Old International Antfouling

[Frankklose]

We have on our German Forum some arguments about Antifouling.
As far as I remember International produced Tinoxyed based Antifouling in the late 70´s after that the changed to a TBT Antifouling I think it was called Cruiser copolymer in the mid 80´s this stuff was replaced by Micron which contained Copperoxyed.
Are my facts correct?
I can remember that I removed the copper stuff in the beginning of the 80th and TBT was the big thing at the time. In the mid 80th I had to remove for the stuff with Copper as far as I remember it was Micron.
Some people over here tell me hat I am incorrect.
(I have been living in the 80th in the UK) therefore it might have been different in Germany.
Perhaps somebody knows the Antifouling history and can help.

 

[VicS]

Intrenational produced TBT antifouling in the late seventies, but I don't know when it started.

Along with other popular antifoulings at the time it contained tributyl tin oxide as the active constituent

The hard TBT based antifoulings were replaced by very soft eroding, or "self polishing" antifoulings when the concentrations of TBT had to be reduced. "Cruiser Copolymer" was the International product I used for a short while from around 1980 I would think.

Then the use of TBT in antifoulings for leisure craft was banned totally although it continued in use for commercial vessels for sometime.

IIRC there was a time when TBT based antifoulings could still be purchased in (some ) European countries and due to a quirk of British Law which prohibited their sale but not their use they could still be used here! I might not have got that totally correct though.

 

[VicS]

To add to and correct some of the info above:

The use of organo tin compounds in antifouling was developed during the 1960s and tbt was in widespread use during the 1970s and into the 1980s

The effects of organo tin compounds on certain species of shell fish became apparent in the early 80s and led to a Europe wide ban on their use on vessels under 25m in 1987.

The ban was extended to all shipping from EU countries in 2003. The ban worldwide does not become effective until September 2008

I still don't know the exact dates that the UK, if not the rest of Europe, used the lower strength eroding antifoulings such as International's Cruiser Copolymer but it could only have been for 2, or 3 years at the most, before the total ban became effective in 1987.

 

[vyv_cox]

I bought my GK29 in about 1991. I bought the boat in the winter with the hull coated in the previous season's antifouling, which I overcoated with Micron. I later found that the A/F in place was the last of some 'saved' TBT. Due to the launch circumstances with a crane and a very crowded dock I was unable to A/F the four squares beneath the cradle pads.

At the end of the season the hull was quite badly fouled, except for the four squares, which were pristine.

 

[Grajan]

The last of the TBT yellow ( not a popular colour!!) was used on the cradle that lifted the "Mary Rose" 1982 if thats any help
Cruiser copolymer was produced off the back of the Marine Self polishing systems which has led onto the eroding Antifouling systems that we now use Yacht products using sophisticated copper technology with Marine products staying mainly with tin based biocides for their extended life, multi coat products

 

[Grajan]

The last of the TBT yellow ( not a popular colour!!) was used on the cradle that lifted the "Mary Rose" 1982 if thats any help
Cruiser copolymer was produced off the back of the Marine Self polishing systems which has led onto the eroding Antifouling systems that we now use
Modern Yacht products are now using sophisticated copper technology with Marine products staying mainly with tin based biocides for their extended life, multi coat products
The next generation of antifoulings will be the non toxic products and are already being used on the fast cat type ferries but these are difficult to perfect for the boating market due to the amount of static time spent on moorings but the biggest drawback is currently, cost!!!

 

[Pasarell]

VicS is largely correct. TBTO was the main ingredient in most International products until 1987 when it was banned for sale for use on boats under 25m in most European countries. Leading up to the ban Cruiser Copolymer was the product most widely used with Micron 25 being the premium product and Micron Clear the absolute best.
The TBT ban in 1987 meant most antifoulings switched to copper oxide boosted by organic biocides, the strength of which have been gradually eroded by legislation over the years. The Cruiser and Micron names survived the change as did the Blakes names of Tiger and Titan. The original ban was just on the sale, not use, of TBT. Many people stored up TBT products for years and anyway it was still for sale in France among other places. Can't remember the other significant dates as its use was gradually banned and sales stopped throughout Europe.
Use of TBT is now banned for all antifouling purposes in virtually all the world and as from this year it became illegal for big ships to even have it on the hull even if overcoated with current antifoulings. Contrary to some of the comments on here no ships, navy or commercial, can now trade in Europe, North America, Japan or most of the rest of the world if they are coated with TBT.

 

[VicS]

[ QUOTE ]
The Cruiser and Micron names survived the change as did the Blakes names of Tiger and Titan

[/ QUOTE ] But I think you will find that the regulations require there to be some change in the name when ever the formulation is changed. Tiger became Tiger Tinfree for example. International tend to add words like plus, extra, optima premium and so on.

 

[Pasarell]

Name changes aren't due to legislation otherwise the name would change pretty much every year but that was an obvious time to make a change while trying to keep the brand strength of the original name. That was why Cruiser Copolymer became just Cruiser and Micron 25 became Micron