Some years ago the horticultural market was alerted to the growing damage caused by peat extraction and new coir based products were introduced. Now the same material, derived from coconuts, is being used in fenders for inland waterways boats.

Supplied by Central Waterways Supplies of Rugby, the products have appeared on the price list for the first time this season.

It's good to find out that not only are these products "green", but that they are also supposed to be less prone to rot than the more conventional fenders made from hemp rope.

The main reason for adding these to the catalogue was due to supply and demand.

CWS's usual supplier of fenders is not always able to keep up with the demands at the beginning of the season, a problem not unique to this company, so we are told. So the new coir supplies are coming in from abroad where, it seems safe to say, the supply of the raw materials is more abundant.

From International Paint comes New Boat Care, a range of products that is multifunctional and designed to provide the majority of boat owners with most of the products they will need to carry out most boat care tasks on their yacht or boat. This range is new to the UK but has been available in the US for a full season already.

The new product range is derived from last season's UK range, with the deletion of some products and the addition of a new product, Boat Shampoo. All products have been re-branded in what is hoped to be easy to choose packaging and are supported by a comprehensive in-store sales support package.

The boat care range has been developed over two decades and its formulae are designed to work effectively whilst being kind to painted surfaces. The range continues to offer products containing genuine Teflon, so we understand. The component is already utilised in some of International's paint products as it is particularly effective at helping to produce durable dirt and waterrepellent finishes for a considerable period of time.

The company feels it needs to make choosing the right product easier for the client, so it has divided the tasks of boat care into three areas - cleaning, restoration and protection. Each has then been colour coded throughout the packaging, merchandising and sales support materials and arranged into easy-to-follow systems, much like the painting systems approach that International employs.

Kindly approach

As mentioned earlier a more kindly approach to the environment and the surface being worked on has growing as is highlighted by the fact that International has been working, for several years, on its "Paint Safe" concept. As a result it has been able to launch it for this season.

As has been highlighted by many other cleaner manufacturers, there are many products on the market that are sold for boat care use. Many cleaners, waxes and polishes are developed from products originally produced for the automotive, industrial or domestic markets. While many of these are effective, and present no risk of damage to GRP and other parts of the boat, many do present a risk of damage to the paintwork on a yacht or boat. Furthermore, many present a problem of surface contamination when it comes time to repaint.

Naturally, after all this work International is now able to guarantee that its Boat Care products are designed to be safe to use with its paints and varnishes. The company goes on to say: "if used as instructed, they will positively enhance the lifetime of the painted and varnished surfaces".

Cleaning products usually employ detergents, so to have an effective cleaner you often need a highly alkaline detergent.

These are great for cleaning but difficult to completely remove from painted surfaces: if they are not completely and immediately rinsed from the surface before they dry, salts are formed on the surface of the paint.

These salts are extremely difficult to remove once dry, with the result of accelerated deterioration of the gloss that may be visible after just one wash. In addition, International says cleaning GRP topsides may result in run-off of product onto the boot-top stripe and the anti-fouling below, each being susceptible to damage by these detergents.

They told us that such highalkaline detergents are very commonly used, because they are effective, simple to formulate into a product, and cheap. However, as you might expect, International prefers to use different types of detergent to these, that are just as effective, but paint safe.

Silicone oils are common ingredients in boat care products and, apparently, this is especially true in polishes and waxes. It is supposed to make them easy to formulate, easy use and provide a durable, glossy hard-wearing surface.

The problem occurs when the user comes to repaint.

The oils cling to surfaces and are extremely stubborn when you try to remove them.

"Anyone who has ever sealed the edge of their bath and has tried to remove every last trace from the surrounding area will know about this, " said Boris Webber, International's marketing manager. "Even after cleaning and sanding, small deposits of silicone oils often remain."

Real problems

These cause real problems when repainting as paint will simply not adhere to such surfaces, he added, instead pooling around the silicone oil deposits in "fish-eye" effects and the like.

"Such contamination can even affect areas beyond the physical edge of the deposits, " he said.

For this reason, International Boat Care products do not contain silicone oils.

International feels you can get the same gloss, ease of use and durability as with other boat care products, but because they are formulated with silicone polymers, they will not cause you problems when it is time to repaint. These silicone polymers that International uses in its boat care products, when they dry, form a microscopic cross-linked film on the surface of the paint. If this is not removed before repainting, this presents no problem, as even water-based paint can adhere to the surface.

Hull cleaning and preparation for painting is also an area of development, in particular the problem of blistering of a GRP hull. A US company has introduced SodaBlasting. They tell us: "it removes old coats of antifouling and blisters quickly, without damaging nonblistered, bare gelcoat, and then properly prepares the surface for repair - all in one operation." Quite a claim.

The company points out blisters are most often caused by osmotic intrusion of water into the hull. As water molecules enter the hull, they pick up acids and other chemicals that alter their composition and size, making the molecules larger and trapping them inside. Since these molecules are unable to find their way out, pressure builds up and forces the gelcoat to separate from the fibreglass, forming a blister.

If the blister breaks while immersed, it allows for greater water intrusion into the fibreglass laminate, and perpetrates the blistering process to deeper levels.

Traditional blister repair involves grinding, sanding or sandblasting the hull. This process is time-consuming, labour intensive and, unless extreme care is taken, can result in severe or permanent damage to the gelcoat and fibreglass laminate.

The company behind this, SodaBlast Systems LLC of Houston, Texas, says its system provides a fast, effective and controlled alternative to these conventional methods.

The process starts with a stream of air-driven, formulated baking soda under high pressure to strip the antifouling and open the blister. Then, to prepare the surface for repair and repainting, the affected area around the blister is feathered by split-second, swirled "micro-blasting".

1/10th of the time The entire process can be accomplished in 1/10th of the time taken by traditional techniques, the company told us, resulting in a properly prepared surface that is ready for blister repair and painting.

As with so many new products we are told that: "SodaBlasting is also environmentally friendly, a major concern for repair yards and marinas."

Minimal plastic tenting installed around the work area contains the soda and old paint for proper disposal. What might be of particular interest to yards is that the actual SodaBlasting step only takes a few hours and, depending on the size of the boat, the entire process can be completed in a day or less.

The company has a contractor trading asSodaJetBlastUK run by Don Duane based in London.

Fitting out the exterior of any boat can and does involve a wide range of products and services including ropes, so we spoke to Marlow Ropes to find out how things have been going for them recently.

Paul Honess told us that - due to the company's recent change of ownership - there aren't any new products at the moment, but he was quick to point out that there are a number on the drawing board.

Since the administrators were brought in last November, the commercial marine side of the business has been sold off leaving the more profitable yachting cordage side of the business to be bought up by the owner of English Braids, Peter Earp.

Despite both companies being owned by the same person, they will continue to trade separately. English Braids', David Ierston, told us that they were continuing to develop existing products but that they too were aiming at the same customer base as Marlow, namely the racing, family cruiser and recreational sailor.

As Ierston pointed out, "these products evolve rather than being subject to a revolution".

Although not in keeping with many of the products we've so far looked at Marathon Leisure's Rob Crowe told us one of the most popular products they have been selling lately, linked to the maintenance and refurbishment of boats, is Ramonol.

This new waterproof grease was introduced as a replacement for Duckhams Keenol but, due the changes in regulations on the formulation of these products it has become a thing of the past. As with other products, we've looked at the zinc oxide in Keenol was found to be very harmful to the environment.

Titanium dioxide

The new Ramonol White Grease contains titanium dioxide in a lithium soap base.

As a result it meets all the regulations and is suitable for almost all marine applications.

Since its introduction it has proved very popular, according to Crowe.

It would seem it's another indication of the move towards greener products to add to the growing list.

Flag Paints, manufacturers of the FLAGship range of antifoulings, has just launched a new copper-rich, low friction, PTFE based antifouling.

"Bringing the benefit of nonstick pan technology to antifoulings has many advantages" claims marine director David Lewin. "It can increase hull speed, is easier to scrub, reduces leeching poisons into the environment as it is not selferoding and being "thin film", reduces hull build-up.

Containing metallic copper and a small amount of "antislime agent", it comes premixed in 2.5ltr and 1ltr sizes, can be applied by spray or roller and is extremely quick drying, so two or three coats and a relaunch can easily be achieved in a day.

It can also be applied over other PTFE or Teflon based systems and is suitable for hulls of all speeds and all materials except aluminium.

FLAGship combines the features of copper-rich long-life antifoulings with easier to apply "low surface energy" PTFE resins.

Contacts<$>Central Waterways Supplies Toby Bryant T/F: 01788 546692 E: sales@centralwaterways.co.uk<$>English Braids David Ierston T: 01684 892222 F: 01684 892111 E: info@englishbraids.com W: englishbraids.com<$>Flag Paints David Lewin T: 01621 785173 F: 01621 785393 E: flagfinishes@fastmail.fm W: flagsinishes.co.uk<$>International Paint Boris Webber T: 023 8022 6722 F: 023 8022 2090 E: boris. webber@uk.alzonobel.com W: yachtpaint.com<$>Marathon Leisure Rob Crowe T: 023 9263 7711 F: 023 9263 7722 E: sales@marathonleisure.co.uk W: marathonleisure.co.uk<$>Marlow Ropes Paul Honess T: 01323 444444 F: 01323 444455 E: yachting@marlowropes.com W: marlowropes.com<$>SodaJetBlast Don Duane 83 Upwood Road London SE12 8AL No phone or fax details given