Antifouling for Panama, South Pacific, Australia

[sailnovascotia]

We have just purchased a Little Harbour 38 from a insurance company as a write off. We have managed to do most of the rebuilding and repaired a significant hole in the hull. We have scraped and sanded the hull down to the gelcoat to start fresh with bottom paint.

Our plan is the sailing some in Nova Scotia this summer but then head south, through the Panama Canal and across the South Pacific to Australia. We have been advised to try to find out what people are using and/or recommending for this area. We have access to deals through Interlux so are looking at that brand but are willing to be flexible if something else may be better.

If anyone has any input or advice on this we would really appreciate your thoughts. Thanks and happy sailing.......

[Fstbttms]

Originally Posted by sailnovascotia

the Panama Canal and across the South Pacific to Australia. We have been advised to try to find out what people are using and/or recommending for this area.

"This area"? You are taking about a stretch of water that spans half the planet! You are unlikely to find any single anti fouling product that works really well in all the areas you plan to have the boat. Fouling conditions are too region-specific and there is no magic bullet that will work well everywhere.

[sailingdog]

LOL... anything that can work in the tropics, will generally be overkill in more temperate areas.

[Fstbttms]

Originally Posted by sailingdog

LOL... anything that can work in the tropics, will generally be overkill in more temperate areas.

In theory. In practice, not so much.

[billyruffn]

The only clean bottoms I saw in the Caribbean were coated with TBT product -- now outlawed in most places. Most of the high end legal products will permit the accumulation of aquatic "stuff" that needs occasional cleaning.

If you're doing a long stent in the tropics with legal antifouling, I recommend acquisition of a means of getting under your boat for an hour or more every few months.

I used Micron Extra in the Caribbean and Panama and it didn't keep all the critters away. Every month or so I needed to get out a putty knife and a brush and get under the boat to do away with various marine growths and barnacles.