Haul Out & Antifoul Information

In a typical year Empire Marinas will service and antifoul hundreds of vessels ranging from runabouts to the larger sail and motor yachts. Our high level of repeat business gives us the ideal opportunity to undertake continual evaluation of our products and performance. Our experience has led us to the point where we feel we can offer the best possible advice to our customers.

• Quotation & Work Request
• Variations to Quote
• Towing
• Why antifoul annually?
• One coat or two?
• Hard or ablative antifoul
• Why should I have a 6 monthly stern drive inspection, service & antifoul?
• What is Propspeed?
• When should I Acid Wash?
• Polishing
• Do you rent work berths?

Quotation & Work Request

At Empire Marinas we take the hassle out of having your boat antifouled. We also understand you may have a budget for the maintenance of your boat and we will make every effort to accommodate you.

Once we have discussed exactly what you require, in most cases, we can offer fixed pricing - though it is impossible to give a finite quote, without knowing what additional work may need doing, until that boat is out of the water.

Our Work Request form formalises our initial discussion. We fax the form to you with our written quotation for the extent of works as requested by you. You then complete the Work Request with your contact details, vessel details, credit card info rmation and signature. Your booking is confirmed only when we receive the Work Request back from you by fax; we cannot commence any work without receiving the completed Work Request.

We encourage owners to come down to the Marina on the day of the haul out and we can inspect your boat together. Taking an active interest in the underwater section of your boat also provides you with an invaluable insight into the condition of your hull.

Variations to Quote

From time to time, unexpected issues may arise and need attention, which can only be identified when your boat is out of the water. Even with the best efforts of the owner and the Marina, situations can arise that require extra labour or materials.

In this event, you will be contacted and invited down to the Marina to discuss and decide for yourself the necessity of our recommendations. If you are unable to visit in person, an accurate quote can be provided over the telephone for your approval.

In no circumstance will we proceed with any repairs or upgrades outside the original quote, no matter how necessary, without your express consent.

Towing

Typically we require your boat for about 24 hours to haul out, clean and antifoul.

To assist those customers with busy schedules, who may not be able to take the time off to deliver and collect their boat, we offer a towing service from her berth and back again.

Fees do vary, but to keep costs low are heavily discounted from our usual hourly labour rates and are quoted on the Work Request for your approval.

Why antifoul annually?

Your boat is a significant investment. To protect your investment and provide reliable leisure time aboard, maintenance is key.

There are antifoul paints that, depending on vessel usage and local environmental factors, can give up to 2 years of satisfactory service, if you're prepared to pay the premium for the product. Notwithstanding, your boat still should be slipped at least every year to change her anodes, check propeller shaft bearings, rudder bearings and skin fittings.

On the running gear, we haven't found any antifoul paint that works sufficiently well for two years to match the rest of the hull. Invariably, the propeller & leading edges of the rudders will always require re-application as the antifoul wears off with the constant abrasion of the turbulent water caused by the propeller.

Our advice is to haul your boat annually and carry out these inspections; apply a full coat of hard antifoul all over, with a manufacturer specified DFT of 75 microns, and a 2 nd coat around the waterline, leading edges of the keel, rudder(s) and running gear. Year in year out, we find that this is the most cost effective programme for boat owners.

One coat or two?

What are the merits of applying two full coat of antifoul as against one?

Of course we will do whatever the customer asks, however our observations are that boats which receive two coats become just as fouled after 12 months as those which receive a single coat plus two coats at the waterline and along leading edges.

Antifoul by nature is very thick; it has various solids and resins that are designed to dissolve out of the paint during its life. This causes any remaining paint to be slightly "brittle" and weak in structure. Over years of antifoul build up, the old paint is prone to cracking or flaking and may simply fall off in patches. There comes a time when all old flaking antifoul needs to be removed, with an abrading process such as Soda Blasting which may be delayed by annual slipping and one good coat of professionally applied antifoul.

Hard or ablative antifoul?

Typically we recommend a hard antifouling over the ablative types. Both have their place and limitations, peculiar to each, but both really only offer the same 12 month service life. It's a personal preference.

Ablative antifoul is softer and self polishes as the boat moves through the water. It works well if the boat is used regularly i.e. at least weekly.

The boat needs to be moving through the water for the ablating action to work effectively. If the boat sits on her mooring or berth and is only used intermittently, the added expense of ablative antifouling is unwarranted.

The practice of having divers clean your boat in the water, (whilst actually illegal under the Environmental Protection Act), does keep the underwater surface clean, however the associated "clouding" in the water is an other source of pollution our waterways can do without.

Ablative antifouling will typically give a service life of 12 months, if the boat is used regularly. If the boat is not used regularly, we find the boat will be excessively fouled within 8-10 months.

Hard antifoul is a much better friend to the environment and we believe has equal performance to the ablative antifouls.

Hard antifouling can stand some scrubbing with a soft brush to remove the slime bacteria which precedes weed and mussel growth, without causing the toxins to be released into the water.

As boats tend to spend most of their life on their mooring or in their pen and not moving through the water, we believe hard antifouling, with its slower release of copper, keeps its "film thickness" for longer, and does a better job of delaying the onset of growth for boats that are perhaps only used once a month, or less.

Why should I have 6 monthly stern drive inspection, service & antifoul?

Stern Drive manufacturers recommend inspection and servicing at 6 month intervals, it may sound overkill, but we highly recommend that you adhere to the manufacturer's advice.

We often see families and friends arrive down to the Marina on the weekend all in good spirits, eskies full of ice, bags full of picnic items, ready for a day out on the water. It is amazing how often the owners who neglect their stern drive servicing have to abort the excursion because the leg overheats and fails, or propellers are fouled and the boat simply wont move, and suffer the embarrassment in front of family and friends when they are towed back to the Marina.

Owners who adhere to the recommended servicing schedule rarely if ever are let down by the engine and stern drive.

Stern Drives have several drawbacks:

They have many moving parts. The antifouling will always crack at these moving parts; growth will be prolific and spread to the leg as a whole quite quickly. The "bellows" is a flexible rubber boot which moves, sharp barnacles & mussels will grow on the bellows and if not cleaned regularly, these will actually cut the rubber when the stern drive is trimmed up or down, this will allow water into the gimbal bearing where it will rust and seize in very short order.

When the stern drive is in operation at planing speeds, the body of the unit is actually out of the water and can become quite warm, even at normal operating temperature. This heating of the stern drive and the rapid cooling when off the plane and immersed in the cooler sea water certainly affects the qualities and the effectiveness of the antifoul.

Stern Drives are predominantly made from aluminium. Aluminium is prone to galvanic action when constantly immersed in salt water. To all but eliminate this form of corrosion, the anodes on the leg should be inspected and replaced as required at 6 monthly intervals. Without correct anode protection may experience heavy and expensive corrosion of the leg itself, and the propellers.

Stern Drives should be left trimmed "up" when not in use to avoid barnacles growing on the trim rams, which should not be antifouled. When in the trimmed "up" position, however, the stern drive is on the warmer surface layer of water and is also exposed to direct sunlight which greatly accelerates marine growth.

The salt water cooling intakes are quite small, these become very quickly blocked with weed and shell growth leading to overheating. The shell and weed will also grow up inside the leg (not visible externally), these block the cooling circuit which also leads to overheating.

What is Propspeed?

Propspeed is a relatively new innovation specifically designed for application on propellers, rudders, shafts, skegs and trim tabs. Propspeed works because it is slick, not because it is toxic.

Application of Propspeed is a two step process using a 2-part etch primer followed by a silicone based top coat. Propspeed is an environmentally safe product and does not contain copper, tin or any other toxic substance which may cause environmental pollution.

Propspeed will increase vessel performance, increase fuel efficiency and will provide a full 12 months of service. Its limitations are only if the vessel has an electrolysis issue, or coated surfaces come into contact with any abrasives such as a diver cleaning your hull or a sand bank.

When should I get an Acid Wash?

The gel coat on a GRP boat over time will oxidize, stain and loose its gloss. An acid wash when she is on the slip or hardstand is a cheap and easy way to remove the oxidization, brighten the colour and remove stains. It will not restore any shine whatsoever, for that you will need to have the vessel machine polished (see Polishing below).

All boats time can get a brown "moustache" where the water pushed up from the bow wave is constantly washing past the hull. The acid wash process will remove this stain without scratching or causing any damage to the gelcoat. Your boat will look much cleaner and brighter.

Polishing

Machine polishing is highly recommended to protect your boat from the salt and sun by introducing a wax layer to the surface. Newer boats that are polished will retain their gloss much longer with regular polishing. They will stay looking new and help add value upon re-sale against a similar boat that has not been polished.

Older boats are more difficult to bring a shine to, though with an acid wash and a good machine buff, you will certainly notice the difference, even if you don't achieve the "as new" shine. For older boats it is a longer process and the machine buffing provides a good platform to build upon; the more you polish during your regular maintenance days, the better she will become.

Work Berth Rental

Work berths are available for rent and are charged on a per foot basis for a 24 hour period. Any works carried out must comply to the rules and regulations of Empire Marinas which pertain to noise, water and airbourne particle pollution.

For more info rmation on the scope of works or to book a work berth, please contact our Marina office.

Bobbin Head (02) 9457 9011