New paint: A Slick Way to Spruce Things Up – Soundings Online
Soundings Online April 2012
Eco-Clad, on the market for about a year, is another “green” bottom paint. Steve Schultz, president and chief executive of its manufacturer, Luritek, says the company’s goal is to show that “green products can, in fact, deliver long-term effectiveness.”
Eco-Clad contains a “bio-limiting” material and a “bio-supportive” material. When it is placed into salt water or fresh water it forms a slick, invisible film designed to repel and prevent fouling while improving speed and fuel efficiency — as much as 10 percent, according to Schultz.
Priced at about $299 a gallon, Eco-Clad (www.ecoclad.com) has about twice the volume of solids as traditional antifouling paints, Schultz says, and requires only one coat to get full protection. The company says it will last 24 months or more and is easier to clean than traditional bottom paints because of its hard, abrasion-resistant formulation.
Eco-Clad has been applied to boats from Maine to Puerto Rico and has federal EPA approval. It is awaiting state approvals in California, New York and several other states. A growing dealer network stands at 270 nationally.
