Neeves
Well-known member
It is also soft and easily damaged, if you hit a bit of wood in the water or the slings when you slip. It is very difficult to repair any damage to the coating.
If you need to remove most yards will demand you are 'tented off' as any dust on adjacent yachts will ensure any new conventional AF will not stick as the silicone dust resists adhesion.
If you read the Health and Safety data for the coatings some suggest that some of the components may be carcinogenic. If you ever see professionals working with silicone coatings they wear full hazmat suits with respirators. The coatings are sufficiently new that full detail of the health implications are not yet known - and no-one is taking any chances.
Silicone coatings were the next big thing for commercial vessels - some have rejected the technology and reverted to conventional AF. Maersk use a conventional Jotun, Carnival have replaced silicones on some (all?) for conventional.
The big success story seems to be Prop Speed - but it is a very niche part of the market.
As I said earlier.
If it was successful and problem free - we would know about it. Success would engender press releases in every marine publication, industrial or leisure, and every surface coating manufacturer would have the product in their portfolio. Internet forum (and the influencers) would be full of positive stories and advice. Development is not over - Prop Speed recently introduced a stripper for silicones (but its taken at least a decade for that to happen). It is indicative of success, or not, that International are not touting a product......
Jonathan
If you need to remove most yards will demand you are 'tented off' as any dust on adjacent yachts will ensure any new conventional AF will not stick as the silicone dust resists adhesion.
If you read the Health and Safety data for the coatings some suggest that some of the components may be carcinogenic. If you ever see professionals working with silicone coatings they wear full hazmat suits with respirators. The coatings are sufficiently new that full detail of the health implications are not yet known - and no-one is taking any chances.
Silicone coatings were the next big thing for commercial vessels - some have rejected the technology and reverted to conventional AF. Maersk use a conventional Jotun, Carnival have replaced silicones on some (all?) for conventional.
The big success story seems to be Prop Speed - but it is a very niche part of the market.
As I said earlier.
If it was successful and problem free - we would know about it. Success would engender press releases in every marine publication, industrial or leisure, and every surface coating manufacturer would have the product in their portfolio. Internet forum (and the influencers) would be full of positive stories and advice. Development is not over - Prop Speed recently introduced a stripper for silicones (but its taken at least a decade for that to happen). It is indicative of success, or not, that International are not touting a product......
Jonathan
