Antifoul Green Blue Style 

Right, it’s getting to that time the year when you the thought of getting your boat back out onto the water has moved from being a distant dream to a real possibility. Yes, it’s time to come out of hibernation.

So you head down to take a quick look at your pride and joy as she sits rather forlornly laid up in a yard. It is at this point it hits you that there is a whole world of misery to deal with before she will be back out on the water heading into the wild blue yonder. You need to get your boat back in working order.

Perhaps the most horrifying task of all is antifouling: the art of lying under your boat, preferably in a puddle, daubing poison on the hull and inadvertently applying a liberal coat to your own face. It’s no-one’s idea of fun.

To make matters even worse, antifouling paints are not very good for the environment and bearing in mind that half the reason we go to sea is to be at one with nature, this is a slightly chastening fact.

A Few Pointers  

So what can you do about it? Well no-one is saying that you should just let the weeds run amok  but The Green Blue, an RYA and BMF environment initiative, is always looking at ways of minimising the damage.

The Green Blue Project Manager Sarah Black explained: “None of us want to harm the environment, but we understand the antifouling is a necessary evil.

“One thing that is clear, however, is that there is a great concentration of antifouling residues around marinas and boatyards.

“When you bear in mind that these are often located in river estuaries, rich habitats for wildlife, then you have a potential problem.

	“Tips to minimise your environmental damage.”
1.	Topside paints, antifouling, varnish, used brushes, rollers, trays and solvents are all hazardous waste and should therefore be disposed of accordingly.
2.	The key is to prevent antifouling from unnecessarily entering the water. Skirt the hull when scrubbing down or painting the hull and use a tarpaulin to catch the flakes and drips. Don’t leave a coloured patch under your hull!
3.	If washing off on a slipway, use a device such as a loop of rope to catch any paint particulates and then sweep up and dispose of as hazardous waste.
4.	Look into alternative hull paints such as hard vinyl, silicone or Teflon , which are suitable for in water hull cleaning systems.
5.	Dust from sanding paint and antifouling coatings is toxic. Using a dustless vacuum sander will also protect your health.
6.	If you use scrubbing piles, only scrub off the fouling and not the residue paint- be careful not to let the old or new paint enter the water.
7.	Select a marina, club or boatyard which has a closed loop scrub down facility which collects residues from wash down.
8.	Select the right type of antifouling for your craft and boat usage- take advice from your chandlery. Use water based paints where possible or low Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) paints.
9.	Apply the right amount of antifouling required and do not spill it- when applying, use a sheet to collect drips.

“These are just a few brief pointers to try and make sure you work along the right lines. We are very excited about the development of new silicon paints, some of which are just about to come on to the market so watch this space!”

For further information, check the links at the top of the page, or go to www.thegreenblue.org.uk