Plasma sprayed plastic bottom?

[Cheechako]

Saw this in a magazine, anyone heard of it. Not fiberglass, water intrusion blocked....

[HopCar]

I've heard of plasma sprayed metals used on metal boats but not plastic. Zinc has been sprayed on steel hulls to sort of galvanize them. I think someone even tried spraying copper on a steel hull as antifoulant.

Where did you hear about plastic spraying? What is it supposed to do?

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by HopCar

I've heard of plasma sprayed metals used on metal boats but not plastic. Zinc has been sprayed on steel hulls to sort of galvanize them. I think someone even tried spraying copper on a steel hull as antifoulant.

Where did you hear about plastic spraying? What is it supposed to do?

There was an ad for a service that does it with a picture in a Northwest Yachting mag I read while waiting having some car work done. I guess it is like a barrier coat with some copper in it also.

[Dsanduril]

I wonder if this is the stuff?

Tefcite Antifouling Technology « SprayWerx Technologies Inc

In the notes says it is marketed by Spraywerx in Western Canada, which might tie in with your PNW magazine.

[Cheechako]

Yep, that's it. Probably snake oil, but... you never know I guess...
Tefcite Highlights:

• Patented technology incorporating copper based thermoplastic composite powder
• Long lasting , proven technology with over 10 years of continuous service
• As sprayed smooth finish 5-8 mils thick
• Large area application rates up to 500 sq /ft per hour using robotic applicator
• Repels marine organisms before they take hold to underwater surfaces
• Protects against barnacles, mussels and other marine organisms
• Maintains smooth surface over coating lifetime providing increased fuel savings of approximately 10% comparred to conventional antifouling coatings
• Applied onto steel, aluminum, fiberglass, gel coat and galvanized surfaces
• Thermal spray process with no VOCs
• Can be applied in high humidity, hot or cool weather
• Meets EPA limits for leaching (ASTM D6442- 90 day test measured copper leaching rates of one micro gram per sq. / cm/ 24 hours).
• Pending EPA approval

Applications

• Ship hulls and subsurface structures including , drive shafts, brackets, propellers, petcocks, trim tabs, rudders & lead keels
• Power generation water intakes
• Marine Structures

[Dsanduril]

Yep. Looks like the source company is here:

Materials & Services — BAT&C

TEFCITE™

EPA-approved, ultra-low copper leach rate, anti-biofoulant coating for recreational sailboats, yachts, commercial fishing fleets, marine service providers, and ocean-going cargo and cruise ships.

HVIF plasma spray system applies a functionalized covalent melt bonded anti-foulant repellant thermoplastic coating – Tefcite™. Designed for over 35 knots speed, Tefcite™ does not leach high levels of biocides constituents into water and there is no high-level copper biocide discharge run-off during hull cleaning. Patented technology provides over 20 years fouling control performance with fewer underwater or out of dry dock hull cleaning cycles. Tefcite™ repels Zebra mussel attachments to boat and ship hulls, power generation industry, manufacturing industries, water and waste treatment facilities and other industrial processing equipment. Tefcite™ provides fouling protection for all water conditions – salt, fresh, brackish, warm or cold temperatures. Yachts can be dry docked and stored over long time intervals and re-launched without affecting anti-fouling performance. Tefcite™ can be applied in high humidity, hot or cool weather conditions and there is no cure time between coating applications.

[a64pilot]

I don't know why it wouldn't work, but I'd want to know how do you remove it before I put it on though

One of you guys try it first

[Dsanduril]

If I understand their website properly, this is a test plate that was in the water 7 months (static, hanging, no movement):



And this is after cleaning:



Which to me indicates that it is maybe "easy to clean" rather than "antifouling", but I guess that depends on what you are looking for.

Source:Literature — BAT&C

[a64pilot]

I know this may sound silly and I'm sure it's been tried, but I have wondered if you couldn't Teflon coat a hull, easy to clean is fine with me, but I bet a Barnacle could stick even to Teflon.

[northwestsailor]

Originally Posted by Dsanduril

And this is after cleaning:

I guess it begs the question: how much cleaning? If you could start up and cruise at 5 kts for 10 minutes and the hull would be clean again, then you might have something.

[HopCar]

It sounds like the same idea as the copper loaded epoxy resins that are sold as antifoulants. I tried one once and wasn't impressed. At least the epoxy made a good surface to put paint on.


I wonder if you can paint over this plastic stuff if you don't like it?

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I know this may sound silly and I'm sure it's been tried, but I have wondered if you couldn't Teflon coat a hull, easy to clean is fine with me, but I bet a Barnacle could stick even to Teflon.

When I ran an Aerospace shop I coated a bronze prop with leftover Teflon product that had "date expired" for aero work. It worked very well. Nothing stuck to that prop. Unfortunately, it requires baking at like 500+ degrees when you apply it.... so not going to work on Fiberglass!
I've often thought this would be a good service to pride for boat owners. Probably expensive by the time you bought the flouro/Teflon and the shipping involved though.

[hellosailor]

"no VOCs"
That's probably the crux of it. Instead of using some kind of "plastic" (i.e. latex) binder that water-evaporates and leaves the copper content painted on the hull, they are doing plasma spraying so it is just "paint and launch" which could justify the cost for some owners as well.
I'm thinking of powder coating and Plastidip, guessing this is in some way a similar "plastic" and wondering what happens when the copper is gone and there's a batch of plastic to scrape off and dispose of?

[a64pilot]

I hadn't thought about it, but many years ago I used to build and race Drag bikes, we often Teflon coated the pistons on the turbo bikes, and had to bake it on.
Wonder if you could still get that stuff, called piston kote or something like that.
We just used a regular house oven, turned up as high as it would go and it worked

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

and wondering what happens when the copper is gone and there's a batch of plastic to scrape off and dispose of?

That is what I'm wondering, think of melted and sprayed on layer of Starboard for example, that might be a bear to get off?