Questions on barnacles and water crud.

[Bumpus7]

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Just bought a used pontoon boat.
It has clean pontoons now as it was only being used in fresh water by the other owner.

I plan on using it 2-3 times a week, and leaving at the boat dock in blackish water 5-6 mounts out of the year.

Is there anything that can be put on the pontoons to slow down the collection of barnacles and crud.

Is there anything that can be used to help loosen and clean off the barnacles and crud once it is on there.

Will raising the motor ever time I dock help to prevent build up of barnacles and crud in motor.

Any suggestions.


Here is what they look like now.
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[tashasdaddy]

Re: Questions on barnacles and water crud.

the more you use it, the cleaner it will stay. possible bottom paint. you can go to shallow water and take brushes and brush the toons.

immediate, pressure washing, before it dries, when taking it out, makes for a much easier life.

 

[mthieme]

Re: Questions on barnacles and water crud.

Nice 'toon.
I'm going to assume you have to be new to boating or the Chesapeake otherwise you would already know this.
I'm further up the Bay above the Bay Bridge - dunno how bad the critters are down there...but - bottom paint. Don't buy the cheap stuff - it don't work. Use primer also.
Once they attach, they have to scraped off and then sanded. My brothers and I when young received new barnacles scrapers every spring! It was a seasonal ritual doing the bottoms. The kids that got summer jobs at local marinas - this was what they did. Step one in becoming a marine engineer! Barnacle scraping 101.
They will attach to the motor as well, so yes raise it.

 

[Bumpus7]

Re: Questions on barnacles and water crud.

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I'm on the Piankatank River about 13 miles up from the bay.
Sitting on what they call the dividing line for brackish water and Sea water, and I will be running in both.

Never boated on this kind of water but I have many friend who do and have watches how there boats get covered with barnacles sitting in the water for about 5 months before they take them out.

I'll check into the paint and won't be boating until March or April so I have time to work on it.

Appreciate the help and info.
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[tashasdaddy]

Re: Questions on barnacles and water crud.

you want the boat in the water soon after bottom painting, as air effects the chemicals in the paint.

 

[Mark42]

Re: Questions on barnacles and water crud.

I read an article about a guy who bought powdered copper and mixed it into his bottom paint. When he was done painting, the boat's bottom looked copper plated. Like a shiney new penny. He had no barnacles on the boat whatsoever, and I think that was the only application of bottom paint he had to do.

Bottom paints typically have powdered copper in them, as it is the main barnical fighting ingredient. Apparently, this is a case where more is better.

Do a search on "powdered metals" and see if its cost effective to add some to your bottom paint.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Questions on barnacles and water crud.

i believe it is considered a pollutant.

 

[Lou C]

Re: Questions on barnacles and water crud.

On an aluminum 'toon you CANNOT use copper bottom paint, you will get severe electrolysis and it will degrade the aluminum. You need to use special bottom paint for aluminum, either Interlux Trilux 33 or Pettit Alumacoat. Both are used with a primer that goes on first to isolate the alu from the bottom paint. DO NOT let anyone put a traditional copper based bottom paint on that boat.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Questions on barnacles and water crud.

Copper bearing antifouling paints must never be used on aluminum hulls or outboard brackets. Copper sets up a galvanic current when submerged in water with aluminum causing the aluminum to corrode rapidly.

http://www.boats.com/news-reviews/article/bottom-line-on-bottom-paint

 

[mphy98]

Re: Questions on barnacles and water crud.

there is a reason you don't see toon's in salt water. the aluminum just doesn't make it. i lived in tampa fl for 5 years on the hillsborough river, brackesh water, and i only saw steel hulls or fiberglass hulls. i think there was a reason

 

[mthieme]

Re: Questions on barnacles and water crud.

There was a time here on the Chesapeake that you simply didn't see 'toons. I'm seeing more and more of them every year. They are very practical and versitile all long as you stay in one of he rivers. Of course there has always been a ton of aluminum jon boats (et.al). Haven't seen one corroded yet. How long does it take?

 

[dan t.]

Re: Questions on barnacles and water crud.

look at the west coast commercial fishing fleet, at least 25% aluminum hull boats, they sit in the salt water all year . not sure what they use for antifouling paint but it must be good stuff. I use trilux II on my outdrive, seems to work ok