silicone anti fouling paint really works!!

[nathanknight]

In answer to Silicone Paint Question. Does Silicone work? YM Dec 04

I use silicone paint instead of anti-foul. It's very very slippery! I've had it on my hull for the last 2 years and although it fouls slowly you only have to get a quick wiped down and it's back to normal. I pay £40 a month to boatscrubbers for my 30ft Bavaria and that gives me unlimited scrubbing!

I was skeptical at first but the paint and scrub system real works. It cost me about £500 to be lifted out/in and painted with the stuff at Port Solent.

 

[LadyInBed]

What is the Silicone Paint brand name and cost?

 

[No1_Moose]

I may be wrong but isnt Teflon more slippy than Silicone, a brief search on the internet reveals that Silcone has a friction coefficient of 0.4 while Teflon is 0.003. Maybe it is something else in the paint that makes it work?

I don't know

 

[nathanknight]

Seajet make the paint but I think boatscrubbers are the uk agents. I haven't found it anywhere else.

Good Question regarding Teflon.

I don't know if Teflon is more slippy but what I do know is it still needs to be re-painted each year. (that's expensive!) Slicone only re-painted every 3/4yrs.

I'm not a massive racer (sail) but I'm about 0.4 knot faster with silicone than with my regular anti-fouling. Less friction in guess?

I know the Honda Power Boat Team silicone their boats for extra performance. They were talking about it on radio solent the other week.

Interesting topic

 

[No1_Moose]

Lobbing in copious amounts of Copper works pretty well too (makes it rough though)

 

[nathanknight]

Copper, TBT certain Heavey metals all work well

However not the best for our environment!!

 

[No1_Moose]

I accept that heavy metals are not the best thing to use but copper is less damaging to human health than silicon which can cause all sorts of breathing probs.

 

[Macam]

Anyone know of a silican paint that will work on a traditional clinker hull? The one used by boat scrubber is epoxy based and not suitable for a moving hull?

 

[bluedragon]

Don't confuse Silicon with Silica with Silicone...they are as different as as chalk and cheese! Silicone paint additives have been around for decades, but I imagine these products must have a more silicone rich surface to provide the low surgace energy required to "release" organisms that are trying to bond to the hull. Teflon (PTFE) works in a similar fashion, and although it might theoretically be more "non-stick" it again depends on how much is present at the paint / water interface, and how long it stays there. In the end it probably depends more on the formulation skills of the development chemists rather than choice of a particular active ingredient.