New Eco Bottom Paints

[delmarrey]

I been checking out a new local magazine and found these new bottom paints that has no copper or TBT's.

When the paint comes into contact with water and sunlight, a photochemical reaction produces minute amounts of peroxides, which makes the surface inhospitable to marine growth. These peroxides are able to quickly and naturally break down in the water, and thus do not cause dangerous buildups in places like marinas.

http://www.epaint.net/news.shtm#s14

.................................................. ....._/)


There is another, ceramic based, but it is so slick that when sling a boat the operaters need to be aware that the stuff is slippery and the starps may slide off, sailboats in particular.

In addition to improving the chemical performance of resin systems, ceramic particle loading significantly enhances the dynamic mechanical performance of the resin system. Total performance characteristics of CeRam-Kote 54®, both chemical and mechanical, are significantly better than liquid epoxy, fusion-bond epoxy and other high performance coating systems.

http://www.ceram-kote.com/products/aviation_index.htm

[fstbttms]

There are quite a few non-toxic anti foulings on the market now. Keep in mind that these products do not perform as well as traditional, copper-laden paints and require much more frequent cleanings, at least in a true marine environment. And failure to keep these coatings very clean can result in the failure of the coating, in some cases. While I absolutely advocate the development and use of non-toxic anti foulings, they have not yet reached the point where they work particularly well or are cost-effective, IMHO.

[delmarrey]

you have to save the world even if it's cost too much and doesn't work very well. That means more work for you. You'll have to hire a crew to keep up. It's good for the labor industry. Yachties can afford it, Right! The EPA would love you!

[Latitude9.5]

Actually the aqua gard did very well in the practical sailor tests, Aquagard Homepage

I am going to give it a try this time around, mainly because I hate working around the toxic crap and I dont enjoy wearing a tyvek suit in the heat! If i have to do it a little more often then i'm alright if i have to do it a hell of a lot more often then screw it

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by Latitude9.5

Actually the aqua gard did very well in the practical sailor tests, Aquagard Homepage

I don't doubt that any anti fouling will work well somewhere. But my experience is that what works well in one place may not be so wonderfull somewhere else. Caveat Emptor and YMMV.

[Latitude9.5]

True, true PS did the test in Key Largo and connecticut over a period of 18 months. As I am in South Florida, those results caught my attention.

They even change when you are sitting in the same spot year round. Ex: usually here in the st lucie river you can plan on scraping your bottom every other month with a good antifouling, right now with barely any run off from "lake o" it's not near as bad as normal.