Adhesive Films for Anti-fouling?

[rourkeh]

3M has come out with a new product to replace painting your hull. Similar idea in plastics. They use a porous plastic type sheet to wrap the hull, bonding agent underneath. When it drys you cannot tell the difference between their product and paint. You can do a smaller sized boat, say 40' in a day for less than half of the cost of traditional paint job. Interesting advances in technology. Time will tell with these products.

[MerlinBrasil]

Originally Posted by Sailmonkey

Merlinbrasil,

I don't feel that 5000 for a 50'+ boat is all that expensive considering the amount of prep work the bottom needs and the labor to cut and fit the film to the unusual contours. I'm also a little unclear on how your perceived get rich quick pricing translates to bad management.


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

Hi Sailmonkey,

I'm looking at a new build, so prep work minimal. I have no idea what the 50'+ boat is which you have in mind. A new company/product, like a new build from a builder is normally priced 10-20% high, to cover any possible contingencies (which they keep if all goes well). Nobody starts a business to lose money. 5K may or may not be the "right price", but as no two ships are alike, it would have to be considered on a case by case basis.

Easy to clarify regarding a new company. Look at the stats on start up companies. A very significant % of them go under long before a 5 year warranty would matter. Usually, bad management is to blame.

I didn't say, nor infer, that THIS company had bad management or were doomed! Just a general caveat regarding new products and new companies. It is, as I said, a potential RISK which should be considered.

And thanks to rourkeh for finding the 3M product! I believe I also mentioned that there would be competition I just didn't expect it to be on the market so quickly.

I started this thread precisely to get more info on these new developments and I'm thrilled to see that it's bearing fruit. I have no problem with bleeding edge technologies, nor being a first adopter when it makes sense to do so. But I also consider the risks.

Best,
Merlin

[MerlinBrasil]

Originally Posted by rourkeh

3M has come out with a new product to replace painting your hull. Similar idea in plastics. They use a porous plastic type sheet to wrap the hull, bonding agent underneath. When it drys you cannot tell the difference between their product and paint. You can do a smaller sized boat, say 40' in a day for less than half of the cost of traditional paint job. Interesting advances in technology. Time will tell with these products.

Thanks, Rourkeh!

Can you provide any more info or URLs to the 3M product? I hadn't heard of it before.

Thanks again,
Merlin

[meatservo]

Promising technology! replied to subscribe!







meatservo

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by rourkeh

3M has come out with a new product to replace painting your hull. Similar idea in plastics. They use a porous plastic type sheet to wrap the hull, bonding agent underneath. When it drys you cannot tell the difference between their product and paint. You can do a smaller sized boat, say 40' in a day for less than half of the cost of traditional paint job. Interesting advances in technology. Time will tell with these products.

Originally Posted by MerlinBrasil

And thanks to rourkeh for finding the 3M product! I believe I also mentioned that there would be competition I just didn't expect it to be on the market so quickly.

There is no mention of any 3M anti fouling film for use on boats that I can find on Google or the 3M web site.

[aclmck]

Originally Posted by fstbttms

There is no mention of any 3M anti fouling film for use on boats that I can find on Google or the 3M web site.

try wearlon corp 3m
i googled (3m antifouling)and it came up seems its been around for several yrs

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by aclmck

try wearlon corp 3m
i googled (3m antifouling)and it came up seems its been around for several yrs

Wearlon is a hydrophobic coating, not a film or plastic sheet applied with adhesive. Nor is the company associated with 3M. But thanks for playing.

[SoundOfSilence]

Robert in Micanti says that he doesn't recommend to apply his product on the propellers as it may influence the efficiency of the propellers.

All taken into consideration I now have the following comments:
1. As the main propeller and bow thruster are the worst areas for growth, I would have to lift the boat up every year anyway to paint these.
2. The product has never been tested on a sailboat before and there is also very little prove that it works on commercial vessels.
3. Should the product not fulfill expectations, it would be a big job/expensive to take it off again.
4. I have therefore decided to not try the product, even with a good discount on the price of 5000 euros and will wait until it has been tested properly on a sailboat in Mediterranean waters.
5. Robert de Ruiter in Micanti is answering e-mails quickly and has given a professional impression.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by SoundOfSilence

The product has never been tested on a sailboat before and there is also very little prove that it works on commercial vessels.

[MerlinBrasil]

Thanks, SOS

I'm surprised they haven't taken the trouble to try their product out on a few small sailboats in different waters. Even just doing 1 sq meter patches on a few boats would provide some real data to market with.

We represent a significant market potential. Not doing this makes me question their management. There would be a strong case to be made, assuming it performs as advertised, to use test data, photos, and scientific evidence that it works to present to their assumed 'whale' potential clients; cruise ships, military, tankers, etc.

But.... that's just me

Thanks for the good research, SOS

Best,
Merlin

[SoundOfSilence]

Hi Merlin,

I think they are just a small company at this stage and have enough to do with present projects. They probably can't handle the workload with multiple small boat projects just yet.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by SoundOfSilence

Hi Merlin,

I think they are just a small company at this stage and have enough to do with present projects. They probably can't handle the workload with multiple small boat projects just yet.

Or the product is just another in a long list of anti fouling magic bullets that weren't.