'Practical Sailor' - Best Ablative Bottom Paint ?

[HopCar]

Here in Miami the best selling ablative is Micron 66. The best selling hard paint is Trinidad SR. Both of these paints contain an anti-slime compound which I think is very important around here.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by s/v Beth

Right you are Chuck. I am in Oregon/Washington. They have eliminated Cu in Washington, but I thought I could get it in Oregon. No such luck.

chuckr is referring to Seahawk Islands 44, which is a tributyl tin paint. Not only not available in Oregon/Washington, but everywhere else in the U.S. And most of the rest of the world as well.

[redsky49]

With the recent decision of BASF to cease production of Irgarol (slime inhibiting biocide), and the reported reformulation of several well known antifouling paints, past experiences with particular paint brands will likely be of little value to boaters seeking recommendations as to effective paints.

[chuckr]

Originally Posted by HopCar

Here in Miami the best selling ablative is Micron 66. The best selling hard paint is Trinidad SR. Both of these paints contain an anti-slime compound which I think is very important around here.

Originally Posted by s/v Beth

Right you are Chuck. I am in Oregon/Washington. They have eliminated Cu in Washington, but I thought I could get it in Oregon. No such luck.

As with HopCar we had some success with Micron 66 when we were in the Crib before we changed over.

[senormechanico]

Copper is still legal, but the scum in Washington legislature must not own boats:

RCW 70.300.020: Antifouling paint containing copper.

I'm using Micron Extra with good results.

[meridian28]

Seahawk Island 44 is only for export from the US. Another forum discussed having 44 put on in Marsh Harbor. A reply said that the USCG has stopped boats and checked the bottom paint. May be an urban myth.

I checked with Marsh Harbor Boatyard, $3,500 for an application of Island 44 for my 36' trawler.

[S/V Illusion]

Originally Posted by MarkSF

Not that hard to find. Tried Google?

Copper Bottom Anti-Fouling Paint #45 - Protective & Marine

It's 45% cuprous oxide, while Trinidad SR is 65%, so its hard to imagine it out-performing the Trinidad.

The percent by weight copper is not an indicator of efficacy. Rather, it is how available the oxide is. Marketing is designed to fool the uninformed.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by S/V Illusion

The percent by weight copper is not an indicator of efficacy.

Of course it is. There is no low-copper paint available that can provide the anti fouling performance of a high-copper paint.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by S/V Illusion

Rather, it is how available the oxide is. Marketing is designed to fool the uninformed.

While copper content may not be the only indicator of an anti fouling paint's efficacy, it is certainly the most important one. And probably the only one available to the consumer. Copper leach rates are a closely guarded trade secret and I doubt that you can provide examples of any paint manufacturer's literature that describes in useful (and comparable) terms the "availability" of their product's biocide.