| There has been much discussion of late about these | | | | application carried out by yourself, but then you have |
| revolutionary applications for better antifouling of props, | | | | no guarantee if things don't work out. By |
| shafts and any under water metal fittings of a sailboat | | | | commissioning your local boatyard to do it, you know |
| or yacht. There are various products on the market | | | | that with their experience of doing many already, they |
| and the latest variations that are worth looking at are | | | | are going to apply the product professionally, and you |
| silicone based and give a very slippery finish to your | | | | can also discuss some kind of warranty situation with |
| running gear. | | | | them to cover any future problems that may arise. |
| Everyone is looking for improved product performance | | | | The other downside to doing it yourself is what to do |
| and also applications that are environmentally friendly | | | | with the materials that are left over? for an average |
| and do not leach or allow toxic chemicals into our | | | | sized sailboat (30 - 40ft) you would use approximately |
| oceans. | | | | half of the pack. Once opened it would not keep for a |
| These products work on the principle of the silicone | | | | year, so that means disposing of it or finding some |
| polymer finish being so slick that all those little guys that | | | | other boat owner willing to do the job at the same |
| want to clamp themselves onto your running gear just | | | | time as you - and you know how tricky that can be! |
| cannot get a toehold, fall away again in frustration, | | | | Having these products applied professionally is the |
| leaving your prop, shaft and any other metal skin | | | | manufacturers' recommendation. This was the route |
| fittings underwater, clean. We all understand the | | | | we chose and it proved to be a relatively painless |
| benefits of clean running gear - no fouling, increased | | | | operation. We sanded down the shaft and prop so it |
| speed of your vessel and the corresponding saving of | | | | was clean and shiny when the man arrived from the |
| fuel. In addition, with most of these products we can | | | | yard. We were just a little taken aback when on |
| add the additional benefit of no detrimental effect on | | | | setting to work he took a much coarser grade (80 grit) |
| the environment.t | | | | of emery paper and roughed up these parts again. |
| Having looked at all these possibilities we decided it | | | | Two coats of etch were then applied with suitable |
| was time to do something about it and as the boat | | | | drying time in between. It is the etch that is coloured |
| was going to be hauled anyway, get the application to | | | | (yellow, image above). The clear topcoats were |
| see how effective it will be between now (early | | | | applied with a fine brush and left to dry for several |
| spring) and when the boat will be hauled again in March | | | | hours before re-launching the boat. The whole job took |
| 2010. That will be seven summer months (warm water | | | | one hour approximately and when finished a modest |
| temperatures, higher growth) from now and will | | | | bill of $150.00 was proffered - good value indeed if it |
| certainly show a result in that time frame. | | | | works - watch this space! |
| These products can be purchased directly with the | | | | |