Is there a Clear substitute for antifoul ?

Hello resently i brought a tige 22v rider edition which im partictally please with but i live on the south coast of the UK and saltwater is my only option.The boat is going to be kept at a marina for 6 months of the year.Now heres the problem the whole hull is lime green (trust me it looks better than it sounds) and some kind of antifoul is going to be needed but they dont make a green antifoul even close to lime green.the thought of painting it in a grey or white antifoul would really spoil the look of the boat.So does anyone now of a clear antifoul or a clear substitue that actually works ? Ive heard of a wax which they use on the rubber of ribs but its VERY expensive and i dont know if it actually works.Please give me any knowledge you have and where i could get anything that could do the job.Thanks for youre help.Happy boarding.

I have a 04 mobius LS that I moore in salt 6 months of the year in Canada.I have seen black, grey, white and blue anti fouling paint available. As i couldn't bring myself to painting the bottom of my hull I pull my boat out of the water evry 7-10 days to wash the hull and let it dry out for a couple days to prevent blistering. This is not too big of a deal for me as I live 2 mins from my marina.
I would also suggest you get a closed cooling system ( if you have not already), a flush kit and some zincs. I flush out my my risers and manifolds every time I pull into the dock, a simple "quick connect" fitting on a garden hose makes it that much easier. I have a zinc installed in the prop shaft and 2 more on my wake plate.
If you decide to paint the hull make sure you apply a barrier coat first to prevent blisters.
Also keep in mind if you paint your hull with anti fouling you will be decreasing the re-sale value of your boat.

i,ve seen a boat with a clear antifouling paint,it was hard to see from a distance.
i think it was from international..but not shure about that.you could ask at Yachthafen emmerich in germany.that,s where i,ve seen that boat.
ask for Harry he knows or can find out by the boat owner.

http://www.yhe.de/

Thanks Scott but pulling it out isnt very easy for me and the marina charge a packet to do it.I managed to get intouch with a company who will mix an antifoul to the same color if i give them a sample ! How good the match will be is yet to be seen.But ive heard the wax option isnt very good and any contact will just scrape it off.Not only that but you need to put 3-4 coats on which is just crazy money.After all once ive paid for the boat im going to be living on baked beans for the next 20 years ! But you have to make sacrifices in the name of fun right ? But youve brought up another question i have "closed cooling system" ive been told by some its a MUST and by the dealer its not that bigger deal.He said he can fit one but yet again it will cost (the dealer is a nice bloke no way hard sell which makes a change) but thats only if im going to keep the boat for 4-6 years.Now if i sell my grandmother i might JUST be able to afford it also at the loss of those fusion speakers i had my heart set on.You know how it is but exactly HOW important is it ? I mean i dont want to sell a dud boat after ive finished with it but yet again ive had enough of eating beans !

Darren,

In my opinion a closed cooling sytem is a must if you intend on running in salt water. Much like yourself I stretched myself financially to purchase a new boat last year ( 04 mobius LS) and this option cost me another $1,500 CDN. What this unit does is keep the salt water out of your block. Salt water is extremely corrosive. Even with a flush kit installed I will eventually have to replace my manifolds and risers due to the salt running through them, there is no way around this. To me it is piece of mind knowing i have taken every precaution to protect my motor from any salt contamination. If you plan on owning your boat for a long time it is worth the investment, this unit will also give you better resale value of your boat if you are running in salt.

Closed cooling is a must for salt ! Pay now or pay more later.

Petetts (I'm not sure on the spelling) makes a green bottom paint. It goes on kind of dark but after it goes in the water it lightens up quite a bit.I have used black green blue and grey, Ive never used a clear bottom paint. As far as the cooling a closed cooling system is nice but expensive. Most guys get freshwater cooling which circulates fresh water through the block but there is still a raw water pump that takes the water that your in and circulates it through the manifolds. I would say that the closed cooling system would run you about a grand more.