Hi just been looking at some anti-foul and I came across Ocean guard . Has anyone used it or know someone who has?

3 weeks?

No it is really an understatement. We are back on hard stand at Boatworks. The guy who helped put it on said its like barnacles on steroids. We are going to be significantly out of pocket and all we can do is warn people so it doesn't happen to them. Cathy Cashman SV Sensation.

Any chance of getting your money back as the product clearly wasn't up to the job of its intended purpose?
Have you contacted the company to make them aware of their products shortcomings and maybe get them to chip in to remediate the problem?
According to the company blurb this stuff has a three YEAR guarantee (not the three weeks that you got)

JD, I second that about Boatworks. We got our antifouling done there a couple of months ago, and were very happy with the result. Good job, friendly and helpful staff, and good rates. Well worth the trip down through Jacobs Well from Moreton Bay, we'll be back next time.

Adamthediver said...
I am a commercial diver that dives under a lot of boats and anti fouls. One of my clients put ocean guard on 6-7 weeks ago and I dived under it this week to find it was totally encrusted with white coral worm, paint has not stuck to props shafts or rudders like they said it would. Going off what I have seen and what the client told me that he has since heard of at least 6-8 other people with the same results. I definitely don't rate this product. It may have worked in the states but over here it's fair to say it's not worth the tin it comes in.

Is like to know what you think has been a success in anti foul

Thanks for the heads up, I will definitely stick with Altex sea barrier 3000!

The trouble with most antifouls is they can vary from batch to batch and then there is the environmental conditions. I'm a fan of Altex No5 but this last lot lasted only 3 or 4 months before I had shell. Jutson alloy 50 here has Altex sea barrier 3000 and is only 60 yards away seems to be much more effective.

I've had good luck applying 2 coats of Micron CSC, and here in SA I manage to get 2 years between coats

Trek said..


Gentleman and sailors, I hate to be the scientist here but to compare anti-foul paints they need to be side by side in the same water on the same surface!

My boat when it was in Sydney harbour built bigger barnacles on one side of the hull than the other. Same with growth. I dont know if it was current related, sun related or what. Same paint both sides.

I bought the ultrasonic anti-foul kit a year ago but haven't tried it yet. Slack I know. Would love to hear from someone that has.

Re ultrasonic anti-foul kit
It must work there would be no growth on the box it came in

fishmonkey said..

Trek said..


Gentleman and sailors, I hate to be the scientist here but to compare anti-foul paints they need to be side by side in the same water on the same surface!

My boat when it was in Sydney harbour built bigger barnacles on one side of the hull than the other. Same with growth. I dont know if it was current related, sun related or what. Same paint both sides.

in your experience, what worked best for you in Sydney harbour?

Now this will sound dumb ... I dont know. The boatyard at Gladesville Bridge Marina did it. But I will ask and post. A mate of mine got his boat anti fouled there last week.

The crook anti foul GeoffCashman and Adamthediver found isn't good. I would wonder why though. Maybe the bugs its designed to keep off don't exist in Oz or is its much weaker than Oz compounds. Maybe the surface it goes onto is important.

Someone did try to test anti fouls in Sydney Harbour once I think. A few years ago an experiment was run where several different anti fouls were painted onto a big piece of fibre glass and left under a wharf for a year or so but I never saw any published results and dont know who did it. Possibly Waterways at the time.

But as HG has noted, whatever they use on those ultrasonic anti foul kit boxes must work because Ive seen the same, no growth. Must get some of whatever it is!

Ramona said..
The trouble with most antifouls is they can vary from batch to batch and then there is the environmental conditions. I'm a fan of Altex No5 but this last lot lasted only 3 or 4 months before I had shell. Jutson alloy 50 here has Altex sea barrier 3000 and is only 60 yards away seems to be much more effective.

I have always used Altex No 5. I have always applied two coats but last year I did a bit of reading and found that Altex recommend three coats when applied with a roller.

Now that wouldn't work with my Top Hat so in April 2015 I applied four coats to use up two tins.

The results have been interesting. I have only a few Barnacles [10mm x 20mm] on the leading edge of the bow.

I applied about 6 coats to the prop and it still has about 33% of its area FREE of barnacles, consider that its done some 1000 plus miles during my trip north and back.

So, I think most of us do not apply enough anti-fouling for it to be effective!

scruzin said..
BTW, I've noticed that when I leave my boat down at Wirrina Cove, which has a creek flowing into the marina, the marine growth happens more slowly, than at North Haven, Adelaide.

Has anyone else experienced this?

Of course, the other possibilities are that the water is cleaner and temperature is slightly cooler than Adelaide. Or it could be a combination of all of the above...

More likely a mixture of poisons leached into the creek from the local farmers and council.

Near Drummoyne, on the river, in the current, one side is always filthy while the other is reasonable.
Done a year ago with micron extra (3 layers, done by a yard, next time l do it myself! ) and it is holding well. Slime grows but barbacles are only tiny if any. Dive on it, clean it in an hour. Easy.
The strong current helps to keep the nasties at bay.

They might, l got no idea what those nasties like or hate.
One is sure, l hate when my hull looks like it's owner has died years ago two days after washing and polishing it.
The river cats should not be allowed to flush their bilges in the river. But they do. It is atrocious!