Do I need to prep the hull before applying the two coats of VS721?

Skipper March 22, 2021 Ask The Skipper

James Schiavoni asked:

I will be trying out your VS721 on a fiberglass hull in salt water. The boat will be brand new. Do I need to prep the hull before applying the 2 coats of VS721? I will pull the boat and clean it once a week at first until I see how well the product works. Will I need to re apply after this?

Answer:

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Hi James,

On a brand new fiberglass boat, you should scrub it well with water and Boat Clean Plus using a Marine Power Mitt or sponge in order to remove the mold release which may affect the attachment of the VS721 to the fiberglass. When dry, apply the VS721 with a damp sponge and when the haze appears, simply wipe it away to reveal the shine and super slippery, protective surface.

If you pull your boat once a week and wipe down the surface with a Marine Power Mitt to remove the slime, the bottom will stay clean. Many boat owners do this in the water when they are swimming, or thy will take the boat to a shallows or sand bar and wipe the slime off the bottom. Slime is bacteria in the water and is food for higher life forms like algae and barnacles. If kept off you boat bottom you will not get any growth. VS721 will seal the pores in the gelcoat to prevent osmosis and this, in conjunction with its low surface energy surface makes it difficult, but unfortunately not impossible, for marine life to get a grip. If caught early enough, the biofouling releases easily with wiping.

VS721 is quite durable and will stand up to repeated cleaning, by wiping, for 3 to 6 months, so you don’t need to reapply it after each cleaning.

Thanks for your question,
Captain Aurora
Richard Kittar