Boat Antifouling Services

We specialize in professional antifouling treatments that keep your boat performing at its best while in the water. Antifouling is essential for any vessel that spends significant time submerged, as it prevents the buildup of marine organisms that can reduce performance and compromise durability.

Professional Antifouling Services for Yachts

Antifouling is one of the most critical aspects of yacht maintenance, directly influencing performance, fuel efficiency, and long-term hull integrity. The accumulation of marine growth such as barnacles, algae, and mussels increases drag, raises fuel consumption, and accelerates corrosion. Our antifouling services for yachts are designed to prevent biofouling effectively, ensuring smooth hydrodynamic performance, extended service life of underwater metals, and compliance with environmental regulations.

Why Choose Our Antifouling Services?

Expert Preparation and Application: The effectiveness of an antifoul system is determined largely by preparation. Our technicians are trained in surface preparation techniques ranging from high-pressure water jetting to full shot blasting, ensuring the substrate is free of contaminants, old paint layers, and salts before application. This provides an optimal surface profile for maximum adhesion of new coatings.

Comprehensive Solutions: We offer tailored antifouling packages including full scrape-offs, barrier coat installation, new antifoul applications, and remedial works for adhesion failures or flaking coatings. Whether you require a hard matrix antifoul for racing yachts, a self-polishing copolymer for cruising vessels, or advanced biocide-free silicone/fluoropolymer systems, we have the expertise to recommend and apply the correct solution.

Environmentally Responsible Options: In response to evolving IMO and EU environmental guidelines, we provide eco-friendly antifouling alternatives. These include non-toxic foul-release coatings that rely on hydrophobic surfaces rather than biocides, reducing ecological impact while maintaining hull performance.

Our Antifouling Process

Assessment: Every antifoul job begins with a detailed hull inspection. We evaluate substrate condition, previous coating history, and specific sailing environments (freshwater, brackish, or saltwater) to design the ideal coating system for your yacht.

Surface Preparation: Correct preparation is essential to long-term performance. We carry out cleaning, sanding, grit blasting, or soda blasting to remove old coatings and establish the proper surface profile. Any osmosis blisters or gelcoat defects discovered during this stage are repaired prior to coating.

Barrier Coating (Optional): For hulls being stripped back to bare GRP, steel, or aluminum, we apply epoxy-based barrier coats to prevent water ingress and corrosion, forming a solid foundation for the antifoul system.

Application: Antifoul coatings are applied by airless spraying or precision rolling to achieve uniform thickness and coverage. We follow manufacturer-recommended film thickness and drying times, ensuring optimal leach rate and fouling protection throughout the season.

Quality Check and Cleanup: After curing, film thickness is verified with calibrated gauges, and the coating is inspected for defects such as pinholes or uneven coverage. Finally, the work area is cleaned thoroughly, and the vessel is prepared for relaunch.

Propeller and Underwater Metal Protection

Propellers, shafts, struts, and underwater metal fittings are particularly vulnerable to both marine growth and galvanic corrosion. Standard antifouling paints are often ineffective on fast-spinning or highly polished surfaces. To address this, we employ specialized coating systems and cathodic protection tailored to your yacht’s needs:

PropSpeed Coatings: A proven silicone-based foul-release system that prevents barnacle and weed adhesion to propellers, shafts, and stern gear. Its hydrophobic surface ensures that growth is unable to bond, maintaining propeller efficiency and reducing fuel consumption.
Shaft & Strut Treatments: Application of etching primers and high-adhesion epoxy base coats followed by foul-release topcoats to ensure long-lasting performance on complex underwater geometries.
Through-Hull & Metal Fittings: Bronze seacocks, stainless rudder stocks, and trim tabs receive tailored protective coatings or polishing treatments to mitigate corrosion and marine fouling.
Anode Integration: We select and install sacrificial anodes (zinc, aluminum, or magnesium depending on water type) to protect shafts, props, and metal fittings. Correct sizing, positioning, and bonding are critical to achieving effective galvanic protection.
Composite Alternatives: For owners seeking environmentally friendly solutions, we provide advanced ceramic and fluoropolymer coatings as alternatives to traditional systems.

By combining specialized coatings with optimized anode systems, we ensure your underwater metals remain free of fouling, resist corrosion, and perform at maximum efficiency. This not only extends service life but also contributes to smoother handling, reduced vibration, and lower operating costs.

Environmental Compliance & Waste Management

Proper handling of antifouling waste is a legal requirement in most marinas and shipyards, as well as a crucial aspect of environmental protection. Old antifoul layers often contain toxic biocides such as copper or organotin compounds, which can cause long-term damage to marine ecosystems if released unchecked. Our workshop operates under strict compliance procedures to guarantee both safety and sustainability:

Controlled Removal: During scraping, sanding, or blasting, all residues are collected using vacuum-assisted equipment and dust-extraction systems to prevent contamination of the yard surface or waterline.
Hazardous Waste Segregation: Paint chips, slurry, and blasting media are classified as hazardous waste and stored in certified containers for regulated disposal through licensed waste contractors.
Water Filtration: When using high-pressure water blasting, contaminated water is filtered through sediment and carbon systems before disposal to eliminate heavy metals and paint particles.
Documentation & Traceability: Every antifoul removal project is documented, with full waste tracking records to satisfy marina operators, port authorities, and environmental regulators.
Eco-Friendly Alternatives: We actively advise yacht owners on transitioning to modern biocide-free or low-copper antifoul systems, further reducing long-term environmental impact.

By integrating professional waste management into every antifouling project, we ensure compliance with IMO, EU, and local harbor authority regulations. This not only protects the marine environment but also provides peace of mind for yacht owners who want their vessel maintained to the highest technical and ecological standards.

Additional Services

Keel Treatments: Sandblasting and epoxy coating for steel or cast iron keels to prevent corrosion before antifouling.
Tailored Schedules: We offer service intervals and seasonal packages based on usage patterns, sailing grounds, and storage methods.

With our expert antifouling and underwater metal protection services, combined with responsible environmental practices, your yacht remains faster, more efficient, and better safeguarded against marine growth and corrosion. The combination of precise preparation, advanced coating systems, and strict ecological compliance ensures lasting results and peace of mind season after season.