Has anyone heard of Hempel Bottom Paint?

At the Boat Show last week I spoke with a fellow who had a booth selling this non toxic, very slick, Hempel bottom paint.?

He said that as Europe becomes more restrictive about using toxic paints, this product has become quite popular.?

I wouldn’t know.?

The samples he had at his booth showed the paint to have a rubbery “orange peel” texture that at first glance you’d think would be dreadfully slow. But when you get it wet, it’s super slick, surprisingly so. And that not only gives you greater boat speed, but keeps the bad stuff from sticking to the bottom.?

Or so they say.?

He said there will be growth around the boat when at the dock, I think he called it a shadow, but once the boat goes in motion, it all comes off.?This includes sailboats.?

Putting it on for the first time seems expensive and labor intensive. You need 3 separate products (it will go over existing bottom paint), the final coating being this slick stuff. It also works on the prop.?

It’s $400 a gallon, two gallons for my 36’ boat (he thought maybe 11/2? gallons). Once you do the first application using the 3 products, from then on it’s just putting on the slick stuff, every two years.?

That’s what he says.?

I’d be curious to know if anyone has first hand experience with this product.

BTW, it’s only been a few months (but oh how things grow in South Florida) however I’m cautiously optimistic about my Sea Hawk Biocop tf to date.?

Jay

“Elizabeth Belle”

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