Coppercoat Application

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by David M

Epoxy does not ablate. So how does it keep exposing new copper?

Would it be better to mix it with a paint that does ablate?

Mix a copper-loaded epoxy like Coppercoat with an ablative paint? What benefit is that supposed to provide?

[nigel1]

Originally Posted by David M

Epoxy does not ablate. So how does it keep exposing new copper?

Would it be better to mix it with a paint that does ablate?

The makers recommend that the coating is lightly abraded each year.
I have just had my boat coppercoated, the advantage to me is that the boat will only need to be lifted and held in slings for a few hours each year while the hull is washed and then the anti foul lightly abraded with fine wet and dry paper.
To me this is a big advantage as compared to hauling, scraping, then applying new AF.
For sure, it works a lot better in cold climes as to warm.

[Southernwing]

The Coppercoat brand is water based epoxy and is supposed to leach out. We are yet to see but if it avoids hauling out for three years then it has paid for itself. The point is... It does not do what it says and like one guy said.... If it did... We would not be having forums onvthe topic.

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[shamrock]

Ok, here are my results. I put Coppercoat on my two boats, a Montauk 17 and a Bristol 35.5. Both boats were moored in the western part of the Long Island sound. I believe it to be a pretty high fouling area especially late in the season. The Whaler was launched the first week of June and will be hauled out next weekend. The Bristol was launched the first week of August due to an Awlgrip job I was working on. My past experience has been with ablative paint from Interlux. I usually clean the bottom every few weeks to deal with shrimp and slime and to avoid barnacle formation. In the past, if I did not clean the bottom I would have barnacles in July assuming a May June launch. This year I did not clean the bottom to really put the Coppercoat to test. I did have to clean the prop as it was bare bronze bad full of barnacles to get the boat to move to haul it.

The results are really good. I would say much better than the Interlux paint I have been using for years. Only some shrimp buildup that came right off with one stroke of the powerwasher.

In all fairness, the whaler spent an additional two months in the water and I will post pictures when I haul that boat, but I can say that there are no barnacles and only some slime on the boat. Due to the fact that the whaler is a fast moving boat, I expect the results to be even better than the sailboat despite being in the water for the full season.

I also neglected to sand either boat as Coppercoat recommends as I was rushed with both boats

I also have a video of the boat being power washed if I can figure out how to load it.


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[shamrock]

Here is a shot of the bottom of the keel which was left bare due to the blocks. After 15 minutes of power washing the bottom is perfectly clean.


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[shamrock]

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[shamrock]

I just pulled my whaler that has been in since June, Pulled it this morning, November 1.

I'm impressed with how well it worked. I have had a small whaler on the Long Island sound most of my life, have always used ablative paint and have always had barnacles late in the season. I did not clean the bottom at all this season and the boat has been in the water the whole time. The boat was used 1-2 per week.

My only concern now is how long Coppercoat will last and if the effectiveness will continue or diminish over time.

I would love to hear from anyone else who has had more long term experience, but as of now, I am very happy with it.




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[SailRedemption]

Well haven't put the boat in the water yet, didn't work out with the yard management. It will have to wait till Dec when I get back from sea.

Otherwise, I have a picture of the bottom oxidizing from the hole in my hull where a transducer will be before it's splashed. Now this is just fresh water from the bilge running through it and the salt in the air from our brackish water we have down here..

Here's the picture... Inconclusive at best but thought I'd update with something.

[shamrock]

Put in my whaler last week for the second year of Coppercoat. It sure was nice not painting a boat bottom(s) for the first year in my adult life. Trying to get the sailboat in over the next few weeks also year 2 of coppercoat.




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[ish200]

Are there any limits on the use of copper antifouling? I was under the impression that it acted in a similar manner to the tin based coatings and was also causing issues to wild life?

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by ish200

Are there any limits on the use of copper antifouling? I was under the impression that it acted in a similar manner to the tin based coatings and was also causing issues to wild life?

Anti fouling paint regulations are enforced (in the U.S., anyway) at the state, regional or local level. So answering your question requires knowing where you do your sailing.

[shamrock]

As far as I know Coppercoat contains the maximum allowed copper but due to the fact that it lasts 10 years releases much less into the environment so has a far less impact over ablative or hard paint applied annually.


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[shamrock]

Originally Posted by fstbttms

Anti fouling paint regulations are enforced (in the U.S., anyway) at the state, regional or local level. So answering your question requires knowing where you do your sailing.

Not really


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[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by shamrock

As far as I know Coppercoat contains the maximum allowed copper but due to the fact that it lasts 10 years releases much less into the environment so has a far less impact over ablative or hard paint applied annually.

There is no "maximum allowable copper" content for anti fouling paints. If a manufacturer wanted to make a product with a 99.99% copper content, they are free to do so. And the reason Coppercoat has so little impact on the environment is that it releases almost none of it's copper into the water. This is also why its anti fouling properties are so poor.

[shamrock]

Originally Posted by fstbttms

There is no "maximum allowable copper" content for anti fouling paints. If a manufacturer wanted to make a product with a 99.99% copper content, they are free to do so. And the reason Coppercoat has so little impact on the environment is that it releases almost none of it's copper into the water. This is also why its anti fouling properties are so poor.

COPPERCOAT is the combination of a specially developed two-part epoxy resin and 99% pure copper. Each 1½ liter kit of COPPERCOAT contains 4.4 lbs of ultra fine copper powder, the maximum allowed by law.


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