Nano-tech super hydrophobia

Monday, March 25, 2013

Saw this stuff over on Rhys' blog The World Encompassed:

Has anybody out there used it on a boat? Say, on canvas or Sunbrella?

Jack of all TradesMarch 25, 2013 at 10:25 AM
I have read a bit about this product - seems like the 'holy grail' for a substitute for bio-cide bottom paint. Unfortunately, there are references to the product "wetting out" if it's immersed more than 30 minutes, which would limit the applicability on the bottom of the boat.

However, the demos suggest that canvas/sunbrella would be a great application.

It requires some fairly intense hazmat protection and probably would want to do several trial runs (it's a 2 part process), but I think would be worth a shot.
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AnonymousMarch 27, 2013 at 4:40 AM
It may work well for you in the wet PNW. The material I read from its website seemed to indicate that it need reapplication after 8 months or so exposure to UV. Also said that its durability w/o UV may be up to a year. 8 months to a year would be a reasonable cycle of service for reapplication. However, it is not inexpensive, and as Jack of all Trades mentions, hazmat handling dictates careful reading of instructions to apply the two-part formula safely. Spray application seems indicated, so perhaps when anchored out to prevent overspray onto neighbors' boats. The video makes me wonder if it's slippery to walk on. Still in testing and development for wider application, this is definitely a product to keep in mind. Thanks for sharing!
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