Gael Force Antifouling  £49.00

Important points to remember before you apply our Antifouling:

• Preparation is everything. If the substrate isn’t smooth and sound, you can’t blame the antifoul paint you put on top of it! The surface should be stable, firm, dry and free of dust, sand, loose old paint, dirt, grease, oil and salt.
• Antifouling changes colour after immersion, generally turning a little lighter after a couple of weeks due to oxidation. This also shows the paint is working.
• Do not use copper-based antifouling paint on aluminium outdrives or zinc anodes.
• Iron keels should be ground and brushed until bright, any rust treated with a rust converter and then coated with our Multi-Purpose Metallic Primer before antifouling.
• This antifouling is compatible with most other conventional antifouling but if in doubt, a barrier coat of our Multi-Purpose Metallic Primer should be applied first. 

​Applying antifouling paint:

1. Wear protective clothing and work in an open environment. Overalls, gloves, a hat, and protective eyewear are essential and a mask is advisable too. Tip: Tape up the sleeve cuffs of your overalls with some masking tape to stop paint running up your sleeve when applying overhead.
2. Stir the Antifoul well before use. Antifouling paint contains copper which is very heavy and easily settles. Use a flat-blade stirring knife or similar (an old screwdriver won’t do!) and when you think you have stirred it enough, stir it again! Keep stirring it before pouring some out into your roller tray.
   • Tip: Keep the cans indoors before using them as it makes them easier to use and store the cans upside down so you start with the copper at the top.
3. Apply by roller, brush, or spray. Although sprayable, the most common methods used are brush and roller. Use a short mohair or sponge roller suitable for gloss paint (emulsion rollers will disintegrate very quickly). Smaller radiator-size rollers are easier to use with such viscous paint but may take a little longer. Use a brush to reach all the parts inaccessible to the roller.
   • Tip: Put your tray inside a polythene shopping bag before use so the tray stays clean.
4. Apply a minimum of 2 coats with extra around the waterline, leading and trailing edges and anywhere else where turbulence may occur.
5. Ensure the anitfoul paint has enough time to cure properly before immersion to ensure adhesion. It won’t dry underwater! Applying antifouling in warm windy conditions will accelerate drying but may lead to an ‘orange peel’ effect finish. Generally, this antifouling does not need extra thinning but up to 10% can be added to assist applications in quick-drying conditions. Allow 4 to 16 hours between coats dependent on temperature.

How much do I need?

Why is it recommended to apply 2 coats?

• In order to gain the best performance from your antifouling, our manufacturer recommends two coats.
• This is because however well you prepare the bottom of your boat, the difference in height between the high and low points of the substrate surface is invariably going to be greater than a single film of antifouling. That means the first coat dries to leave the 'valleys' coated but the 'peaks' still sticking out of the paint. Within a short space of time, algae will adhere to the peaks, followed by weed and later animal growth, by which time it's grown a bridge across the valleys and the system has failed.
• By applying 2 (or more) coats, the substrate is completely covered thereby producing a homologous surface that does not allow any fouling to attach itself. Remember that for the paint to dry, it will have to lose its solvent carrier and thereby shrink back somewhat so don't get caught out by that after applying your first coat.
• As with all antifouling paint, the amount of active ingredient applied to the hull is the important attribute. Thinning it down or buying 'extra value' cans with so much 'free' may give you more paint but isn't necessarily applying more antifouling. This antifouling is supplied in 2.5-litre cans and contains some of the highest concentrations of active ingredients in their class. 

* The coverage has been calculated for the stated volume solids and dry film thickness. A practical spreading rate will depend on the actual dry film thickness, the nature of the substrate, and the relevant consumption factor. The physical constants are subject to normal manufacturing tolerances.