Coppercoat in low fouling area

[PaulDaniel]

I know many posts have been made about coppercoat. I am seeking feedback specifically from anyone who has used Coppercoat in a low fouling area. My boat has been sitting in the lake (central Texas) with only a thin 30 year old barrier coat for a year. It only has soft growth on it. Supposedly there have been zebra mussels reported here but if that’s true then there are not a lot of them because my boat only has soft growth on it. I’m a lazy sailor in a low fouling area and I REALLY don't want to repaint every 1-2 years.


Here are my specific questions:
- Does anyone have an idea of what the maintenance protocol would be for coppercoat in my area? I assume the maintenance would be scrubbing with a pole scrubber every one or two months (could be done at the dock).
- Will the coppercoat inhibit soft growth to a certain extent? I know it won’t be as effective as a traditional antifoul but that is okay with me.
- I’m already aware that many people have negative experience with coppercoat due to poor application. I’m also aware that the protection comes more so from the cuprous oxide rather than from the copper itself, and that the surface needs to be properly burnished and given time to oxidize (coppercoat becomes more effective after 3-6 months).

Thank you!

 

[colemj]

We have had coppercoat. It does not inhibit soft growth at all. It isn't very effective at hard growth in high fouling warm waters, but probably is effective at that in lower fouling cold waters.

Even though it does not inhibit soft growth, it is a hard robust coating that is relatively unaffected by scrubbing. So routine scrubbing can be done, and you can use an aggressive brush.

Mark

 

[jssailem]

The website states that CopperCoat is not maintenance-free.

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coppercoatusa.com

You might best be advised by sailboat owners in your sailing area.
In the PacificNW, Pettit Trinidad 75 provides me with 3-5 years between hull painting jobs. It, too, is not maintenance-free.

 

[PaulDaniel]

Mark, thanks for your input. What area are you in? You experience seems to indicate that I would be just as well using a barrier coat with no antifoul as I would with copper coat (there is no hard growth in my area). Are you sure that it does not inhibit soft growth at all?

Jssailem, thanks for your input. I know it is not maintenance free. The lake that I’m on is small and doesn’t have any serious sailors who take care of their boats. If there is anyone in central Texas reading this who has used coppercoat in freshwater, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Thanks for the tip on the Petitt Trinidad 75. 3-5 years sounds much better to me than 1-2.

 

[colemj]

Mark, thanks for your input. What area are you in? You experience seems to indicate that I would be just as well using a barrier coat with no antifoul as I would with copper coat (there is no hard growth in my area). Are you sure that it does not inhibit soft growth at all?

I'm sure. Copper (cuprous oxide) has little effect on soft growth for any antifouling paint/treatment. That is why many of the predominantly copper-containing paints also contain another compound like Irgarol or zinc pyrithione for soft growth.

If all you get is soft growth, then I'd try either a very slippery antifouling like VC17, or look for an antifouling paint with the highest concentrations of zinc pyrithione.

We are currently in Panama, but spend all of our time in very warm tropical waters.

Mark