Paint the trim tabs ?

[bridma]

In one of the photo albums I saw the owner has anti-foul painted the trim tabs. I have never seen or heard of this before. Anyone have an opinion ?

Martin.

[potter water]

From my ocean marina days, the gunk grows on anything submerged. I'd bottom paint the tabs if I had my boat in seawater.

[ddenver]

Not sure if its standard procedure or not but they painted our trim tabs when we had the bottom paint applied. It seems to have helped, pulled it out earlier this month after being in the marina for 5 months (the longest we have ever left it in) and pretty darn clean.

Gotta figure out how to deal w/ the remaining little white barnacle rings left on the sonar transducer though as I mentioned in another thread. Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Dan, Tanya, and Hannah on C-Renity

[ghone]

Tabs being aluminum, need priming and surface prep for bottom paint for aluminum. In Canada we use Interlux Trilux II. I generally keep tabs and rams coated with wax. Collinite paste same as on hull. To do the tabs in paint is quite pricey to do it well. Clean, etch, prime, paint etc. Transducers can be waxed with good results. Just wipe them regularly. I avoid that by bonding the t'ducer inside up forward. George

[thataway]

[rogerar]

After 4 years of failed coatings- I found one that works in here in Florida.

Apply Pettit 6455 primer (West Marine carries it) to your shiny, clean stainless steel tabs

Apply Pettit 6627 "Tie Coat" (like a liquid rubber stuff) to bond the primer to the bottom paint

Apply your bottom paint (I used Pettit Vivid white) to the tie coat.

Don't forget you need zincs on your tabs.

Roger

[ghone]

My error Bob. You're correct. I wanted to say treat tabs much like you would aluminum. Cleaning and etching for epoxy primers then paint. Bennet web site has a good FAQ section. Keeping zincs in contact with bare tabs for protection is important. I tried something this season where I used Aquaguard. A new water based anti fouling on the tabs and did the zincs ever get eaten up fast. Something went on that had the zincs going to paste in 6 weeks. I pulled the boat and sanded all that paint off and applied wax. For spring we'll be refreshing the bottom paint and using Micron CSC on bottom and tabs. I found in summer the tabs want scrubbing every month or so if waxed.

[thataway]

Good points--and using a "system" (even though each paint manufacture has similar coatings), is the best way to go, with special surfaces. Running gear of any sort is always a problem--especially high speed props, as found in inboard power boats is always a problem. I suspect I have tried a dozen or more systems--from baby diaper rash products to several two part applications on running gear...Some of the new stuff works, and some doesn't as George found out--no way of knowing until you try it...

[JamesTXSD]

Another vote for painting the trim tabs. We use Micron CSC Extra - stays effective even when on the trailer and dunked back in.

Since those trim tabs stand out from the hull, they get some sun that contributes to the slime growth. The ablative paint makes it easy to wipe/scrub that slime off.

Best wishes,
Jim B.

[PeterQ]

Mine are painted with Petit Multiseason ablative just like the rest of the bottom and they clean up easily with a hose and brush..

[Alexander]

Anybody ever tried the spray on zinc coating (cold galvanizing) that some of the big boat guys are using on their running gear these days? I've never used it but some of my trawler friends swear by it for growth prevention.

[PvL]

Is there anything new on the anti-fouling trim tabs front? In the past I have attempted to sand, prime and apply Micron CSC. This system kept the fouling at bay but washed off when I did my winter clean up. Since then, I have applied baby zinc which helps but I still get some growth. We keep our boat in the water from April to October.

In an earlier post Alexander inquired about spray on zinc coating ... Tue Oct 08, 2013 1:19 pm

[thataway]

I reviewed the subject on Trawler Forum over the last 15 years threads. Propspeed is the most preferred product. It must be put on exactly as per directions and is not cheap. It helps, but if in high fouling waters, such as the keys in Fl. there still can be some growth.

There is Pettit Prop Coat Barnacle Barrier, both spray cans and brush on. Pettit also makes a zinc spray prop coat. This does not seem to be as effective as Propspeed.

The Zinc spray (can be cheap zinc coatings, as well as specifically for running gear,) seems to help some in the cooler waters such as PNW. Rustoleum has a product which is 93% elemental zinc and is less than $10 a spray can at big box hardware stores.

I have been happy with two part epoxy and then hard antifouling over it for the trim tabs. I have also used it on slow turning large props as on my "motorsailers).

[PvL]

Thanks Dr. Bob. As always, your practical nautical expertise shines through.

I am going to try to locate some of the Pettit Prop Coat Barnacle Barrier, and use it this season. If not, I will try some low-cost high zinc hardware paint.

Will there be problems if I use the zinc paint on my transducer and outboard clamping brackets?

Thanks, PvL

[Karl Konecny]

Last year I used Pettit Prop Coat Barnacle Barrier and it worked well although has already worn through in some areas of the trim tabs so I will add another coat this year. Which Collinite wax did you use on the transducer? Does it prevent barnacles and green growth?