If you want to ensure that your vessel is seaworthy, you must maintain it in its top shape. One of the regular things you can do to keep your vessel seaworthy is apply the right antifouling paint on the hull of your vessel. This is because fouling, the growth of marine life on your vessel’s hull, takes hold on your craft’s underside, especially if you do not care for your boat. For this reason, you must apply antifouling paint on your vessel to keep your boat seaworthy. If you are a new boater, you may not understand the importance of applying antifouling paint on your boat and how to select the right antifouling paint for your vessel.
Why is Antifouling Your Vessel Important?
In case you are wondering how applying antifouling paint can be important for your vessel, it is because of the following reasons;
- Antifouling kills marine life and organisms
Antifouling paint contains biocides responsible for killing off any plant life and organisms that latch on the hull of your vessel. Therefore, applying the antifouling paint on your boat ensures that the marine life and plants are killed before they get close enough to your boat, preventing them from attaching themselves to your vessel.
- Provides additional protection to your structure
Most organisms that latch themselves on the hull of your vessel can cause serious damage to your vessel’s structure. For instance, mussels and barnacles usually cut through the paint using their sharp shells, causing damage to the fibreglass or wood beneath the paint. This causes your vessel to have fissures or cracks, which can worsen with time, and repairing these damages can be expensive. You should consider applying antifouling paint to avoid this since it will protect the vessel’s structure.
- Reduced drag
When organisms latch themselves on your vessel, you will experience increased drag and resistance when you are on the water since these organisms and plant life will increase the surface area of your vessel. For this reason, it will be challenging for your boat to move fast when you are in the water. To reduce the drag and resistance you experience in the water, you should consider applying antifouling paint to prevent the organisms and plants from latching themselves on the hull of your vessel.
Which is the Right Antifouling Paint to Use on Your Vessel?
When you apply antifouling paint on our vessel, you should ensure that you use the right paint. If you have never chosen antifouling paints, you may not know where to start. However, when you know the factors to consider, you will be able to make the right selection of the right antifouling paint to use on your vessel. Some of the factors to consider when selecting antifouling paint include;
- Your vessel type
The type of your vessel is among the important things that help you decide on the type of suitable antifouling paint. This is because different vessels have varying speeds and hull materials. Therefore, consider the type of hull materials and your vessel’s speed before deciding on the antifouling paint you will be using.
- Type of waters you navigate
The type of water you will be navigating should also guide you in the antifouling paint to apply on your vessel. Make sure you know if you have suitable antifouling paint for salt and freshwater. This way, you will be able to know the kind of paint you will be using depending on whether you navigate in fresh or saltwater bodies.
- Boating habits
The number of times and the time you spend on water will help you select the right antifouling paints. This is because such boating habits will determine the antifouling paints you should use.
Antifouling is something that you should do on your own. Get the best care for your expensive seacraft. Choose antifouling experts that care about your vessel.