DIY coatings gaining ground
Getting that extra shine from Marine A Glaze...
Clive Hancock of Marine A Glaze says that increasingly, boat owners are getting their hands dirty and doing their own vessel maintenance.
He tells BB that both the boat show and customer conversations over the past year bear out the idea that people are more interested in getting stuck into jobs on a DIY basis than previously. ‘Owners seem to be looking to hang on to their boats longer and keep them looking pristine rather than perhaps trading up to a new model, good for us and for the paints and coatings sector in general I believe,’ says Mr Hancock.
The company has a couple of new products that were launched at LIBS 2010, the first of these being a Canvas Canopy cleaner and protective coating kit, this is a two element kit that consists of a dilutable canopy cleaner for removing algae, bird lime and general staining coupled with a Fabric Protector sprayed on once the canopy has dried to act as a water repellent and also an anti-microbial to limit any future algae growth.
Marine A Glaze is generally seeing a growth demand for their products, including a Surface Sealant System that allows boat owners to make just one application per year, replacing all polishes and waxes. This gives the gel coat or painted surface a fluoropolymer resin coating which protects against damage from the sun's UV rays and also against staining. And yes, it can be applied on a DIY as well as professional basis.
Keeping the shine
Protection is needed to help keep maintenance jobs at bay. The fact is that sun and warmth – two of the things boat owners often actually seem to enjoy – degrade boat surfaces at quite a pace and the rounds of maintenance can make looking after even quite a small boat seem like painting the Forth Bridge. Wooden boats are especially vulnerable, and even though we have barely had enough to get a suntan, boat surfaces are still exposed – all the more so if boaters go skipping off to the Med.
Wessex Resins, more known for its adhesives, also has also a number of epoxy coatings that provide an effective moisture barrier and a smooth base for final finishing, either on a DIY or professional basis – in fact the company runs courses on how to apply and get the best out of the products, as well as having a large amount of useful information available (all on the company’s website).
For example, paint or varnish applied over an epoxy barrier coat forms a protective system far more durable than either coating by itself. The top coat extends the life of the epoxy moisture barrier which, in turn, provides a stable base that extends the life of the finish coating.
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