Copper-free coating for yachts

A new sustainable yacht coating is being marketed in response to owners’ demand for copper-free alternatives.

Subsea Industries Ecospeed coating can apparently meet stringent regulations aimed at reducing the impact of leisure craft operations on the marine environment.

“Since our Ecospeed product contains zero chemicals and is completely non-toxic to marine life, it has the potential to meet the yacht sector’s requirement for a clean, reliable and cost-effective alternative to copper-based coatings,” said Kelly Townsend, Subsea Industries’ US-based sales manager.

Non-toxic
The Antwerp-based sustainable coatings specialist will market its non-toxic hard coating initially in the United States.

This is because the US Department of Pesticide Regulation (DRP) has proposed a ‘Cu AFP Regulation’ which would require ISO leach rate data with every copper AFP product applied.

It also recommended that from July 2018, no new or currently registered copper AFP product above 9.5µg/cm2/day be used on recreational vessels.

No-copper
In 2011, Washington became the first state to adopt a no-copper paint rule. And from January 1 2018, no new recreational boat up to 65ft can arrive with copper on its hull and no copper can be sold or applied to a boat after January 1 2020.

One of the first yachts to have opted for a copper-free coating solution was the 198 built, 76ft yacht Oceantide, which was coated with Ecospeed in 2007.