Ceramic bottom paint

[PeterK]

Getting to be time for a bottom job and a charter captain I know has been talking about this with me. Anyone out there used it yet?

My understanding is the cost is not much more than a premium bottom paint and it can be applied over existing paint. Durability is supposed to be superb and aggressive Scotch pads can be used on it without wearing it as readily as copper based.

I also have been told they are putting it in topsides paints now too.

Comments?

 

[jim rosenthal]

Is there a specific brand to look at? I have not heard of this before.

 

[SEVEN]

In the paint industry the use of ceramic coatings are used primarily for heat reflective purposes. I would love to hear what everybody else is saying about this new bottom paint. In California believe it or not they are making it mandatory in the next year or so to only use latex bottom paint. Can you believe that?

 

[RonNP]

This is why I will be taking my boat to Ensenada Mexico for bottom painting. Rusty is the paint expert but I can't believe latex paint will protect our boat bottoms.

 

[Boatsb]

This is why I will be taking my boat to Ensenada Mexico for bottom painting. Rusty is the paint expert but I can't believe latex paint will protect our boat bottoms.

Latex protects things. Think about it.


OK so reality.

latex or copolymer base its still not going to stop growth without the copper and or other growth inhibitors. California is just letting you know that the sea creatures are now a protected class.

LBGTQS2SC

 

[SeaEric]

I was a painting contractor for almost 20 years in a previous life which ended in 1992. Oil base was all we used for anything that needed to endure. Fast forward to five years ago - I did a somewhat fancy high gloss epoxy floor finish in the 3 car garage-mahal at my new house. The paint was a 2 part catalyzed epoxy WATER BASED finish. I was dumbfounded. I applied it adhering to the directions to the letter. It's held up beautifully and looks the same today as the day I finished the job. Water based paints of today are really quite good. Since they now cost 5 times what they used to, they should be.

 

[SEVEN]

Technology today is far superior to that of 20 years ago. I too was a painting contractor for a number of years and loved the way oil base paint is applied and smelled. I do question the ability of latex paint holding up submerged for two years. Obviously it must work and has been tested. I'll go someplace else and buy the old formulated products before I try the new latex. I'll let the rookie boaters try it out until it is absolutely been tested for at least a few years.

 

[MikeP]

WHY paint the bottom at all if there is no creature-killing (or repellent) element in the paint? IOW, if the paint doesn't keep growth/barnacles off, there is absolutely no reason for it to be on there that I can see. What exactly would it do other than add weight and make money for paint sellers? Am I missing something obvious?

 

[jim rosenthal]

No, I don't think you're missing anything, and I still would like to know the brand of ceramic bottom paint.

 

[luckydave215]

This is why I will be taking my boat to Ensenada Mexico for bottom painting. Rusty is the paint expert but I can't believe latex paint will protect our boat bottoms.

Beware, EPA goons watch the Ensenada yards for US boats that get non Commifornia approved paints applied. If you're heading on the "milk run" (south Pacific) from there, fine - apply tributyl tin if you want. Just don't head back across the border with anything not on the list of OK paints.

 

[luckydave215]

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has been trying to get San Diego boaters to use that foolish ceramic paint. They said "just have a diver scrub it once a week"(!)
Needles to say, only the very serious big boat sail racers have gone for it as it can be polished to a high gloss with enough $$ in the yard, and they dive the boat every week anyway.

 

[PeterK]

Is there a specific brand to look at? I have not heard of this before.

Have not gotten to the point of getting a brand name, just have had a few general conversations. It was stated either the coasties or navy (I can't remember which) are using it now.

I'm no authority on nano technology but the benefit as I understand it, is the surface is so smooth that growth cannot readily adhere to it, i.e. the mollusk glue won't hold.

 

[SEVEN]

A friend of mine is applying it on his new barrier coat because he says ( not confirmed) that this product must be applied to a freshly sand blasted surface or new boat bottom. It cannot be applied over an existing bottom paint. If this is true we are all in you a huge expense. Again I'm only going off what my friend has read up on. Anyone know anything different?

 

[MikeP]

I'm no authority on nano technology but the benefit as I understand it, is the surface is so smooth that growth cannot readily adhere to it, i.e. the mollusk glue won't hold.

A beJillion barnacles around the world are laughing uproariously at the advertising claims, waiting for a free ride with no troublesome copper to deal with!

Quote from Scientific America specifically re the Goose Barnacle - so may or may not be applicable to all:
"The marine crustacean produces an adhesive made up of several proteins and can affix to material such as wood, plastic, glass and even other animals and plants" If they can adhere to glass, then ceramic won't be a problem!

OTOH, I've seen some underwater pics of some ancient ruins in the Med that have growth on all items EXECPT for some decorative tiles. So maybe there is something to it. OR maybe the marketing dept for the paint went down and cleaned off the tiles first... I do not trust ANY claim made by the maker of a product.

 

[rsmith]

Another reason NOT to live in California

 

[Avenger]

Problem is, just like weather, those bunny-hugger ideas move from west to east.

Unintended consequences: Imagine the increase of the carbon footprint when you run a boat with a fouled bottom.

 

[MikeP]

Met a guy while at anchor near Stamford, CT a few years back. He/wife lived aboard their Mainship and claimed the boat hadn't been out of the water for 14 years. Said he didn't care about clean bottom because he never went faster than 6-8 knots. I will admit that at displacement speed, even when our props/shafts are so covered with barnacles that WOT only results in 11 knots, the RPM at 8-9 knots seems no different than it is with clean props/shafts and approx 18K top speed.

 

[Avenger]

RPM may be the same, but the fuel burn to maintain that RPM will be higher.

 

[Vincentc]

My experience with barnacles and speed differs from Mike's.
We usually cruise Lilly Marie at 1150 RPM's and 8.3 kts. After about 6 months without scraping the props, speed at 1200 rpm was about 6.5 kts.

 

[bobk]

My experience with barnacles and speed differs from Mike's.
We usually cruise Lilly Marie at 1150 RPM's and 8.3 kts. After about 6 months without scraping the props, speed at 1200 rpm was about 6.5 kts.

Yep, prop fouling will kill speed and economy even faster than some barnacles on the hull even at hull speed.

Bobk