Are you a boat owner, and you love spending your weekends and leisure time out on the water with your loved ones? If you have been using your boat for quite some time, you may begin to notice that the hull has a fouling layer or muck. This layer comprises marine organisms, including barnacles, water hyacinth and algae which attach themselves only to your boat’s hull while you are on the water.
Unfortunately, the fouling makes your boat look unappealing and may be why your boat is slowing down, has an increased drug and is consuming more fuel. If you’re wondering what to do about this, consider boat antifouling. This article will help you understand boat antifouling and how to go about it.
What is Boat Antifouling?
This process involves coating your boat’s hull to prevent marine organisms from attaching to it. The antifouling coating releases biocides that prevent the growth of any marine organisms. Boat antifouling is essential for every boat owner since it comes with so many benefits, which include;
- Increase the performance of your boat
- Reduces fuel consumption and reduces your costs of running the boat
- Prevents the propellers from getting damaged
- Prevents the engine water inlets and outlets from blocking
- Prevents the hull’shull’s surfaces from getting damaged by marine organisms
Guide to Boat Antifouling
You must know how this process works when considering boat antifouling to ensure you do everything correctly. This section covers a guide when you organise antifouling for your vessel:
- Select the right antifouling paint
The antifouling layer that you apply on your boat’s hull is usually in the form of paint. You should always understand that you cannot just pick any pain and use it during boat antifouling; instead, you should remember that different antifouling paints exist for different boats. For this reason, you must ensure you are selecting the right antifouling paint for your boat. Consider the kind of water environment you operate your boat on and decide on the antifouling paint that is more suitable.
- Prepare the surface in advance
Before you start with the boat antifouling process, you must ensure that you properly prepare the surface of your boat. The boat’s hull must be thoroughly cleaned to remove any traces of old paint, debris or dirt clinging to the hull. You can consider high-pressure washing to clean the hull or use safe chemicals to remove the muck. Proper surface preparation ensures that the antifouling paint you apply stays longer and better on the hull.
- Get an appropriate protective layer
You will use paints containing harmful chemicals during boat antifouling, especially if they contact your skin. This is why you must ensure that you have the appropriate protective gear before beginning this process.
- Apply the paint properly
Before you begin applying the antifouling paint you selected, ensure that you take your time to read the manufacturer’s instructions on how to paint your hull. The paint must be applied evenly, and use the right number of coats. However, all the information about the number of coats you should apply will be included in the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Properly dispose of the antifouling waste
When you finish your boat antifouling, you must ensure that any waste is properly disposed of. This is because it contains toxic chemicals which may contaminate the waterway and cause harm to the environment.
