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For a man whose grasp of biology is limited to what I learnt as a teenager from various top-shelf publications, I am peculiarly obsessed by the biological workings of antifoul coatings. The science of how to keep slime, weed and barnacles at bay now holds far more allure to my middle-aged brain than the facts of life.

But the truth is that antifouling is important stuff, especially (but not exclusively) if you’re a boat owner. Even a small amount of fouling can make a huge difference to a boat or ship’s speed and efficiency. That doesn’t just push up fuel bills, it also means more CO2 emissions, not to mention higher prices for all those goods being shipped around the world.

And yet ever tightening restrictions on the use of biocides is weakening the arsenal of weapons at the antifoul manufacturers’ disposal. So far the scientists have managed to defend the front line in the war on crud but there’s only so long they can hold out when their howitzers are slowly being replaced by pea-shooters.

All of which makes this month’s group test of antifoul coatings required reading. It took three days of hard labour to apply eight different types of antifouling to Raymarine’s test boat, and another seven months of waiting for the critters to do their worst, but the results make fascinating reading. It seems there are now several effective alternatives to the traditional biocide paints that will not only keep your boat beard and barnacle free but also help save the environment and your back. Turn to p76 to find out what they are and join my new obsession with bottom-shelf products!

DON’T MISS OUT!

Every month I receive requests from readers for current or back issues they can’t find in the shops. All you need to do is go to www.magazinesdirect.com, select Motor Boat & Yachting, click ‘Single Issue’ in the ‘Subscription Type’ box then go to your basket and choose the month you want. For the same £5.50 it costs to buy one in the shops, they will deliver it direct to your door.