Will Algex harm the bottom paint or cause it to be ineffective?

Skipper August 13, 2014 Ask The Skipper

Glenn Baker asked:

I have a pontoon boat (Sun Tracker 20 DLX) with an aluminum motor pod with a plastic gas tank inside the motor pod. The motor pod was built to allow water inside it. As a result I have barnacles on the inside of the motor pod. Will Algex harm the plastic gas tank. I also have some barnacles on the bottom fouling painted aluminum pontoons. Will Algex harm the bottom paint or cause it to be ineffective?

Answer:

For your convenience, I’ve highlighted the hyperlinks. Click on the hyperlink to get more information about the selected product.

Algex will not harm the plastic fuel tank. To help reduce attachment and make clean up easier in this area I suggest that you coat it with VS721.

Algex can attack and damage some antifouling paints but if the paint is no longer effective at controlling the barnacles, you may have to replace it anyway. You should be able to scrape the barnacles from the paint but the barnacles will pull the paint off with their adhesive. If the barnacles have penetrated through the paint, you may have to use Algex to soften them up and again to soften the adhesive rings to remove them. After, you will have to re-paint.

Thanks for your question,

Captain Aurora
Richard Kittar