Student needs help

[gary porter]

Hello everyone, I recieved the email below from a
grad student here at the University of Alaska.
All of my boats are trailered but one and its
sitting dry in the yard, I don't have alot to offer.
On my trailered boat I use graphite mixed with epoxy
and no one I know of yet has left one in the water
long enough to say if it protects against growth or
worms etc. It is very easy to clean. I guess the big
question here is there a difference and how much
from the northern waters compared to more tropical
waters.. I know you folks know so thanks ahead
and thanks for helping this student.
Gary smile.gif

"Dear guys,

I do have a few questions for you experts in fishing boat. Frank recommended
you to me. I read some research literatures in antifouling paint. I wonder if
you met the problem about marine organism fouling on your boats. If yes, what
kind of organism attached, whether you apply some coating(antifouling paint)
to prevent these things from clinging or not. Do you think the fouling in
Arctic Ocean is slight than that of in the sea close Florida? Your information
is very valuable for my research and I would like to thank for your great
support first."

Regards,
Helen

[ 08-30-2002, 01:12 PM: Message edited by: gary porter ]

[Bob Cleek]

The colder the water, the less crud grows on the bottom. Simple as that. In the arctic, I'd guess close to none. In the tropics... hey' its paradise for the creepy crawlers and as for flora, hey, it's the rain forest down there!

[Donn]

It isn't quite that simple, Bob. Check out boats for sale in Alaska, and see how many you find that specify bottom paint in the description.

Ever see a fresh Snow Crab, or King Crab? They've got lots of marine growth on them, and they live in the coldest liquid water there is.

It may be true that there is more marine growth on hulls in the tropics, I'm not sure, but that doesn't mean there isn't any in Arctic waters.

[PugetSound]

The graphite additive in the epoxy on your hull may well do the same thing as Teflon additives; that is that the green stuff will attach but will come off as soon as you get underway. There is one big difference between Teflon and graphite, however, that is particularly important if you plan to leave the boat in the water - corrosion. Graphite (carbon) is right at the very top of the Galvanic Potential chart; that is graphite is very very very noble and (if the epoxy is permeable enough) may well cause some serious corrosion problems for less noble metal nearby.

[gary porter]

Thanks Bob, Donn, and PugetSoound. Somehow I thought there might be more info on this subject but oh well, I'll pass it along, thanks again
gary