Micron Extra SPC review

[Captain Larry-DH]

Since the 80’s I’ve been searching for the best bottom paint. The most effective antifouling I found was Micron 66 but that had some major drawbacks (adhesion, not compatible with brackish or fresh water, and it was too soft). Since then, mostly I settled on Pettit Hydrocoat year after year, but it needed to be cleaned at least once a month by a diver. I used to dive on it myself, but hired divers in recent year$. That cost adds up.
This year I tried Micron Extra SPC and the results were excellent! The boat was kept on a mooring in western LIS for about 3 weeks in May/June, then we cruised a bit and moved it to Stonington CT where it was also kept on a mooring. It was not used at all for a 6 week period in July/August so it did not have a lot of water flow on the hulls. We used it in Southern New England for about 6 weeks after that.
In September I had a diver clean the saildrives/props and rudder and he reported light slime and zero hard growth. I told him not to wipe the rest of the boat because I was testing the bottom paint.
The boat was hauled in early October and there was still only a light slime coat, with no hard growth at all - it was never wiped. I’m impressed. It’s better than anything else I have used since they banned tin additives, and the picture below shows the condition at haul out. I’ll use Micron Extra SPC again. It’s expensive but can save time and money for diving.

 

[colemj]

What is going on near the top of the rudder?

What did you paint the saildrive with? Did it work well?

Mark

 

[Captain Larry-DH]

What is going on near the top of the rudder?

If you’re referring to the little beard of growth hanging - that is coming from a thru-hull that is about 8 or 10 inches diagonally closer to the camera than the rudder stock.

What did you paint the saildrive with? Did it work well?
Mark

The sail drive was painted with Trilux 33 and it had been cleaned by a diver 3-4 weeks prior along with the rudder and prop. The diver reported significant soft growth and scattered small barnacles on the saildrive. The Trilux worked well, comparable to my experience with Hydrocoat and other Micron Extra paint but not as well as MicronExtra SPC

 

[colemj]

If you’re referring to the little beard of growth hanging - that is coming from a thru-hull that is about 8 or 10 inches diagonally closer to the camera than the rudder stock.

Ah, my perspective was off. It looked like a cracked rudder or something.

The sail drive was painted with Trilux 33 and it had been cleaned by a diver 3-4 weeks prior along with the rudder and prop. The diver reported significant soft growth and scattered small barnacles on the saildrive. The Trilux worked well, comparable to my experience with Hydrocoat and other Micron Extra paint but not as well as MicronExtra SPC

Except you shouldn't use Hydrocoat, Micron Extra or SPC on the saildrive. Saildrives are difficult to antifoul with success, although they are small enough that cleaning often isn't too bad. We have Trilux on ours now. Used Vivid in the past and it was awful. Tried Pettit's Running Gear Guardian, and it was similarly poor.

Mark

 

[Captain Larry-DH]

Except you shouldn't use Hydrocoat, Micron Extra or SPC on the saildrive

yes, and that’s why I used Trilux

 

[Blitz]

I've seen the same sucess in Sandy Hook, NJ area at a slip with no diver. A little slime underneath is all I get, the key is obviously using the boat. Have been using Micron bottom paint products for most of the life of the boat.

 

[thinwater]

Really, one year is not a test for most multiyear paints. Many will do that with ease. In fact, I've seen multiyear paints actually do better in the second year than the first, as strange as that seems. Let's see how it looks going into year three. I've been disappointed with Micron because it gives up somewhat suddenly at 18-24 months, while some others continue strong for 3 years or more. Micron is certainly good for a year, but I don't haul out every fall.

The other thing is that fouling conditions can vary over 50% year-to-year. Temperature. Rainfall. Random biom factors that we don't know that cause blooms or not. You really need to test paints side-by-side.

----

Curiously, I've been testing paints on panels and boats, both before and after various additives were banned. I've even tested pre-ban paints side by side with reformulated paints. Any overall differences among the better paints don't seem to be supported by side-by-side testing. The best multiyear paints still go three years. That said, those that last the longest can grow a little more slime (not hard growth) if they are not sailed for months. They have to make the agents last longer.

Just depends on what you need. One year or several.

 

[Captain Larry-DH]

I haven’t had multi-year paints last more than 2 years before performance is significantly degraded. Regardless, they wear off unevenly and need maintenance. Touch-ups and added coats are the norm, and I expect that with any bottom paint during scheduled haul-outs.

 

[marcham]

Thanks for the report. In the PNW we have good luck with micron CSC. 2 coats last about 30 months. Your environment will significantly affect growth. I know my bottom with csc, hauled out after a year and never scrubbed, was much cleaner than that.... but we are probably in colder water and my boat moves at least once a month.

I'd try it but our bottom paint choices are very limited in canukland....