This Just In! Copper Out!

D

Dreamer

New member
Dear Washington BoatU.S. Member,

The Washington State Legislature is currently considering legislation that will ban copper antifouling paint for recreational boats in your state. Different versions of Senate Bill 5436 have passed both the state Senate and House of Representatives. This week, the Washington legislature will be working to settle on one version of the bill for Governor Gregoire’s signature.

We are sorry that we are writing to you at the 11th hour on this legislation. Because it has the potential to touch each of you who keeps a boat in the water, we felt it was our responsibility to make sure you were aware of it.

As written, the House Bill (called “Substitute Senate Bill 5436”):
After 1/1/2017: Bans the sale of copper bottom paint on new boats.
By 1/1/2017: Requires Dept of Ecology to survey what types of antifouling boat paints are for sale in Washington.
After 1/1/2020: Bans the sale of antifouling paint with more than .5% copper.
We understand the origins and respect the good environmental intentions of this bill. BoatU.S. has been monitoring developments in alternative antifouling paints for more than a decade. As a result, we are concerned that there are very few viable non-copper paints for recreational boats, and we shared these views with legislative committee members as they considered the bills.

Our concerns include:
Few choices: In March 2011 “Practical Sailor” analyzed 62 antifouling paints, 12 of which contain no copper. In terms of performance, one non-copper paint rated “excellent”, one rated “fair", and ten rated “poor.”
Invasive species control: Copper paints currently serve as the #1 defense against invasive species transfer from hulls to waterways.
This ban only covers recreational boats, which may not provide a large enough market to provoke research and development on alternative coatings. Commercial vessels will continue to use copper paints.
We recognize there are many opinions about this bill, and encourage you to contact your state Representatives, Senator, and the Governor to express your views.

To contact your legislators:

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFinder/Default.aspx

To contact Governor Gregoire:

http://www.governor.wa.gov/contact/default.asp

For current bill status:

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=5436

Most recent bill language:

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/documents/billdo ... 5436-S.pdf

We encourage innovation in the antifouling paint sector and hope that sustainable solutions for both the boater and the boatyard can be found.

Margaret Podlich
Vice President, BoatU.S. Government Affairs
GovtAffairs@BoatUS.com
703-461-2878 x8363
BoatUS.com/Gov
 
Good to Know, So this won't apply to commercical vessels? Prejudice? Maybe a lawyer in our group could file a class action case? If I travel to thru your area do I need to stop and get my bottom repainted? Copper is very bad for salmon. Boy, that non copper bottom paint is going to get more expensive. Maybe a hot stock idea investment If Japan's nuke problem elevates maybe there won't be any growth problems.
D.D.
 
We have already switched to non copper paints. The reduction of copper run off requirements will lead to the end of copper bottom paint use in boat yards long before 2017.

The bill is being promoted by the Northwest Marine Trade Association. Their position is to be pro active, to help fend off attacks by Puget Soundkeepers Alliance and other environmental groups.

Note that one of the non-copper paints studied by Practical Sailor rated excellent, so the technology is there, and we expect increases in effectiveness to continue.

Copper paints are not as effective as the old tin based paints, but the tin was outlawed and copper became the new standard. Now copper is on it's way out.

The initial non copper paints were more expensive and less effective, but the newest Sea Hawk Smart Solution paint we're using seems to be holding up well. It appears that it will hold up for two seasons on boats in the water depending on the amount of use the boat gets.

Another advantage to the non copper paints is it eliminates the electolosys reaction between copper in the bottom paint and aluminum parts (outdrives, outboard mounts).
 
Other than boat yard runoff, the problem with copper is the boats sitting in marinas shedding the copper all year long. Marina boats tend to be in the marina far longer than they are out boating. This results in a buildup of copper in the shallow waters of the marina, where baby fish live. Marinas are also located where the returning salmon pass by on the way to the spanning streams. Salmon are sensitive to chemicals in the water, and the chemicals screw up their sense of direction and inhibit spanning. The smolts returning to the ocean have to pass thru the same chemical 'cloud'. None of this is good for the salmon.

The copper runoff from highways and city streets is worse than boatyards. The copper is in auto brake pads, and collects along the highways and streets.The state of WA is building 'swales' to catch and filter highway runoff. Copper in auto brake pads is being phased out in WA.

Boats are being singled out as copper polluters, just as was done with sewage. It is easy for 'land people' to look out at the boats in the water and say, 'its them, they are the polluters'. Never mind that the land people cause 95%+ of the pollution in salt water. No one wants poop in the water, but boaters have to have holding tanks and porta potties under threat of huge fines while municipal sewage systems have multi-million gallon overflows and spills. Land people wash their cars on the street, let their dogs poop on the street, throw out fast food wrappers on the street, etc. All streets drain to the ocean and sounds.

We have meet the enemy and he is us! LOL
 
Matt Gurnsey":16dd629j said:
The initial non copper paints were more expensive and less effective, but the newest Sea Hawk Smart Solution paint we're using seems to be holding up well. It appears that it will hold up for two seasons on boats in the water depending on the amount of use the boat gets.
Click to expand...
That is what I had LaConner Maritime apply to my Tom Cat. One consideration that I (and LCM) found was that it is thick paint, so you will need about 1/3 more paint than a copper paint for the same coverage. Matt, has that been your experience, too?

I am hoping to get 4 years out of my application because the boat will be on the trailer during the winter.

Warren
 
Since they don't let me touch paint brushes (although some in the shop might like to see it) I don't know about coverage.

I'll ask and see what I can learn.

Of course, after promoting this, we can't get non copper paints, as the warehouses are empty. Seems that many yards in the state of Washington are using these products, so demand has temporarily out stripped supply.

Pettit is coming out with a new non copper product called Ultima, whichc we may look at as well.
 
Back
Top