When it comes to choosing the right anti foul for a boat that spends most of its time in tropical waters, you want something that works. No gimmicks, no marketing fluff, just solid performance.
Our Leopard 45 catamaran had ablative International bottom paint for the first few years, but after being less than impressed with the performance and longevity we decided to finish stripping the hull back during our last warranty haul out and start again. After weighing the options, we went with Trinidad Pro.
Now, two and a half months after application and having done no cleaning, we’re checking in to see how it's holding up against marine growth.
What is Trinidad Pro Antifoul?
Trinidad Pro is a hard antifouling paint designed for high-performance protection in fouling intensive waters like the tropics.
Unlike ablative paints that slowly wear away, Trinidad Pro is a hard paint, meaning it relies on its biocide content to keep growth at bay. It has a copper load of 65%, making it among highest on the market before changing over to Copper Coat.
Why did we choose it? Well, the product came highly recommended by other cruisers and is marketed for boaters who want long lasting protection in warm, tropical waters where barnacle growth is relentless. Given our lifestyle and future cruising plans, this seemed like a solid choice.
Specifications & application process
Before getting into how it performed, here's a quick look at the specs and application process.
Type: Hard antifouling paint
Biocide Content: 65% cuprous oxide
Recommended Coats: 2-3
Recoat Time: 6 hours to recoat, 16 hours before launching at 70°F
Application: Brush, roller, or spray
Compatible Surfaces: Fiberglass, wood, and properly primed metal
It took about 20 minutes of carefully mixing each new tin with a drill to get the right consistency, as the paint has the tendency to separate into layers with the copper oxide falling to the bottom.
Once the paint was mixed we followed the official Petit Trinidad Pro application guide and painted three coats over the top of the Interprotect 2000E osmosis barrier coat. To ensure full coverage we used a roller for the bulk of the hull and brushes around the fittings, rudder and thru hulls.
The paint went on smoothly with good consistency, although as expected it’s quite thick due to the high copper content. I'd advise wearing safety glasses, a painting suit and gloves when you do it, as it can start to flick off the roller.
Yacht antifoul paint performance review
Now, onto the real test; how has the Trinidad Pro anti fouling performed after two and a half months in the water?
So far, growth has been minimal. The first 3 weeks were spent in Trinidad where the warm, nutrient rich waters make it notorious for fast shell and barnacle growth. We then sailed through the windward islands, spending a week in Union Island, a few days in Guadeloupe before arriving in St Martin. We’ve checked the hull multiple times, and for the first month and a half it was mostly slimy algae which came off with the movement of the boat.
Just before leaving Trinidad there was the initial spots suggesting barnacle growth was starting, but it took two and a half months to get to a size worth scraping and there are vast sections of the hull with no growth at all. The barnacles tend to be concentrate in areas with less water flow, like the rudders and inside hulls at the rear.
A quick scrape with a plastic wallpaper scraper removed the barnacles easily, much to the delight of the fish swimming around under the hull.
Durability & longevity
While it’s still early days, Trinidad Pro appears to be living up to its reputation as one of the best boat bottom paints for tropical sailing. The hard finish shows no signs of chipping or excessive wear, and the biocide is still working as intended.
Based on feedback from other sailors, we expect this antifoul to last at a season per coat. Currently, our plan is to add one more as a preventative measure when we haul out this hurricane season, as we expect it will be a few years before we haul out again. To do that we'll need to wash, dry, key up and solvent clean the surface, following the Petit application guide.
Pros & cons of Trinidad Pro Antifoul
Putting them head to head, here's some of the pros and cons of using Trinidad Pro on your sailboat hull.
Pros | Cons |
High copper content (65%) for maximum effectiveness | Requires sanding for reapplication after being in the water |
We experienced minimal growth after 2.5 months in warm waters | Heavier than ablative antifouls |
Works well on hull surfaces with good water flow | Not self-polishing so buildup will occur |
Unlike ablative antifoul it isn't taken off by weed like sargassum rubbing against the hulls while underway | Cost wise Trinidad Pro is not the cheapest |
Fast FAQ
Q: How much antifoul is needed to paint a yacht?
A: This depends on the size of the yacht and viscosity of the product. For us it took a 1 gallon tin to do a complete layer on one hull of our 45ft catamaran.
Q: How often should you antifoul a yacht?
A: This depends on the product but many people renew their antifoul whenever they haul out. We put 3 layers of Trinidad Pro on our boat and the feedback we've had is that a layer lasts roughly a year. When we had the ablative antifouling, the near 3 weeks of continuous rubbing on the leading edge of the bow by sargassum at we crossed the Atlantic Ocean took some spots back to the barrier coat, despite only renewing those sections 6 months earlier.
Q: What yacht antifoul colors does Trinidad Pro come in?
A: At the moment it comes in red, black, blue and green. We chose black but ended up having to use a bit of blue because one of the marine repairers accidentally knocked a tin over.
Final Verdict: Is Trinidad Pro Worth It?
So far, Trinidad Pro is proving to be a solid antifoul choice for long lasting protection in warm water. It was easy to apply, seems durable, and most importantly, has been effective against marine growth. While it does require some scraping in certain areas, we've been happy with the performance so far. If you’re after a hard antifoul that works in the tropics, this one is worth considering.
We'll check in in future to see how it's held up over time!
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