Adding TBT to bottom paint

[MagnusS]

If you would find a country where murder is legal and you commit one, it is still a murder!
TBT is extremely poisonous to virually anything alive. The only potentially excusable use would be for transocean ships that seldom spend longer periods of time in harbours.
May years ago when TBT was legal and many yachts used it, the biology not only in the harbour itself was stone dead, but also several hundred meters around it. When TBT later was forbidden and replaced by cupper, the biology returned gradually during some ten years.

[Nicholson58]

We applied Island 44 with TBT at Nanny Cay in the BVI two years ago. Very close to zero growth and no scraping. That paint is widely sold throughout the Caribbean, probably the most popular bottom paint.

[Tortuga's Lie]

I've been told, don't have confirmation, that the U.S. Navy uses tin-based paints on their vessels.......anyone out there that knows????

[Michael Conway-Brown]

I live in an area with a lot of aquaculture, mostly growing oysters. TBT is extremely toxic to oyster spat (and other aquatic life) and that's why it was banned here. It shouldn't be used anywhere in the oceans.

[goodoldwoody]

Originally Posted by Capt Phil

Oh, the days when we slopped gallons of ‘Red Lead’ paint on the bottoms of old seiners in the PNW!
I’m still alive to tell the tale at 77 years old!
Me thinks that this was all a lie to help the manufacturers of new bottom paint products to get a foothold in a lucrative market!
As I recall, we lived on weiners and boiled potatoes until the fishing season opened but they were good years!
Anyone remember the sockeye runs in Rivers Inlet back in the 50’s? We would catch over 5000 fish in one set... I think we got 27 cents a pound!
Those were the days, my friends, I thought they’d never end...
Boy, was I wrong!
Phil

Hi Capt Phil,

Yes I remember fish in unbelievable quantity here downunder back in the fifties we could actually fill our dinghies to the gunwales with them. The good old days when everything (else) was rotten! Ha Ha Kids no TV.
But was it the tin & red lead the reason they disappeared?
Alive Hey but we are still moving just keep on moving!

Cheers Woody

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by Tortuga's Lie

I've been told, don't have confirmation, that the U.S. Navy uses tin-based paints on their vessels.......anyone out there that knows????

A common and erroneous wive's tale. The U.S. Navy does not fall under any American law or regulation concerning anti fouling paint, so they can use anything they like. That said, the Navy has to do business in ports all over the world and in almost all of those ports, tin-based paints are banned. So it behooves the Navy to use anti fouling products that are legal everywhere and not likely to become a public relations issue. For the most part, they use the same copper-based paints that you or I can buy off-the-shelf. In actuality, the U.S. Navy are at the forefront of non-metal and non-toxic anti fouling paint development.

[Bill O]

Apparently one can buy this product outside the US and is a combination of copper and TBT. So it appears you can mix copper and TBT in one paint.


Bill O.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by goodoldwoody

Hi Capt Phil,

Yes I remember fish in unbelievable quantity here downunder back in the fifties we could actually fill our dinghies to the gunwales with them. The good old days when everything (else) was rotten! Ha Ha Kids no TV.
But was it the tin & red lead the reason they disappeared?
Alive Hey but we are still moving just keep on moving!

Cheers Woody

It is always easy to blame TBT or such, but overfishing is what usually kills off populations ("fill the dinghy (or the trawler)". Fishermen have mostly failed to admit this for a long time, but there are a few fisheries that have limited takes and kept the populations healthy.

But of course the root problem is too many people...

Jim

[micknor51]

An interesting read Jim Carrier and food for thought for the future. Thanks for that.
TBT is very detrimental to the environment and organisms so the ban is appropriate. Copper based antifouling, the jury is still out on this one I think so let’s hope we can still continue to use it. I do not see any alternative as yet.

Interestingly a friend reported that in Sydney Harbour these days you are no longer allowed to do your own antifouling work etc on your boat. Whether this is for environmental reasons or just to allow the marinas to make more money I am not sure, but I suspect the latter. Fortunately here in Lake Macquarie, NSW we can still work on our own boats.

Getting back to the original post on this thread I think ‘sidsail’ that adding TBT to your bottom paint is a bad idea both morally and legally. Please desist even though you can, don’t do it!
Michael

[kmacdonald]

Stick with what's in the can. Chemistry sets are for school children.

[goodoldwoody]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

It is always easy to blame TBT or such, but overfishing is what usually kills off populations ("fill the dinghy (or the trawler)". Fishermen have mostly failed to admit this for a long time, but there are a few fisheries that have limited takes and kept the populations healthy.

But of course the root problem is too many people...

Jim

Hi Jim,

I agree overfishing absolutely was may still is the case.
Where ever there are humans there's not many fish it seems.
If you buy a tin of kippers, just look at how small they are, compared to the old days.

Cheers
Woody

[CaptJPMcGuire]

The reference to the internet link is very informative --a bit dated now as well as a bit 'political' but good points were raided about the over reaction of society to "FAKE NEWS" and "SCIENCE slanted by Politics and money"

Originally Posted by senormechanico

I did a search for " DDT return " and got a bunch of interesting reads.


According to some, the book "Silent Spring" falsified results and it got political really quickly.
The reads show a very similar history to the sudden rise in NDZ's in the USA. Emotions, not facts.


Here's just one:


https://21sci-tech.com/articles/summ02/DDT.html

[wjhutchings]

Tetra Butyl Tin to give it it's proper name is a highly poisonous chemical compound, which is why it is such a good anti fouling, not only is it poisonous to the marine environment it is also very poisonous to those who apply and remove it. It has been banned for use at sea since the 1980's large vessels either had to have a complete sand blast of the underwater area or be coated with a sealant to seal in old TBT paint (the sand blast was the cheaper option)for proof see the Anti Fouling Convention. If you have applied it to your yachts' underwater area then please be prepared for the wrath of khan if you enter any waters where they care about the marine environment which includes all of Europe/North America/ Australasia/most of South East Asia.

As said previously applying TBT to your yacht's underwater area is tantamount to murder use another anti fouling paint, the reason it doesn't do such a good job is that it is much more kinder to the marine environment which after all was there well before you and your yacht and with luck will be there for a long time after.

[Alan Mighty]

Originally Posted by wjhutchings

Tetra Butyl Tin to give it it's proper name

Yet another classic fail!

TBT = Tributyltin

Why not read and learn: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tributyltin

[jimbunyard]

Originally Posted by Alan Mighty

Yet another classic fail!

TBT = Tributyltin

Why not read and learn: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tributyltin

From the linked-to Wikipedia(!) page

"Toxic effects in some species occur at 1 nano-gram per liter of water."

Is my math right, that's 1 part per trillion? Maybe homeopaths have a point...(hope the sarcasm's clear)