A dozen of the leading antifouling paints are put to the test and rated by MBY in The Solent and the Mediterranean
International Trilux 33 £99.99
Trilux 33 is a self-polishing paint that erodes over the season. As it dissolves, a new coat can be applied with little preparation needed
DURABILITY: 3/5
Trilux 33 has moderate durability, and can be applied to most boats with little consideration to performance. It can also be applied to trim tabs and sterndrives, unlike most copper-based antifouling paints.
COLOUR FASTNESS: 5/5
Starting off a traditional white, the Trilux 33 kept its colour throughout the season, showing no signs of turquoise discolouration.
WEED/BARNACLES: 3/5
This paint performed very differently in the separate locations. There was little evidence of any weed or barnacle growth in the Med or on the East Coast, but in the Solent there were patches of early stage weed.
SLIME CONTROL: 2/5
The slime build-up was quite severe in all but the Mediterranean location. The Solent proved to be particularly challenging for the Trilux and it was towards the bottom end of performance on the East Coast too.
WASH TEST: 2/5
Running the finger across the paint panel took off the worst of the slime and weed growth but there was still a layer of more stubborn growth left behind even after the wash test, suggesting that the boat would need to be used regularly at speed to stop any build-up of fouling.
VERDICT 60%
The Trilux gave mixed results and probably would have performed better on a planing boat that’s used regularly. However, its relatively durable nature, excellent colour-fastness and suitability for use on sterndrives and trim tabs means it could be a sound choice for some.
