Coppercoat Antifouling

[Alan Wheeler]

they even got a review on a magazine which was quite positive

Don't let that be the catylist for your decision. Unless they did a 10yr test, you can only consider the information as an advertisment. This product has not reached it's 10yr mark yet, as far as I know, and with comments from some that have used it and had far from average results, I suggest it may not last out the full 10yrs.
I think the issue is that, what is considered fouling by "us" the boater owner and "them" the applicators maybe somewhat different. This is a classic example of the "McDonalds" type advertising. They advertise with a picture for the product, yet the actual product handed over the counter looks nothing like the one represented in the lovely picture. In the case of the fouling issue, CopperPoxy coatings may stop some forms of marine growth like shellfish and larger plant species, but it does not seem to stop the build up of the slime type species. Resulting in the boat needing to be hauled regularly to waterblast off the slime type growths. For the cost of application, I would be a boat owner that would expect the product to look like the picture. A perfectly clean hull.

[fastcat435]

We use it on all our cats since 7 years ago and are very happy
Greetings

FastCat 435

[boomvang]

I tried Copperpoxy on my C&C 27, sailing on the Great South Bay of Long Island. What a horror show. All previous paint had to be stripped first, not a problem as I wanted to get a look at the gel coat to check for blisters. The problems started as we applied the product. The instructions called for an open time of 30 min. @ 70 degrees f,but the stuff started kicking in about 10 min. Anticipating just this problem, we mixed small batches but wound up with a finished surface about a smooth as 40 grit sandpaper! On top of that, the coating would oxidize very quickly and needed to be scrubbed quite often. Also, the surface required sanding each year before launch, which was back breaking as the epoxy was quite hard. Would not recommend this product, this despite glowing reviews in some otherwise trustworthy publications.

[44'cruisingcat]

There's a catamaran at our local marina that a few of us have been watching with interest. It has a copper-epoxy antifoul on it, not sure yet which brand, and it seems to be working extremely well. The bottom of this boat is pretty much spotless after at least 18 months, and the boat doesn't get used very often either.

[BLuewaters]

Thank you all for your comments.Happy sailing

[Moonchaser2304]

I almost hate to ask this because even to me this sounds stupid but I am seeing those spray on (or roll on) materials for truck beds really DO hold up it appears...amazing stuff. Would that work on a sailboat bottom? Granted the non smooth surface would not be good for race boats but would it even hold up under water? I've googled it and found that people are using it for canoe's, Boston Whalers, house boats etc for the bottom, as well as the top deck non skid areas..price is even reasonable...is this stuff an option for boat bottoms (or top deck for non skid)?

[Alan Wheeler]

No. I am very familiar with this coating. It does not adhere well. Being black, the heat biuld up would be immense on a top side. It will not handle long term below water line use.
There are other similar materials out there that are suited to boat use however. And also available in colours through to white.

[gramos]

Originally Posted by BLuewaters

HAs anyone ever used Coppercoat supplied by Aquarius Marine in the Uk. They claim that their product works for 10 years plus. they even got a review on a magazine which was quite positive.

yes , i have this product on my cat . it was applied when new in 1998 and has been very satisfactory , much the envy of other boaters at lift out time when i just quickly pressure wash the hulls, taking about 45 minutes, and proceed to the pub ! it is now ,however in need of re- coating as it has partially worn away and having moved the boat to the med i find it is less effective . so i have ordered copper powder from marine epoxies in the usa and will mix and apply with epoxy from a local source . this is a much cheaper way of achieving the same result . i would thoroughly recommend this product it has saved weeks of unsavoury work and expense over the years . Marine Epoxies have a very informative website article on this type of hull coating , well worth a look .www. epoxyproducts.com

[hellosailor]

Wheels-
I don't think Moonchaser means "bottom" as in "bottom paint", I read him as using it to mean "the floorboards", i.e. where your feet and butt are going to be in a canoe or larger craft. And stuff like Durabak (Cote-l) and Rhino Liner are available in colors, not just black. Rhino Linings they even specify it for exterior boat decks.
The finished result should be similar to any glued-down antiskid sheets, more or less.

[Moonchaser2304]

hellosailor,
thank you for clariying...I did not word my question very well..actually I meant both.

I've done a lot of googling on using any of the various brands/colors of spray/roll on truck bed liners for use BOTH as a bottom paint for below the water line as well as a surface paint for non skid deck surfaces.

To my surprise I see some people claiming it works underwater..who woulda thunk?
I'm very skeptical of that until people on a board like this confirm it works but some people say they've seen it last longer than typical bottom paint.

On the second topic, for non skid deck surfaces, one write up says that is actually what the US Coast Guard uses, and it appears pretty foolproof and easier to apply than Interlux type products. They do caution against black due to heat and to use other colors on deck surfaces.

I was surprised to see a canoe (flexible surface) coated both on the bottom for abrasion resistance and in the inside for anti slip...I'm planning on building a stick and glue wood kayak and the only concern I have is abrasion from rocks on the bottom and they offer that stuff as an option to help reduce abrasion on the bottom.
Hmm...wonder if this stuff works?

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by gramos

i have ordered copper powder from marine epoxies in the usa and will mix and apply with epoxy from a local source . this is a much cheaper way of achieving the same result .

What you are proposing has been discussed extensively here and elsewhere. Simply mixing copper with epoxy will get you nothing more than an expensive, dirty hull. Anti foulings that use a biocide (copper-loaded epoxies, modified epoxies, ablatives etc.) have mechanisms designed to deliver that biocide to the surface so that it can retard growth. This is how they work. If you mix copper powder into an epoxy and apply it to your hull you are simply painting your hull with copper colored epoxy. The copper powder will be locked into the epoxy and will provide little (if any) anti fouling capability.

As has been said before by myself and others, you are trying to re-invent the wheel, most likely to your great disappointment. If a homemade anti fouling was as easy to make as you seem to think it is, the paint manufacturers would have been out of business years ago.

[Alan Wheeler]

Thanks Hellosailor.
I used to have some of my commercial speaker cabinets sprayed in Rhino. First thing to clarify is that the roll on do it yourself products ARE NOT the same. Rhino liner is applied as a hotmix product blown on by a special highpressure applicator gun. The product looked great for awhile, but once it wore through, it would then happily peal off. I guess if you applied a damn good base coat and the the Rhino, it won't matter if water gets underneath. And if you went for true Rhinoliner, that is exactly what would happen. The paint on version of it I am not sure. It maybe OK, but it is not a "true" truckbed liner like the Rhino type products. Teh other thing to think about is that these roll on versions are damn expensive. There are far cheaper materials that do as good a job or even better. "Treadgrip" is just one of many. I think these products are chlorinated rubber compounds. Basicaly they are a rubber based paint with fine granulated rubber chips in it. Great for wet area's and often sold in paint shops as a swimming pool deck suround paint coating. Available in white a some stock colours, but if you go white, it is easy to tint to your desired colour, as it is water based and excepts any standard paint tint.

[gramos]

Originally Posted by fstbttms

What you are proposing has been discussed extensively here and elsewhere. Simply mixing copper with epoxy will get you nothing more than an expensive, dirty hull. Anti foulings that use a biocide (copper-loaded epoxies, modified epoxies, ablatives etc.) have mechanisms designed to deliver that biocide to the surface so that it can retard growth. This is how they work. If you mix copper powder into an epoxy and apply it to your hull you are simply painting your hull with copper colored epoxy. The copper powder will be locked into the epoxy and will provide little (if any) anti fouling capability.

As has been said before by myself and others, you are trying to re-invent the wheel, most likely to your great disappointment. If a homemade anti fouling was as easy to make as you seem to think it is, the paint manufacturers would have been out of business years ago.

i think you missed something here , after the mixture is applied it is lightly abraded so as to expose the fine copper particles , held in suspension in the epoxy , which resists growth of marine life .

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by gramos

i think you missed something here , after the mixture is applied it is lightly abraded so as to expose the fine copper particles , held in suspension in the epoxy , which resists growth of marine life .

No, I understand what you intend to do. The problem is that you do not understand how anti foulings work. Even if you do abrade the surface and expose some copper, the rest of the copper is mixed throughout epoxy will not be exposed to the surface. Further, there is no mechanism to deliver the rest of the copper to the surface, as there is in actual, engineered anti fouling paint. Not only has what you are proposing been tried or discussed at length by many others, but if it was as simple as this, the paint companies would be doing it too. And I assure you that "Copperpoxy" and similar products are not simply epoxy with copper powder mixed in.

But it's your dime, as we say here in the States. Knock yourself out.

[Wotname]

Time to stick my 2 bobs worth in.
I am taking a gamble and have applied Coppercoat as supplied by Aquaris Marine in the UK. Can't tell you how it is working 'cause boat is still on the hard.
However it interesting to mix and apply and I am sure it is not just epoxy and copper powder. It is the only water soluble epoxy that I have used. Brushes and mixing pots can be washed out in water just like a water based paint. Until the mixture cures (about 24 hours depending on temps.) the boat has to be protected from rain. After it has cured it appears to just like most "normal" epoxy coatings.
The directions are quite specific in that the manufacturers thinners MUST be added to the mix. This is not for ease of application, rather it is to ensure the epoxy coating remains porous (the thinners leave "holes" as they evaporate during curing) thus allowing sea water permeate through the coating to "access" the copper powder. The thinners smell like they are methanol based.
To be honest I don't think it will work to well but thought nothing ventured, nothing gained. At least it is keeping the UV of the BoteCote epoxy while the boat is out of the water.

The only reports of success that I have heard, all come from cold water areas. That may be the key to the question.