Advice for slipping

[David Murn]

Hi all,

I am having my C28 slipped this weekend for the first time since I've owned it  She was last slipped 7 years ago.

The primary jobs on my list are a good pressure wash, anti-foul, anodes and a hull inspection for insurance.

I am also considering replacing my skin fittings while out as well.

This is only a quick haul out, as I'm planning a more extended one at the end of the year.

I have considered only applying a single coat of Antifoul now, with a second coat at the next haul out. Thoughts?

Are there any not-so-obvious jobs I should attend to?

David

C28 Selma

[Maeling]

David, Welcome aboard.  May I ask where you are slipping?

Anodes - yes - (where are they?) Aggressively work over the anode with a spike and guess "Will it last until the next slipping?"  Are you doing it yourself - will the slip let you do your own work? 

On my C29 I use a teardrop anode (I once had a shaft anode as well as a teardrop - took a while to realise the two anodes were fighting each other, Just 1 is better

Use the prop and push it sideways and up and down to see if the bearing is sloppy or firm? Dig around and scrape the prop looking for corrosion/electrolysis.

The below was sent to me by an owner some years ago

 Most paints including antifouling can be softened with Caustic Soda.
Preparation
I used a concentration of 250-300 g per litre of water. About 3 heaped table spoons. The caustic soda must be added to cold water as it is exothermic reaction and the water will get quite hot. After the water has cooled somewhat then add a small amount of wall paper glue powder and stir well. In about 5 - 10 minutes the liquid will turn into a gel.

Method: Apply the gel with a paint brush to about 0.5 x 0.5 m section and wait about 20 minutes for the paint to soften. At this time about 1 to 2 mm of paint can be scraped off. I use a scraper with a hard metallic blade that is designed to be pulled. The caustic soda will not harm the gel coat or fiber glass. When a section is cleaned of antifouling it should be rinsed with water to remove any remaining caustic soda. The caustic soda is only active when it is in solution (ionized). So in hot weather is is necessary to spray the applied area with water to keep it wet. I have also read that the applied area can be covered with plastic strips to stop it from drying out, but I have not tried this myself. The area above the waterline should be protected with masking tape especially if it has been painted.

Safety Aspects: This concentration of caustic soda is definitely corrosive. It ill burn your skin if left for more than a few minutes but not immediately on contact. It is dangerous for eyes so good eye protection is mandatory. I use chemically inert gloves old clothes and discard-able cover overalls and plastic boots. The caustic soda solution does not smell and gives off no gases. Face protection is advised but not mandatory as the scrapings do not need to come in contact with your face.

Results: I took me 5 days to scrape the hull of my C29 clean of 4 to 5 mm of antifouling. I needed to apply the gel 3 to 4 times in the one area.  

Let me know how you go and I'll update the note

Geoff