Antifouling
Annual anti-foul due?
We can apply any brand of anti-fouling should you have a specific request.
The anti-fouling system on a vessel is critical to its ongoing fuel efficiency and speed, not to mention the integrity of the hull. Like many things not all anti-fouls are equal and being that one size does not fit all! The anti-fouling system used on an ultra-high speed racing yacht or power boat is very different to that suitable for a pleasure boat used only on weekends. The material that the vessel is made from also effects the correct anti-foul system to be employed.
The goal of any anti-fouling paint is to minimize the grow of marine organisms on the immersed surface of the vessel, common to almost all products is a biocide within the paint to prevent the growth of marine life. Depending on the speed and usage of the vessel there are two ways to achieve this:
Self-polishing: These anti-fouls use the movement of the water past the hull to slowly polish the paint and continually reveal fresh biocide. This is the most common form of anti-fouling used in the recreational market. It has the added advantage of continually providing the same level of biocide until all of the paint has been abraded.
Hard: these anti-fouls are used when the speed of the vessel would be such that the self-polishing anti foul would simply be blown off by the speed of the water moving past the boat. This anti-fouling can be polished prior to a race to give a smooth surface. The disadvantage of this approach is that the biocide becomes less effective over the course of a season as it is ‘trapped’ in the hard paint. Another type of hard anti-fouling uses silicones or Teflon to create a surface that marine organisms cannot attach to, however this is mainly only used on commercial vessels such as ferries or large ocean going ships that are constantly moving.
QMS has extensive experience on the major brands of anti-fouling paint.
Call us to discuss your requirements.
