Boat U.S. - March 2009 - (Page 29)

the copper footprint by up to 40 percent. The result, he says, is a copper biocide surface that provides superior protection for your boat, with a core made from materials found naturally in the ocean. Also, CCT produces a lighter weight paint, he says, which helps reduce fuel consumption. are moving far beyond the simple mixing of batches of barnacle and slime fighters cialized tools to clean different surfaces. For instance, comparatively softer silicone surfaces require more delicate cleaning, while epoxy and ceramic-epoxy surfaces require more aggressive cleaning. Power tools and larger boats to carry them are needed by boat-hull cleaners to clean heavier fouling that develops on non-toxic coatings.” And then there’s the tradeoff of facilitating the spread of invasive species, as a result of less potent bottom paints. Paint manufacturers Paint And The Environment To further stir up the mix, some groups are raising environmental concerns about the use of copper. Its use on recreational boats has been limited in some parts of Europe, and at least one marina in California is working to prohibit its use. But this is not a simple issue. Good bottom-paint biocides can be helpful to the environment, not only because they promote better fuel efficiency and thus lower carbon emissions, but also because they hinder the spread of harmful aquatic life from one area to another. And ingredients that don’t work well cause other problems. The complexity of the issue can be seen in some of the articles on the web site of the California Sea Grant program. For example, one by John Stumbos said that copper-based paints have been banned for use on recreational boats in some areas of Europe, but that “a whole new generation of nontoxic boat bottom coatings is emerging …” each having “its own strengths and weaknesses in durability, performance, and cost. “The trade-off is [that] nontoxic surfaces require more frequent in-water hull cleaning by professional divers who need spe- Science And Caution Researchers are looking for copper substitutes. Janssen PMP a division of Janssen , Pharmaceutica NV, (www.janssenpmp.com; a member of the Johnson and Johnson family of companies) has developed a new biocide called Econea that they claim is very effective and less harmful to the environment than copper. Paint manufacturers who wish to use this or other biocides in their products must obtain approval (“registration”) from the EPA and the states in which it will be used. Janssen announced on October 6, 2008, that Interlux received EPA registration for a product containing Econea for pleasure boats. Liveaboard And Do-It-Yourself Expert Tom Neale and his family have lived aboard a series of boats named Chez Nous for 30 years. To read more from Tom, visit: www.BoatUS.com/cruising http://www.janssenpmp.com http://www.BoatUS.com/cruising

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Boat U.S. - March 2009

Boat U.S. - March 2009 Contents Reader Forum Boat U.S. Reports What’s New In The Brew? The Perfect Paint Job Launch Into Spring Boats Gear Wheels One Mom, Two Teens, No Exit So, Nigel Had This Idea Ice Devices It Was A Club Of Their Own Expanding The Boating Universe Tech Connection A Case Study In Getting Results Let’s All Do This Together Classifieds Member Benefits/At Your Service

Boat U.S. - March 2009

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