TBT Antifouling - Morally Reprehensible ?

[bruce smith]

Many of us overseas, 'specially in the Caribbean, can still buy TBT paint.
Your Thoughts?

[sneuman]

Actually, I wrote a story in the Far Eastern Economic Review about this some years back.

My conclusion at the time was counterintuitive:

During the transition phase, there was most certainly far more TBT going into the water from runoff at unregulated commercial shipping drydocks in places like China and India than would normally be the case. That's because the new stuff, whatever it was, had to be applied to a clean hull - which meant the yards had to remove all the old TBT-based antifoulant.

The other factor was that (at the time - circa 2002) none of the alternatives were nearly as good as TBT at retarding marine growth. That was likely to result in more drag on hulls and higher consumption of fuel - thus net net, it was probably as bad or possibly worse for the environment.

Now, that was commercial shipping and nearly a decade ago.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by bruce smith

Your Thoughts?

Don't drink it?

[zeehag]

i am looking forward to using tbt paint-- wont get my paint job done until i get to caribean....
morally reprehensible??/ maybe. functional?? YES!!!!!! just dont change 0paints after doing tbt......

[fstbttms]

Most of the civilized world has banned its use on all vessels and for good reason. It's a nasty poison that has been proven to do lasting harm to the ecosystem. There is only one reason anybody would use it- you are too lazy or cheap to perform the minimal additional maintenence necessary when using a less harmful copper or zinc-based anti fouling or other alternative coating.

Either that or you are simply a . . .

[bruce smith]

Zee, it was a hundred bucks cheaper in Virgin Gorda than here , Antigua, per gal. VG boatyard a great place , (ie, the lip service thing) to grind off the old. FWIW
(not lazy or cheap, DB?)

[skipgundlach]

Originally Posted by fstbttms

Most of the civilized world has banned its use on all vessels and for good reason. It's a nasty poison that has been proven to do lasting harm to the ecosystem. There is only one reason anybody would use it- you are too lazy or cheap to perform the minimal additional maintenence necessary when using a less harmful copper or zinc-based anti fouling or other alternative coating.

Either that or you are simply a . . .

That, or, as pointed out by Gord May in the "how many coats of paint" thread, unless you're a warship.

HTF can they justify that but ban everyone else???

L8R

Skip

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by skipgundlach

HTF can they justify that but ban everyone else???

Do you get to mount 50 caliber machine guns on your boat? Let's face it, the military gets to do lots of things civilians don't.

[zeehag]

oooohh--bow cannonry--i WANT!!!!!!--mebbe i should paint boat haze grey...
the only harm to eco system i want to render is to that growing on my already slow boat's underside....definitely dont drink it!!!....

[Matt sachs]

I can't mount my mini gun on the bow? The next thing your gonna tell me is that I cant throw depth charges in either...:-) Ok, I'll go with LEGAL bottom paint too.

[colemj]

Just as a point of calibration for this discussion, the TBT-based paints now available consist of 10% TBT and 30-50% copper compounds as their antifoulants. Some also have zinc compounds also.

This is dramatically different compositions than the older TBT paints, which contained upwards of 50-60% TBT. These paints are no longer available (well, maybe for the military).

Again, a point of calibration only and not a statement of ethics or excuse for use.

Mark

[perchance]

Whatever happened to the old fashioned cooper bottom paint you used to see on the bottom of every sailboat? If they ban theTBT stuff maybe it will come back in fashion.

[bruce smith]

the old fashion stuff is good for 3,4 months here
it is still around

[osirissail]

Originally Posted by fstbttms

Most of the civilized world has banned its use on all vessels and for good reason. It's a nasty poison that has been proven to do lasting harm to the ecosystem. There is only one reason anybody would use it- you are too lazy or cheap to perform the minimal additional maintenence necessary when using a less harmful copper or zinc-based anti fouling or other alternative coating.

Either that or you are simply a . . .

Not true unless you consider all nations other than USA, France and other North American/E.U. 1st World countries as "uncivilized." I have a Florida license to sell and apply TBT paints and the regulations are specific in the USA that only vessels less than 25 meters and NOT aluminum are banned from using TBT paints. Any vessel longer than 82 feet or with an aluminum hull can legally use TBT paints. All military vessels are totally exempt and can use TBT.

The International Treaty to ban the use of TBT originated from the French when they identified the chemical as causing significant damage to their shellfish industry. The original version of the treaty was intended to ban the use for all vessels worldwide - but - naturally, commercial shipping and all the militaries said - no way. So like the MSD laws only the "little guys" are left to bear the brunt.
- - Basically only signatory countries to the international treaty agreed to ban the use of TBT paints on vessels less than 25 meters LOA. All other countries metaphorically said "screw you - if the vast majority of shipping in the world and all vessels over 25meter and all the military vessels are exempt then why should we screw our little guys?"
- - TBT is available anywhere outside the signatory countries and used extensively. You can purchase it from large vessel shipyards for US$100 per 5 gal container (you bring your own container). You can buy it in all the ship's chandleries in the Caribbean for about US$300/gal.
- - And if properly applied it works for about 3 years. It is light years better than copper paints especially if you use the booster.

[speciald@ocens.]

Seahawk makes their Islander 44+ TBT paint in Clearwater, Florida. They do make a tin-free replacement but it is incompatible with Isalnder so a new barrier has to be applied as well, doubleing the cost of the bottom job.