Edgar wrote:
This makes more sense to me than those post who talk in terms of years
without haulout and paint so they put the stuff on much thicker.
Here in Norway I have to haul out every year because although Oslo fjord has
never frozen right over-at least since I have lived here-the channels
between the inner islands do freeze in a bad winter and the small creeks
where my marina is freeze every year and I do not want to see my boat iced
in with a couple of feet or more snow along the pontoons and no electricity
or water available at the berths.
So I haul every year and give my boat one coat of Hempel antifouling which I
apply with a brush and she always comes out clean except for the propeller
and shaft.
I have not found a rally good solution for these last because the speed of
rotation soon takes off the ablative coating of a standard antifouling.
However, I have found some antifouling Volvo sell (very expensive) in a
spray can for their outdrives which works pretty well because (I think) the
fouling cannot adhere to it and as soon as you run the motor it mostly
shears off.
I always use a brush. I do not go with rollers because they may be OK for
the wide open spaces but you will have to use a brush at some point for the
awkward corners. I never clean my brushes. Just squeeze off the surplus and
leave the bristles nice and straight and let them harden like that . Next
year soak them in gasoline overnight and they come soft again as antifouling
just washes off in gasoline.
I have a 38' fin keel boat with a spade rudder and the whole job takes just
four 750ml tins each year.

Good point about the gasoline/petrol. Its a lot cheaper than thinners
for equipment cleanup - even at UK rates of duty on road fuel - and does
a good job on roller handles and brushes. I usually do the cleanup in
the old roller tray and that gets clean enough to re-use as well.

You would be surprised how much of an average hull you can sensibly do
with a roller, and cutting in round skin fittings, anodes etc. is easier
with a 1" brush than a big one. Why not wash out your brushes BEFORE
they set rock solid though?

I've been using a red lanolin based grease called 'Propshield' on the
propeller and it's better than nothing as it keeps the fouling from
sticking hard so it comes off with a pan scourer. The propeller
manufacturer recommended NOT to use paint as they reckoned it increased
the risk of electrolytic pitting.




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