Add Capsaicin to bottom paint (hot sauce)

[luvitt]

I did a bottom job on a c-dory for a mad scientist type about a year ago. He gave me a bottle of hot sauce and instructed me to mix it with the bottom paint, explaining that it makes it more effective.

I did what he requested, and forgot about it. I was just flipping through a magazine that had an article about new antifouling technoligies, and since im getting ready to bottom paint I thought i would give it a read. Turns out he was right. The article is in "Dockwalk.. Essential Reading for Superyacht Captains & Crew":

"Several patents also have been lodged for the use of capsaicin-the active ingredient in chili oil. After anecdotal evidence of success when chili is added to conventional antifouling paint, lab tests proved that it really did work and the chemists are now developing "hot" new coatings."

Then a sidebar says: "Chili power: When 40 milligrams per liter of capsaicin is added to antifoul, it becomes 98 percent more effective."

Well, its worth a shot (of hot sauce). Im gonna dump a bottle of tabasco in my paint! or better yet, I have a can of pepper spray I might carefully use. Althought the pepper spray says 10% Capsaicin, so I wonder if the other 90% would be ok in the bottom paint? Maybe I can buy pure capsaicin somewhere?

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Magic dust

With all the research that paint manufacturers devote to coming up with a superior anti-fouling, do you really believe they would omit such a cheap ingredient if it were effective?

 

[luvitt]

whats it hurt to try? there are all kinds of home remedies that arent sold.

 

[Maine Sail]

Ummm.

whats it hurt to try?

Ummm poor adhesion and bonding of the paint is one that comes to mind..With bottom paint running $200.00 +/- gal and bottom jobs running 3-6k adding anything that could interfere with the performance or adhesion seems a little short sided..

Practical Sailor busted this myth last year. I'll try and find the issue so I can give you the reference..

 

[48dodge]

Practical Sailor busted this myth last year. I'll try and find the issue so I can give you the reference..

I believe that they had a follow up recently to confirm their findings, too

 

[Tim R.]

Brobins, would you please post a link to the article? I would like to see ther testing criteria and methods.

 

[luvitt]

I had a hard copy of the article. i doubt they have anything online, this is a nice looking large magazine type that is free at fancy boatyards and marinas. it looks professional.

I quoted everything they had to say about the capsaicin. thats all they wrote. it was the march 2009 issue. just found the web address: www.dockwalk.com looks like you gotta register to read.

 

[michaelanthony]

I once met a fisherman in one of the "way" out islands who was bottom painting his beached fishing smack. He was adding hot sauce to the paint. I laughed, thinking how ridiculous that was!! I hope one day I meet him again so I can apologize to him!

 

[sailingdog]

One other point... Oleoresin Capsicum is just an organic oil.... I seriously doubt that it would last very long once the boat is splashed.

 

[Steve Dion]

http://red-dog.ca/

http://www.barnaclebuster.net/

http://curexplus.com/

Some also use cayanne pepper and Tetracycline added to the bottom paint. I don't have any idea how well all of this stuff works (or not).

We sautee some onions and garlic, put it in a food processor and add to your $300/gal paint (not)!

 

[Tom Spohn]

The Practical Sailor article appeared in the October 2008 issue. They painted the bottom of a Cape Dory 25 with Interlux Bottomkote with and without the cayenne pepper. After a year they found no better results with the cayenne area on the bottom, but they did note that the cayenne area led to a bumpy texture which they said would lead to increased drag. Go to their site an request a reprint.

Bottom paint manufacturers know that it is just a matter of time before copper is outlawed in every state and they must find a more ecological solution for their paints. If cayenne were all that it took they would be already touting their "natural" paint and would include it in the mixture. (Just my opinion)

 

[CharlieCobra]

I personally raced on a Catalina 38 with cayenne in the bottom paint. It had the consistency of sandpaper and was DFL every single race.

 

[sailingdog]

Personally, I'm not a big fan of putting anti-biotics into bottom paint. There are enough resistant strains of nasty organisms as it is.