Trim Tabs- Zincs and Paint?

[DonW]

Greetings Fellow Wizards- I had new tabs installed last year and did not follow manufacturer guidance for painting-a special epoxy primer needed- any info on that? also, I am advised to add small zincs to top- I assume these go on before any primer/paint and remain unpainted. Just drill a hole in center and mount wiyh a stainless bolt and lock nut? All your wisdom please!

[DaleH]

DonW:

Don't waste a penny even considering any spray primer and anti-fouling made for underwater metals, I tried them and they s$%k on tabs. I gave up and was too cheap to buy the $60++ worth of 3 materials Pettit recommends for prepping/painting SS.

This is Pettit's recommendation:
"Sand/scuff for better adhesion then solvent wash. Apply metal primer like Pettit #6455 Metal Primer. Then apply a "tie coat" primer, like Pettit #6627. This is actually a rubber-based primer that allows the anti-fouling paint to stick. The 1st primer type is only applied to give the "tie coat" something to stick to. These primers are available in quarts. Then paint with anti-fouling paint of your choice; modified/hard epoxy or ablative, or whatever you're using on rest of hull."

I now just clean them really, really,well and polish them with an anti-fouling wax. I need to re-do them once a season, but I just beach the boat on a sandbar.

I use a 3" rudder zinc, attaching one side only to the TOP of each tab, centered in the middle of the tab. These are a MUST on all tabs, but specially Lencos, as that SS hinge was welded, which robs the welded area of the carbon which makes it SS.

http://www.bennetttrimtabs.com/zinc.jpg

[tsheehy]

Installed zincs on my new-to-me boat's tabs today. Boat is a 1999 and reportedly kept on a slip - don't know why they weren't there before.

Picked up a set of R2 (?) rudder zincs at West Marine for a couple of bucks, along with some 1/4 stainless bolts and nyloc nuts. Drilled the hole, cleared away the surface of the tabs under the zinc and mounted to the top of the tab. My actuator mounts to the middle of the tab, so I just centered the zinc on the outer edge.

The rudder zincs came as a set, so I used one on each tab. The zincs had a recess for a nut, so I just banged the bolt through so that the head is lodged in the recess and applied the nyloc nut to the underside of the tab.

Might not be perfect, but its got to be better than no tabs at all.

-- Tom

[DaleH]

FWIW zincs are far cheaper at Boater's World. West charges $20 for the SAME zinc that BW sells for only $9 ...

[DonW]

Thanks for info- zincs now on and considering whether/how to paint- anti-foulingwax? Whats that? Brand name?

[tsheehy]

Also curious about anti-fouling wax? Never heard of it, hope it exists :)

I need something to help protect my outboard, it will be docked with the engine down, unfortunately.

-- Tom

[DaleH]

Also curious about anti-fouling wax? Never heard of it, hope it exists :)

Uhhhhh, yes it does. Jet Craft by Collinite, if/when you can find it, is a wax allegedly formulated with anti-fouling properties.

http://img.nauticexpo.com/images_ne/photo-g/anti-fouling-wax-50784.jpg

Here's another, alleged to give the same anti fouling protection as VC17 bottom paint

http://www.auroramarine.com/aurora/images/products/VS721.jpg

Or, another, Zebra Wax 7020

http://www.w-s-p-s.ca/ZebraMusselSystems_files/image044.jpg

Zebra Wax #7020 – A unique, double silicone polymer wax. Zebra Wax presents a non toxic, cleanable surface to algae and mussels that is so slippery they have a difficult time adhering. Kept 98% of Zebra mussels off. Over a 14 month period. One bottle treats up to a 24 foot boat. Helps prevent osmosis, increases cleanability by 400% and reduces friction up to 30% for increased performance. Over 20,000 boats are treated with this system. Its ideal for trailered boats, bass boats and personal watercraft.

Carries the Prestigious Environment Canada EcoLogo

[FireFly]

Dale - have you ever tried the Zebra wax?

[DaleH]

Dale - have you ever tried the Zebra wax?
I have tried waxes before with ****-poor results. As far as I can tell, none of these waxes are true anti-foulants at all ... rather, relying on the slipperyness (is that a word (#$119) ?) of the wax to 'inhibit' rather than prevent growth.

We must remember that AF paints contain a biocide that kill most of the orgamisms that would otherwise attach to the surface.

I'm trying 2 different recipes on my tabs this year ... will report later.