A Copper Coat update
Storm Petrel was relieved to be lifted out on Tuesday the 26th November after a long happy season with her new copper bottom. Fresh back in to dock after a successful Frostbite Rally the lifting operation was completed successfully.
Minimal growth, akin more to a slime, has developed on the hull, keel and rudder. A thicker outcrop of weed has developed on the sail drive collar and around the rudder post where the copper coating could not be applied. The propeller itself has picked up its usual barnacles and some staining.
With the pressure washing completed, the hull is beautifully clean and a light rub down with fine wet and dry will revive the coating ready for re-launch.
There is no doubt that the performance of the boat through the water has been enhanced, weed growth has been minimised and anti fouling is very much a thing of the past for us.
Our overview after one season is that the job was a success. Our advice would be to have the work professionally done to be sure of getting it right. If you are going to do it yourself make sure that you thoroughly prepare the surfaces before application, which at the very least, means sand or slurry blasting the hull. Poor application will inevitably lead to failure.
If anyone would like more detail please feel free to contact us and we can provide you with any information you may need together with the costs we have incurred.
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