No matter who you ask, everyone seems to have a different opinion on whether you antifoul first or polish the hull first when your boat is out of the water for annual maintenance.
Like everyone, we have our own opinion. And our opinion is... It doesn't matter either way!
BUT.... with that said, there are a few things to consider when making your decision. Lets go through them now.
ONE: Yellow staining
It seems no matter what you do, your boat will likely have the familiar yellow stain along the waterline. This is easily removed with acid however brushing or spraying acid onto the hull will cause runs down the hull that create white streaks all over your antifouling.
If you use GC Boat Antifouling, we will remove the yellow staining before sanding and re-antifouling your boat. As simple as this step is, most do not do this and if your antifouling is done before the hull polish, your detailer is left to try and remove the yellow staining without ruining your fresh antifoul.
Antifouling can be done before your hull polish BUT it is a good idea to acid wash the hull before antifouling to avoid unnecessary streaking.
White streaks on antifouling from acid washing hull
TWO: Contamination
We are often asked if hull polishing can be started while we are sanding and prepping to re-antifoul. Unfortunately, our answer is always no. This is not because antifouling is more important or we have other jobs to do, it is due to contamination.
Polishes contain silicones and/or waxes that more often than not, get smeared onto the antifouling along the waterline. These contaminants also become airborne. Contamination on the prepared surfaces prior to re-antifouling leads to adhesion issues and ultimately failure of the new antifouling coating in these areas.
With contamination considered, hull polishing should be completed before prep works begins on existing antifoul OR after the new antifouling has been applied.
Polish on antifoul along waterline can cause adhesion issues and failure of coatings.
THREE: Boat Condition
If your boats gelcoat is heavily oxidised, we highly recommend doing all of your cleaning and even wet sanding if needed before starting any antifouling. As you pressure wash or wet sand your boats gelcoat, the residue will run down the antifouling leaving white streaks.
While this isn't the end of the world, having streaks all over your fresh antifoul is a bummer!
Streaks all over your fresh antifouling just isn't a good look
In conclusion, there is no right or wrong way to approach your annual hull polish and antifoul however by following a few handy hints, your boat can leave the hardstand with a shiny hull and a vibrant, streak free antifoul job
If you have a boat on the Gold Coast and want your antifouling, Propspeed and Anodes done the right way, why not give GC Boat Antifouling a try? You won't be disappointed.
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