Frequently Asked Questions

How long will it take to antifoul my boat?

If you have booked your boat in with us with sufficient notice we will start prepping it as soon as it is hauled. We try hard to stagger the bookings to be the most efficient. After prepping, it is weather dependant as to when we can paint it.

Can I put my boat in the water the day after you paint it?

No. The paint needs time to harden off. We usually recommend about 2 days of drying before it is relaunched. It is dependent on weather conditions. The day after painting is when we will usually apply Propspeed.

How long after you apply Propspeed to my props & running gear can I put my boat back in the water?

It has a minimum of 8 hours drying time but we actually prefer overnight.

Can you sell me Propspeed so I can apply it myself?

Propspeed has become available at Burnsco for the DIY. As an applicator, we currently do not stock or sell DIY kits. When we apply Propspeed we guarantee it in the event of a failure. When you buy it DIY there is no guarantee given with the sale.

Which antifouling works the best?

All antifoulings work well provided they are applied as per the manufacturers’ instructions & the recommended amount is used. As a general rule, copper-free antifoulings that are made to be applied to aluminium boats do not work as well as cuprous oxide based antifoulings.

Can you sell me antifoul so I can apply it myself?

Yes, we stock a range of antifoul & colours.

Do you carry out pre-purchase inspections?

No we don’t as there is not enough work to justify the huge professional indemnity insurance.

If I supply my own antifoul will you paint my vessel?

Yes, we definitely will but often an owner wishes to supply a quantity of paint which is insufficient when applied as per the manufacturer’s specs. This results in the product not working as expected. Therefore, if we feel it is insufficient we will either ask you to supply the amount recommended or we will recommend you roll it yourself. This is not to be hard nosed – we just don’t like wasting peoples’ money! Please note also that the paint you supply may well not turn out to be as cheap as you thought when you compare it to our prices. Please feel free to ask us for a price on antifoul or any other marine paint.

Will you paint above the waterline if I supply my own paint?

Yes, but only if the tins are unopened & we can guarantee the integrity of the product.

Do you stock sandpaper, masking tape etc. so I can do my own work?

Yes we do & we’re quite happy to give advice if needed.

Do you hire out or loan tools for my own use?

No.

I see you have portable scaffolding. Do you hire it out?

Yes, we do.

Do you do mechanical repairs, engineering or electrical work?

No but we can give you contact details of people that do. We believe in staying with our core business of boat repairs, boat building & maintenance. Although Mitch is also a qualified diesel mechanic & has had experience in this trade in the marine industry, we’re a small town and we don’t believe in poaching other contractors’ core business.

Why can’t you paint my boat? It’s not raining.

We can’t paint the boat when there is either too much wind and/or it is blowing in the wrong direction because of the problem of overspray. Often the weather is completely different locally from where you may be.

I’m not worried about how good the job will look. Can you just give my boat a quick paint job?

No. If we’re going to take a job on we’re going to do it properly. It’s our name that will be tarnished by a bad job.

Will you take the GST off my bill? It makes it a lot more expensive.

No. The GST is a fact of life & we abide by it.

Why does the work seem to be more expensive than it used to be?

Due to the rules that have been & are being introduced with regards to environmental and personal protection, we are having to spend an increased amount of time in both setting up and putting away the gear associated with these rules. With antifouling the ground has to be washed down to remove any antifouling residue before it dries and becomes dust, free to blow away in the wind. The days of spraying topcoats for major painting projects outside have gone, with just letting the overspray blow away in the wind with no regard to where it goes. Unfortunately it is a fact of life that this costs more and we cannot absorb these costs. Therefore the cost has to be passed onto the customer as part of the job.