zodiac slime

[Akavishon]

Keeping with the old saying that "there are no stupid questions, just stupid people asking questions" :nerd:

Like most people on moorings, I'll most likely use my zodiac all nest season to shuttle to/from my boat. I expect the inflatable will be full time in the water, which - in Boston Harbor - means lots of slime and marine growth. Is there such a thing as bottom protection for inflatables? I don't want to imagine painting the blue ablative on my zodiac, but maybe there's some stuff I have not heard of yet?

thanks, Zoran

 

[Shadowfax]

Yes there is a anti fouling paint for inflatables. If you have a hard bottom dink the stuff the power boaters use will work. If soft bottom there is special paint for this that is softer, i.e. more flexable

 

[rwthomas1]

I spent one season pulling the dink, flipping it over and cleaning the bottom once a week. Then last season I tried MDR brand bottom paint for inflatables. Worked pretty well but peeled in maybe 5% of the surface. I tried to get the bottom of my 20+ year old Achilles clean but its pretty stained after all these years. I am thinking the prep was the problem not the paint. It worked very well, no growth but the slime, harbor muck, etc. was still there. I plan on re-applying this season. The good thing is if the dink is used there is already a "waterline" slime stain to follow.... RT

 

[Mindscape]

Mdr

I just bought an Avon inflatable and spoke with some of the guys at our harbour and they suggested MDR as well. Said it worked well. We're on Lake Michagan and may not have the same slime factor you guys do.