Boating – May 2018

A:

Q:

30 | BOATINGMAG.COM | MAY 2018

BOAT DOCTOR ///Q&A

An oil analysis can absolutely provide an indication of your engine’s condi-

tion. There are no guarantees about future longevity, but being armed with

the knowledge of how much chromium, nickel, silicon and other particu-

lates are present in your oil can help you make better service and purchase decisions.

Kits that enable you to collect and ship your oil sample can be purchased from retailers

information: boatingmag.com/how-to/benefits-oil-analysis.

CHEAP? CHIP?

Q: What kind of brush

should I use to apply

anti-fouling paint?

I have always been a

trailer boater and will be

keeping my boat in the

water for the first time

this year. Also, can I stir

the paint at home, or will

I need to take it to the

store and have it shaken?

Bob Breen

Portland, Maine

A: You’ll be disposing of

the brush after use, so

buy cheap “chip” brushes

— the kind with the

unfinished handle and

coarse bristles. These

work but drop bristles

like a shedding sheepdog.

For that reason, I source

cheap nylon bristle

brushes from dollar and

variety stores. Often sold

three for a buck or two,

these tend to shed less

than chip brushes.

Anti-fouling paint

is heavy, and many

stores will not place

it on a shaker, though

some will. Check in

advance. If you cannot

get it shaken, invert

the can for a day prior

to use. This will allow

the heavy solids to mix

a little. Then purchase

a mixing wheel/paddle

that fits in an electric

drill and use this. Use

a stir stick periodically

in a scooping motion to

pull up material from the

bottom of the can. Then

resume power-mixing

until you are sure the

contents are well-mixed.

This can take 10 or 15

minutes, so be patient.

It’s important to the

paint’s performance.

You will find a useful

video tip about stirring

anti-fouling paint at

boatingmag.com/

bottom-painting-tips.

CRYSTAL

BALL

Dear Doc, will

an oil analysis

tell me the state

of my engine?

It’s running fine but has some

years on it, and I would like to

gauge the remaining life and

reliability I might expect it to

deliver. Can you help?

Tom Donohoe

Nashville, Tennessee

TOON SAUCE

Aluminum’s property of

spontaneously forming a

protective layer of oxide

makes it durable and ideal

for marine use. Heck, lower

maintenance and durability

are a couple of the reasons

why many U.S. Coast Guard

boats are built from unpaint-

ed aluminum. But many

recreational boaters expect

a higher level of aesthetics

than “dull gray and durable.”

Even anodized and painted

aluminum require cleaning

and weather protection.

I applied Toon Sauce to

the anodized aluminum pipe

work supporting my boat’s

T-top in order to test it.

First of all, it did remove

stains on the tubing when

not appear to harm the an-

odized finish. (I also applied

some to a piece of painted

untoward occurred.) I cannot

say how long the protective

coating it leaves behind will

last because I tested it just

prior to deadline. Be sure to

shake it well. And do apply

from the bottom up as the

directions state. (When I

applied it from the top, the

“shadows.”) It supposedly

works better on wet alumi-

num, a feature pontooners

for $19.99 at boatbling.net.

—Kevin Falvey PHOTOS: SHUTTERSTOCK (CRYSTAL BALL),