Can I make my own copper coating?

[mawtty]

And to boot, the sheething epoxy (5:1) was impossible to apply evenly. It ran.
It needs to be thinned and applied in several coats, but then the copper powder doesn't want to stay in suspension within the resin.

[Mike Banks]

No. But you can coat your hull in copper sheeting using epoxy. It is heavy and expensive, but it works. Quick-set Epoxy just replaces the barbed copper tacks the sailing ships used in the past. I do not however, recommend it on small vessels.

[spiv]

It seems to me that e few of the posters here do not know the difference from a copper-epoxy paint and an ablative paint and are doing nothing but adding to the confusion.

Coppercoat is a trademarked brand name of a company that has been making their copper-epoxy resin for a couple of decades (I think...).
They are obviously very secretive with the formulation and only want it to be applied by their 'approved' resellers/applicators.

I've had two friends who had it applied and after a few years had it removed..... not happy with it.
Others I heard of swear by it after many years of use.

I think it boils down to marketing spells and unrealistic expectations.

Here it is how it works: you apply the proper mix of copper-epoxy, when dry, you sand it to expose the copper, nothing grows on exposed copper.
You will need to very lightly re-sand the coat when it starts to allow some growth, that's where the 'failure' occurs.

This company sell the parts in the USA.
This is an extract from their page:

"The correct copper powder for addition into epoxy and other coatings for marine and other artistic applications is a 50 micron, leafing copper powder (bulk density of 0.6 g/cc - includes some zinc in the formulation). Leafing pigments exhibit a distinct tendency to float to the surface of the coating and to align parallel to the surface of the coating film for maximum copper exposure and uniform appearance.

5 pounds of this copper is added to a 1.5 gal unit of our Low V epoxy. This is generally enough for about a 27 ft boat. Boats in the 30 - 40 ft range generally require 10 or 15 pounds of copper and epoxy units. Boats in the 40 ft range generally require 20 pounds of copper and epoxy units."

As you can see I researched the matter and I am happy with the idea of using copper-epoxy on my cat. My problem is to find the copper powder in Europe.

[Lepke]

I have a wood boat with a copper plated bottom. In northern latitudes growth isn't a big problem and I winter in fresh water. But in warm tropical waters, some growth still happens. I paint the bottom. It's easier than keeping the copper shiny.

I have made my own bottom paint after the EPA made effective bottom paint illegal. It requires metals and poisons that are illegal to use in bottom paint. You can get them from a chemical company that sells small amounts. You have to sign papers on their use and may get a visit from the government.

Powdered copper and epoxy will give you copper encapsulated in epoxy.

[bcboomer]

Checkout https://brucebalan.com/
He applied Coppercoat in July 2016 and documented its performance through April 2020.
Pretty clear that it isn't much good in warm water. Maybe worthwhile in cold?

Regarding copper sheathing, I thought that was to stop the worms from eating the hull.

[Jim Cate]

Regarding copper sheathing, I thought that was to stop the worms from eating the hull.

Quite correct. Copper metal has some mild antifouling properties, but will certainly support the growth of many fouling organisms. Copper sheeting is definitely good at preventing shipworm (Teredo and its mates) from entering the planking of wooden vessels and was historically used for this.

Jim

[RaymondR]

I recall seeing an article in Practical Boat Owner years ago which described a method of applying the copper powder by blowing it onto the previously applied epoxy with some sort of powder blower. This was supposed to give better results because the finished coating did not require sanding to expose the copper. I vaguely recall that the copper was 95/5 5 to 20 micron.

I also dreamed up a method of chopping the conductors of scrap electrical cable to form granulated copper. I proposed to apply it by temporarily gluing it to paper sheets using a water soluble release agent. The proposed application method was to roll on the epoxy then stick the sheet onto the wet epoxy then after it had set wet the paper to release it.

Like a lot of the stuff I dreamed up it kept getting pushed down the list and I never tried it. Maybe next life if I come back as a yachty.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by Popeye2

Can I mix up my own copper coating? One part epoxy resin- 2 parts copper powder?
One coat?

If you want to be a chemist. Get a good bottom paint and the hottest pepper you can find.

[Dougtiff]

Im interested in copper coating my bottom, talked t West Systems, as they marketed a copper coat product years ago, then stopped, they gave me the formula, which I don't recall, one could call them for the information.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by Clivevon

Copper is certainly an effective antifoul. You have heard of something being copper bottomed? A sure thing?

Get a piece of copper pipe, hang it from the railing and see what happens to it.

[SVHarmonie]

Originally Posted by spiv

I

Here it is how it works: you apply the proper mix of copper-epoxy, when dry, you sand it to expose the copper, nothing grows on exposed copper.
You will need to very lightly re-sand the coat when it starts to allow some growth, that's where the 'failure' occurs.
.

I completely agree this is where the “failure occurs.” The whole logic of the price that coppercoat charges for their product is that you get to save about a bazillion dollars on your haul out costs over the ten year life of their coating.

But SURPRISE! You need to haul regularly to sand the bottom if the stuff is going to work! Oh, we forgot to mention that...

Heck, sanding is almost the most expensive part of the bottom job!

And on my boat I need to haul every other year irrespective of the paint for maintenance of my prop shaft seal, so all the promised savings totally evaporate. I have never seen anybody claim that CopperCoat works BETTER than a quality bottom paint, just that it is long term more economical. Except it’s just not in most cases.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by SVHarmonie

For people who know nothing at all about a topic (For example: Paint formulation and chemistry) it is really easy to think you know eveything about it. For example, "Just dump in more copper (or cayanne pepper, or magic pixie dust)."

This effect even has a name: The Dunning/Kruger Effect"

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by SVHarmonie

I have never seen anybody claim that CopperCoat works BETTER than a quality bottom paint, just that it is long term more economical.

Hell, it doesn't even work as well a a poor quality bottom paint, IMHO.

[WhiteHill]

Just been published, to add to the discussion:

https://sailingbritican.com/coppercoat-problems/

[Mark Johnson]

Originally Posted by Popeye2

Can I mix up my own copper coating? One part epoxy resin- 2 parts copper powder?
One coat?

Don't waste your time. None of these work. I have tried one brand and cruising friends several others. They work just a little for a short while, then nada... Sanding can not be done in the water. Some conduct electricity, and eat up zincs as well as attract barnacles.
This was one of the worst mistakes of my 50 years of sailing life.