Zyrex Ten-Year Bottom Paint

[jzk]

I saw this bottom paint at the Chicago indoor boat show yesterday, and I am thinking of trying it on our powerboat.

Not only is it advertized as having a 10 year life, it makes the claim that it is 100% waterproof, so it can be used as a barrier coat.

Has anyone tried it?

Thanks.

[Unicorn Dreams]

Haven't tried it but soumds promising

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by Unicorn Dreams

Haven't tried it but soumds promising

I've got a bridge in Brooklyn you might be interested in.

[capngeo]

Originally Posted by fstbttms

I've got a bridge in Brooklyn you might be interested in.

Yup.... I figure a bottom cleaner would not like that stuff much!

Link to brochure

****I am not affiliated with the manufacturer in any way****

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by capngeo

Yup.... I figure a bottom cleaner would not like that stuff much!

Hull cleaners like anti fouling products that work. They make our job easier. What we don't like are so-called "magic bullets" that make performance claims that simply are untrue. I do not say that Zyrex falls into this catagory. But what I do say is that in California, we have never seen an anti fouling product that either does not need regular cleaning or that performs for 10 years. And we've seen plenty of products that claim both.

Zyrex is one of a long line of unproven anti fouling solutions. If it's my money, I let somebody else be the guinea pig.

[boatman61]

ROFL....

[sailorboy1]

I read the manufacturer's entire website and I don't buy it. And it's been mostly used in freashwater. Saying it lasts up to 10 years is marketing talk meaning nothing. Means it MAY last only 1 day, but not 10 years + 1 day.

It's just a copolymer with rubber in it. May be easy to clean it you dive on it, but I don't know. But to me an anti-fouling paints effectiness is based on not having to go in the water all the time to clean the bottom. Heck if you go down and clean it every week how long would just barrier paint last?

Guess this is like the Coppercoat stuff. May be great and I hope it is and look forward to proof.

[sabray]

many of these new slick paints rely on speed to scrub the bottom. Or are aimed at friction reduction. Maybe they will come up with something. Im waiting.
MOL Adopts Low-friction Ship Bottom Paint on a New PCTC for the First Time | Journal of Commerce

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by sabray

many of these new slick paints rely on speed to scrub the bottom. Or are aimed at friction reduction. Maybe they will come up with something. Im waiting.
MOL Adopts Low-friction Ship Bottom Paint on a New PCTC for the First Time | Journal of Commerce

I suspect what you are thinking about are "foul release" coatings, which (in theory) are so slippery that fouling organisms cannot readily attach. There are some of these products commercially available to the recreational boating market, but they do require periodic cleaning, just as traditional anti fouling paints do. The benefit to the boater is that they are non-toxic.

The product your link refers to is not a foul release coating. It is a coating that actually fairs the hull, filling in imperfections in the hull surface, thereby reducing drag. On a large commercial cargo vessel, this translates to big dollars in fuel savings.

[sabray]

Thanks for the larifiation so far as foul release coatings it looks like zyrex claims to be one I know commercial ships are playing with this as well what are they using?

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by sabray

I know commercial ships are playing with this as well what are they using?

Couldn't begin to tell you.

As far as Zyrex goes, as previously mentioned, it looks as if it is aimed primarily at freshwater, extremely low fouling rate regions. The web site compares it to waxes and polishes, both of which are completely unsuitable for anti fouling in saltwater environments. Further, all of the photos presented as examples are of trailerable powerboats. My guess is that most sailors would find this product inferior to other forms of anti fouling. But I'd sure be interested in some anecdotal evidence.

[Funsail29]

My experience with these types of bottom paint is
the main ingredient is Bull Sh*t.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by Funsail29

My experience with these types of bottom paint is
the main ingredient is Bull Sh*t.

[D.D.]

Let's look at how long the company has been in business.....Brand new? And they can predict up to 10 years in advance? Then WTF are the Mega Million Lottery numbers for tonights drawing??? What a bunch of snake oil.....

[lancelot9898]

Originally Posted by sabray

I know commercial ships are playing with this as well what are they using?

Speaking of commercial ships, two years ago when I hauled out and bought a couple of gallons of ablative paint from Bluewater, I asked the salesman over the phone about their commercial paint which had a 5 year product life. He told me that the paint was useful for vessels traveling thousands of miles per year and that even using my sailboat every week would not approximate the useage that would be required to get good performance out of that paint. I'm still not sure about that explaination in that sitting out in front of the house here on the Cheaspeake are maybe a half dozen ocean going boats at anchorage waiting for a berth to open in the Baltimore Harbour. Over the summer some of those boats sat for over a month so that seems insufficient to clean the bottom by his explaination. And I would not think they would be dry docked every couple of years to paint. An argument could also be made that more speed in needed for effective cleaning however again if that being the case then power boats should benefit. So...how are these ocean going freighters able to keep their bottoms clean for extended periods??