Cyanne pepper paint.

[David Guthridge]

I did a four year tour in the US Navy back in '67-'71 and I recall the Navy and Coast Guard were conducting tests on Bottom paint laced with Cyanne Pepper. No, I'm not kidding!! Seems that no ocean dwelling creature likes Cyanne pepper and it does an excelent job of repelling growth and barnacles. It also doesn't leach off like ablative paint does. It lasts much longer and is a natural product. I don't know if I have a problem with all this copper leaching off into the Chesapeake Bay or not. I haven't heard anything about this since then. Have any of you?David Guthridge

 

[Tim Leighton]

PAINT

David: Nice to know someone out there was haze grey underway before me (USN 75-98)! You are absolutely right about cyanne pepper. I recall an entire aircraft carrier sneezing uncontrollably for weeks after launching! OK, seriously, in the 80's when tin-based paints were phased out, cyanne pepper paint additives became fairly popular because early copper-based antifouling paint was not very effective. In the last few years, however, the industry (partly driven by the Navy and commercial shipping) has vastly improved the capabilities of their paints and I haven't seen cyanne pepper additives on the chandlery shelf for a while. There is a product called "Compund X" out there that claims to extend the life of antifouling paint, but I've never used it and don't know if it is a derivative of cyanne pepper. I've been using Interlux ablative paint for the past few years and have been very happy with it on the Chesapeake Bay. The latest version has a "slime blocker" and I'm hoping it works as well as Practical Sailor indicated it does. I really like ablative paint since it is a snap to prepare the surface for new paint at haulout. Of course, adding some cyanne pepper to your next coating of paint probably won't hurt! Smooth sailing!Tim Leighton (S/V "Magic")

 

[Bill]

Interlux

The Interlux literature warns against adding additionaladitives and that they may efect the bottom paint in a negative fashion.

 

[Steve Dion]

Compound XYZ

Tim:'Compound X' was a Tetracycoline (sp?) type antibotic. I used it a couple of times. I really have no idea if it was effective or NOT. This is probably something in line with what the newer SR paints are using.

 

[Jim WIllis]

Remember Hot Bottoms?

I remember a bottom pain being promoted at the Miami Boat Show by two blond "mermaids". Never took off, too politically incorrect. The main ingredient was capsaicin (the ingredient in hot peppers).Haven't seen them lately or the "Biosock" done by the same people(bugs in sock as a bilge cleaning system). ThanksJim Willis

 

[Bob Camarena]

Practical Sailor

The current issue of Practical Sailor has an article on bottom paints. It comments on cayenne pepper and other additives and cautions against their use on the grounds that you can detrimentally affect the paint. I think their comment was something along the lines of "the manufacturers have tried everything and would be using it if it worked."