Copper Coat Bottom Paint

[timbenner]

Has anyone used Copper Coat bottom paint? They say it lasts 10 years. It's epoxy with fine copper mixed in at a high concentration.

I'm currently on the hard trying to pick a bottom paint.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by timbenner

Has anyone used Copper Coat bottom paint? They say it lasts 10 years. It's epoxy with fine copper mixed in at a high concentration.

I'm currently on the hard trying to pick a bottom paint.

If it's anything similar to the Copper Clad that we have, you should not do it...

cheers,
Nick.

[fstbttms]

There have been many threads about this:

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...archid=2515507

[witchcraft]

The link you posted seems to be broken. Ah the age old question of bottom paint! Ten years active or ten years of recoating before having to remove it all and start from scratch? Ten years is quite a claim. Many anti fouling may be multi year depending upon where one sails.
Fair Winds

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by witchcraft

The link you posted seems to be broken.

Then just search the forum for "coppercoat". Many, many threads about it.

[SteveT]

I've got CopperCoat actually on my hull and I do not rate it. My boat is left permanently in the water and after a few months there is a definite growth of slime, more irritating is a the fact that barnacles also manage to get started on it too, albeit only in very localised areas. CopperCoat also advise the boat too be lifted every two years to both scrub and gently sand the surface to activate fresh copper. Where I am in the UK the expensive part of this operation is being lifted in the first place, so if I have to do it every two years anyway it all seems a bit pointless. Furthermore when the boat is lifted and the boat dries out areas of the paint detach and I am not sure why. CopperCoat reckon it is due to the original material underneath although I did apply their recommended sealing coat and it still does it. Given the high cost of this paint over conventional paints I personally do not think it is worthwhile and would not repeat the exercise. Having said that some people swear by it rather than at it, so you pays your money and takes your choice.

[bella]

I am a solid fan of Sea Hawk Paints.. based out of Clearwater Fl. They use Tampabay as their testing grounds.. we have green mussels, slime and a lot more.. great stuff and they have one that is sold in the Carribean.. IF you can find someone who is coming back get them to grab you a few gallons of that one..
main website..
Sea Hawk Premium Boat Bottom Paint, Anti-Fouling & Ablative Marine Coatings

This is what I have used and I am a solid fan of the product
Tropikote Biocide Plus

NON US exports... can be purchased in the Carib.
Products by Category

[Schooner Chandlery]

We've had Coppercoat on since 3-2009. So, 3 years so far.

Notes:

First few months it was not really effective, but once it picked up a bit of patina/oxidation it became more effective. We did a haulout in at 15 months specifically to raise the painted waterline a couple inches adding more bottom paint in that narrow waterline strip. We power washed the bottom at the beginning of the haulout but did not sand or otherwise try to reveal more copper on the hull.

Where the newly applied bottom paint was, for the first few months it was not so effective. But, like the older stuff, once it had some patina, it became more effective. Unlike conventional bottom paints which work great in the first few months following application and then less well, this stuff is the opposite seeming to have to get-in-the-groove before working and it works better after several months.

We have been in the Pacific ocean with water temperatures varying seasonally from high 50's into mid-70's depending on where we are sailing.

Presently, we're in the San Francisco Bay area sitting in a Redwood City marina with a boat just a few slips down which I just learned had Trinidad applied about a year ago. We're new here, but the other boat owner is familiar with the local pests/waters. Both our boats have the same irritating "mud film" which builds up with the silty tidal waters here. He states that's just the "local waters" I dunno... I use a soft bristle brush and a pole and I can smooth it away--it takes no effort--but I'm not happy to see it on the hull! There are no barnacles or other growth just that silty mud and mostly along one quarter of the boat. A bit later in the spring we'll be anchorage hopping again, and I'll see if my bottom paint does as well as it has everywhere else besides this muddy creek location.

On other boats I've had ablative copper and years ago even TBT bottom paints that have fared no better in Pacific waters. So...???

Not planning on replacing the bottom paint any time soon.