A dozen of the leading antifouling paints are put to the test and rated by MBY in The Solent and the Mediterranean
Jotun Racing SH £67.50
This is a hard antifouling designed to withstand a strong battering when on the hull. It relies on the water’s movement to clean the slime off
DURABILITY: 3/5
Despite being a hard paint, when we did the finger test, not only did the slime come off, so did the paint. This is probably because during the season this would have worn off naturally when the boat was used.
COLOUR FASTNESS: 4/5
Before launching, the Jotun SH was a slightly off-white colour, and after recovery there was barely any discolouration. Post cleaning, it was the second brightest on test.
WEED/BARNACLES: 4/5
In all three locations there were no signs of barnacles, although at the Solent location, the slime at the waterline started to look a little weedy.
SLIME CONTROL: 3/5
We were expecting this to perform poorly due to the limited movement in the water, however in the Mediterranean and East Coast it was one of the clearest panels. In the Solent there was a moderate build-up of slime, particularly near the waterline.
WASH TEST: 3/5
Running our finger along the panel removed the slime, but also removed the top layer of paint. As explained under the durability section, this is more than likely due to the limited movement during the season. Once washed fully, the panel was extremely clean and looked ready for another season.
VERDICT 68%
This is a hard paint yet in two of the three locations it fought well against the slime. The wash test showed that going out for a few trips would help keep the fouling at bay, but it is also worth noting that it can be sanded pre-season to give a smooth finish for optimum performance.
