8/8/2023 0 Comments Mar pro paint![]() The holes withstand the attack of marine growth better than any other marker system. Each panel is identified by a series of holes drilled in a simple binary code. Label instructions for drying time and number of coats required are followed. We then apply the bottom paints, following the instructions supplied with each paint. ![]() Testers begin with brand-new polyester/fiberglass panels, wash them with a de-waxing solvent, sand them lightly with fine-grit sandpaper, and wash them again with solvent to remove any wax or mold-release agent. We’ll see how these winners hold out after 6 more months in the drink. But as you see in our 18-month report, fortunes change. Flexdel Aquagard came out as the top water-based paint. Best Buy honors went to Pettit Premium for an ablative paint and MarPro SuperKote for a hard coating. So which paints did well after six months? As of December, two high-end paints Interlux Micron Optima and Sea Hawk’s new Biocop TF performed best overall. Prices of hard paints, which use more copper than ablative/copolymer types, have increased by 13 percent. The rising cost of copper has led to a roughly 10-percent increase overall in pricing from January 2006 to January 2007. The no-copper hunt is driven by more than just good intentions. Meanwhile, perennial contender Sea Hawk has two new copper-free paints. On the white-and-bright colors front, Interlux began marketing two more paints (Micron Extra and Micron CSC) as "Bright Colored Antifoulings," a category where Pettit has seen much success with its Vivid line. This year nearly half of the Group B paints contain a slime-fighting agent. Three trends in the bottom-paint market continue to gain momentum: the use of anti-slime additives, the increasing number of paints available in bright or white colors, and finally, a hunt for an environmentally friendly paint that can match copper paints. Last June we dropped a Powerboat Reports record 66 paints in the water in two locations, a dock on Long Island Sound in Connecticut, and another dock in a canal in Tavernier, Fla. Today’s anti-fouling paints may be more effective than ever at keeping the bottom of your boat free of marine growth or very close to it but the ever-increasing number of coatings on the market hasn’t made it any easier when it comes time to choose a paint. Before rating the 66 paints, a tester sluices the panels with buckets of sea water.Ĭross-reference the six-month report with the 18-month report. Boat owners seeking multi-season protection will want toīottom-paint panels in Florida were pulled in December for inspection after six months in a saltwater canal. For those looking for single-season coverage, the six-month report will be the most up-to-date guide. Next month we’ll look at the results of our freshwater test after six months in Lake Erie. This month we have two reports to help make sure your money is well spent: This update on our Group B panels after six months in the water, and on pages 8 and 9 we give you a run down of the best and worst Group A paints after 18 months. If you haven’t picked up bottom paint yet, there still may be time to order some old stock at last year’s prices, but as of early January, when we checked prices for this article, we saw 10- to 15-percent price hikes over 2006. ![]() In our long-term test (18 months), Interlux coatings come out strong. Longtime favorite Interlux Micron Optima and Sea Hawk’s new Biocop TF performed best after six months in a test of 66 paints. It's a pretty good read and they test marine products and services well. If you don't have a subscription to this mag, I'd recommend it. In this month's edition of Powerboat Reports they tested 66 different bottom paints. With only 2 weeks in the water my 250 Dancer's outdrive was covered in gook!
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