antifouling?

[Mick Young]

Hi All. I have just repaired some minor damage on the hull of our trailer sailer. This was below the waterline and I was wondering do I really have to use antifouling paint if the boat spends no more than 4 days in the water at a time. I dont want to go out and buy a litre of paint when I can use something generic and a heap cheaper that will do the same job.

Keep in blackside down!

Mick

[Faster]

If you're only in the water 4 days at a time there is no need for antifouling. Do your wallet and the environment a favour, keep the hull waxed or polished to make cleaning easier and do a good wash down after each outing.

[feetup]

Faster is right. Trailer sailers and dry-racers can have a beautiful wet sanded hull that is so slippry and slidey with never more than a few days growth to scrub off in your case. Anti fouling is expensive, many kinds demand that they are immersed soon and continuously thereafter or they loose their effect, and lets face it, they fall under the nasty poison catagory so with everything to gain, and nothing to loose why would you bother with it? Make her bottom smooth and shiny and if she is still slow, you can't blame her bottom.
Good sailing

Feetup

[Mick Young]

Thanks Guys for your answers. I didnt think that I would need to antifoul, but being new to this I thought I would get a second opinion.
We both know that the only reason that she is slow is the bloke driving is still in the learning process and the Girl handling the mainsheet isnt to cmfortable heeled over, but we are having fun, meeting heaps of like minded folk and gettingbetter each time we go out. We've only stuck it on the putty once, what do those red and green poles do anyway??

Keep it Black side down

Mick

[sailingdog]

A really good wax, with a Teflon-based additive should really help keep any slime off the hull given how little time your boat spends in the water.

If you do decide to go with an antifouling paint, your best bet would be an ablative, as most of those are tolerant of prolonged dry spells. Many of the hard anti-fouling paints become deactivated if not kept in water.