
where I can't use copper paint anyways, the Saildrives. In any case,
I've got two gallons of Blue Water Copper Shield 45 ready to go on this
Spring.

Micron Extra gets a lot of recommendations and there are good reports
about Trinidad SR also.

I used Micron and Micron Extra for about 6 years, but when the price
went up over $200 (now $240)

I'll be buying a gallon of Micron Extra this morning for $188. That's
a sale price, but the regular price at the same place is $209, not
$240.

Bottom growth in New England?
 

On Fri, 27 Mar 2009 22:45:22 -0400, Jeff wrote:

Dave wrote:
On Fri, 27 Mar 2009 16:16:59 -0400, jeff said:

I've got two gallons of Blue Water Copper Shield 45 ready to go on this
Spring.

Hmm. I note that unlike their Copper Pro SCX 67, the marketing blurb for
this line doesn't say "can re-launch after extended haul-out while retaining
original antifouling properties."

Sure you ordered the right stuff?

Yes, the current version of Copper Shield 45 is rated as "Multi-Season"
but Practical Sailor does not have it in the 18 month survey so I'm not
sure if it will go two seasons.

However, I've never had an issue with extended periods with any ablative
as long as the boat keeps moving. I only had a problem last fall after
being idle for 7 weeks. My query was not about paints, but whether
other people noticed abnormal growth at the end of last season.

Yes, it seemed to be a very active season for bottom growth. Having
barnacles is still a paint failure in my book. As long as there is
Micron Extra covering a surface, there will never be any barnacles.

With the amount of effort involved in bottom painting and interim
cleaning, the price differential between paints is of no consequence.
If Micron Extra was $300 a gallon and "something else" was $100, I'd
still advise Micron Extra as the better deal.

Bottom growth in New England?
 

I use Micron 66. It seems a bit better than Micron Extra. My boat is in Long
Island NY.

wrote in message
...
On Fri, 27 Mar 2009 16:16:59 -0400, jeff wrote:

Wayne.B wrote:
On Thu, 26 Mar 2009 21:53:12 -0400, jeff wrote:

So my question is, was last fall particularly bad for growth in New
England, especially Boston Harbor?
I think you should go back to Micron Extra! No matter what, I never
have even a single barnacle attached. All I get is slime and fuzz,
which wipes off pretty easily.

Well perhaps, but the stuff I had on (old version CPP formulated then
by
Petit but since changed I believe) worked pretty good for almost 2
seasons, at half the price. There was no speed reduction during my
last
trip of the summer; it was only going to the haulout in mid October
that
the problem was apparent. And the worst of the fouling was on parts
where I can't use copper paint anyways, the Saildrives. In any case,
I've got two gallons of Blue Water Copper Shield 45 ready to go on this
Spring.

Micron Extra gets a lot of recommendations and there are good reports
about Trinidad SR also.

I used Micron and Micron Extra for about 6 years, but when the price
went up over $200 (now $240)

I'll be buying a gallon of Micron Extra this morning for $188. That's
a sale price, but the regular price at the same place is $209, not
$240.

Bottom growth in New England?