Please select your home edition
Edition
Lloyd Stevenson - Catalyst GT 1456x180px TOP

Altex specialises in the formulation, manufacture, and specification of marine coatings

by Abbie Clark 27 Dec 2021 07:46 UTC 27 December 2021
Altex Hydrocoat antifoul © Altex

Altex Coatings Ltd specialises in the formulation, manufacture, and specification of high performance marine protective coatings throughout Australasia and the South Pacific. Professional and knowledgeable service, enduring customer relationships, providing world-class products backed by world-class technology for hard wearing marine environments we have the coating system for your asset.

This summer we are giving one lucky boat owner the chance to win back the value of their antifoul! To help you this summer we have some top tips!

For new anti-fouling to adhere to old anti-fouling - and work - there is one major prerequisite, COMPATIBILITY.

To be compatible for recoating, the surface must be known to meet the following criteria:

  • 1. Be Clean - free of all slime, shell, and other foreign matter (including sanding dust, if applicable).
  • 2. Be Sound - no cracking, spalling, laminating or “over-thickness” areas.
  • 3. Be Chemically Compatible - there should be no adverse reaction between new and old coatings, either at the time of application or whilst in service.

Items 1 and 2 above are within the control of the boat owner/applicator/contractor. Item 3 – please consult with the FREE AY&B Technical Services Dept or via our website if you cannot determine what has previously been used, then it is advisable to either full seal it off with PrimaShield Antifouling Sealer or fully remove.

  • Be Clean: Excellent results will be achieved by employing one of the two cleaning processes below:

  • Either: waterblast immediately after slipping with 5,000 psi to remove ALL growth, slime and hydrolysed (spent) antifouling
  • Or: waterblast immediately after slipping with 2 -3,000 psi to remove MOST growth, slime and hydrolysed (spent) antifouling AND then thoroughly wet sand all surfaces with 80 grit, and plenty of fresh water to remove the last residues of slime, salts, shell growth and hydrolysed antifouling.

The surface, once dry, will be free of any antifouling dust – wipe the surface with your hand, if your hand comes away clean, then the surface is generally well prepared.

Be Sound: A sound surface is one free of cracks, lumps, spalls etc. that requires no further preparation before recoating. Beware of excess season to season build-up of anti-fouling as this can lead to cracking and spalling, even though the surface appears sound. As a rule-of-thumb, it is advisable to strip back every three or four slippings to prevent build-up of old coatings.

Cracking often does not show up for several days after slipping, even though it can occur within hours. Cracking is induced by several factors such as excessive thickness of the total installed anti-fouling, excessive thickness of any one application, less than perfect adhesion of the anti-fouling system to the substrate and/or contamination between coats of anti-fouling.

This tendency to crack is a dynamic situation which once started will continue to its final undesirable conclusion. Such dynamic failures often show up as a total cracking and spalling of the entire anti-fouling the first slipping after a previous “perfect” slipping, cleaning and recoat. Hence the need for attention to detail and the recommendation to strip the anti-fouling system from time to time to prevent build-up.

Altex No.5 and Sea~Zone 60 Antifouling may be applied over most properly prepared antifouling’s, but with notable exceptions. All acrylic tin copolymer antifouling’s should ideally be stripped, however it is possible to prevent tin-leaching and stabilise the surface for re-coating by applying two roller coats of AY&B PrimaShield Antifouling Sealer. “Singapore” and soluble matrix types will need to be thoroughly sanded to remove spent matrix skeleton and may also require sealing with AY&B PrimaShield Antifouling Sealer.

Pettit Vivid Antifouling can be applied over most properly prepared aluminium safe antifouling’s using the surface preparation outlined above.

Sea~Zone 60 may be applied over most properly prepared cuprous oxide based antifouling’s using the surface preparation outlined above, however, we recommend that greater attention to detail be employed to ensure a very stable substrate prior to overcoating.

When in doubt, strip the existing anti-fouling back to the bare hull or sound primer barrier system and treat as for new work.

A variety of cleaners and primers are available from your Altex Yacht & Boat Paint Distributor, as well as the AY&B Antifouling brochure which lists the products available, the coating system to use.

Please note that No.5 / HydroCoat / Sea~Zone 60 Antifouling’s are not suitable for use on aluminium alloy surfaces. Please refer to Vivid Aluminium Safe Antifouling.

We recommend to refer to individual datasheets (available on our web site) for specific application, as no two antifouling are the same. Our Technical team can assist your product selection and let you know your closest reseller. Available form all leading chandleries, marinas and retailers across Australia.

Don’t forget to check out the summer promo! altexboatpaint.com

Related Articles

North launches new Wingfoil Race Collection
Pinch even higher and reach even deeper at pace Pinch even higher and reach even deeper at pace. Engineered with a VMG-optimised partial double skin for improved aerodynamic efficiency, lower drag and precise manoeuvres at higher speeds. Posted today at 10:35 am
The team behind Ibiza JoySail Superyacht Regatta
It has become an outstanding season finale in the Mediterranean Ibiza JoySail has become an outstanding season finale in the Mediterranean thanks to the loyalty of its participants, the dedication of its team, and the support of specialised partners and collaborators. Posted today at 10:34 am
Europe Masters & Youth Europeans Days 2 & 3
Hayling Bay didn't fail to deliver on Thursday and Friday The forecast for both Thursday & Friday looked perfect - 10-12 knots from the SW with the likelihood of a sea breeze and Hayling Bay didn't fail to deliver. Posted today at 10:32 am
AEGEAN 600 Attica Warm-Up Race
5th edition sets sail with strong winds and signature Greek hospitality Under perfect sunny skies and brisk northerly winds, the 5th edition of the annual AEGEAN 600 kicked off with a flawless start both on and off the water. Posted on 4 Jul
GKSS Match Cup Sweden & Nordea Women's Trophy D5
Stage set for Finals showdown in Marstrand With just one day to go at the 2025 GKSS Match Cup Sweden and Nordea Women's Trophy, the stage is set for a thrilling finale in both the Open and Women's classes. Posted on 4 Jul
Sam Goodchild in the Course des Caps
The final phase is full of potential pitfalls Sam Goodchild, the British skipper of MACIF Santé Prévoyance who has been dominating the IMOCA round Britain and Ireland race since the start of the third day, says the goal now is to focus on the complex finishing section. Posted on 4 Jul
29er Europeans at Lake Garda day 2
Light breeze, boat park buzz and big wins off the water >Day 2 brought lighter winds to Lake Garda, but the energy around the event stayed sky-high. Posted on 4 Jul
Melges 24 European Series in Monfalcone day 1
Nefeli sets the pace after three races The seventh leg of the 2025 Melges 24 European Sailing Series, hosted by Yacht Club Monfalcone, kicked off in promising conditions with a steady 10-knot breeze from 220 degrees. Posted on 4 Jul
Rolex TP52 Worlds in Cascais day 3
French tour de force gives Paprec world championship lead As the Rolex TP52 World Championship passed its midway point today in Cascais, Portugal it is the French underdogs on Paprec, led by ocean racing legend Loïck Peyron, which has taken the overall lead. Posted on 4 Jul
Rolex Fastnet Race IRC One preview
Beyond the French legends there is plenty of international talent with podium potential With 17 editions of the Rolex Fastnet Race to his name, including five class victories along the way and an outright victory in 2015, could anyone bet against Géry Trentesaux doing it again? Posted on 4 Jul
Rooster 2025Sea Sure 2025Hyde Sails 2024 - One Design