On Oct 3, 12:23 pm, Chuck Gould wrote:
On Oct 3, 11:30?am, "Verizon News" wrote:

I was just reading my Digital Graphics trade magazine and I noticed an add
in the back for "Boat Wrap Vinyl" from Avery graphics.

I got to thinking about what would happen if you wrapped the bottom of your
boat in Vinyl every two years instead of copper based paint. Could the
vinyl be made in such a way that the crustations would leave it alone?

Nope. The crustaceans would just hang on and enjoy the ride.
You would need to use poison in the vinyl, (just like copper/arsenic
in bottom paint), to cause the critters to die and fall off.

Would it survive the harsh sal****er environment?

It would be susceptible to tears from soft groundings, floating drift,
etc.

?Could it be cleaned by a

diver?

Yes, as no toxic chemicals would be released in the process. However,
the question remains whether the material would stand up to the
required scrubbing to remove hair and animals. It would be easy to do
a complete bottom clean each year, though- just throw away the old
layer of vinyl.



Has anyone tried this or have any experience? Thanks. Just thinking
outside of the box.

Bill

www.billharder.com

Chuck,
If a layer of plastic was inexpensive enough and easy enough for
someone to do themselves, could they possibly just remove the covering
and replace every 6 months or so to eliminate the need for scrubbing
altogether? I know it depends on where you keep your boat but if you
are scrubbing say once every 3 months now, and the plastic costs say
$200 would that be potentially a benefit. $200 * 8 = $1,600. What
does a bottom paint job cost with haul out? then of course there is
the diver fee or equipment to do it yourself and the health problems/
environmental problems involved in scrubbing the copper paint chips
off. If there could be a plastic wrap for a boat that was relatively
easy for a boater to install themselves and was recyclable, what would
the problems be?

This is all theory of course but if it could be done how would it
work? Maybe a new invention idea out there that could benefit those
on the water.

Bill