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I do not know if N.H. bans TBT. I used Micron 33(white) on the rudder
of my Wavelength 24. This was a big mistake, the stuff is terrible
to work with. A friend used micron33(white) on the whole bottom
of his evelyn26, I watched him prepare the bottom ""exactly"" has
suggested. I then watched him completely sand and remove the
micron33 the next year. I have used VC17M, and I LIKE it. I am
going to use it on my new boat this spring. The diferance between
this time and last(boat) is that I will be priming the bottom with
VC-TAR in order to seal up the bottom. Then I will overcoat the
bottom with VC17M. This paint is ideally suited for fresh water.
It does not come off on your bathing suit when you are swimming
around the boat. It does not require sanding each season. After
the first seasons application(recommended two coats) only one
coat needs to be applied. It supposed to make your boat go
faster(ha,ha). The VC-TAR goes on sprayed,brushed,roller. The VC-17M
must be rollered or sprayed(it is so slippery it won't stick to
the paint brush). I know this doesn't answer your question but it
does give you an alternative to Micron33.
Donald
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| I am starting my 3rd season with Micron. I used 33 previously and
just overcoated with 44. Unlike .1, I have not experienced any problems
either applying it, having it adhere, or having it work as advertised.
I must have looked pretty good to several "Smurfs" in our yard (those
funny blue people every spring who look similar to folks you know).
After I painted my boat following a soap and water wash of the bottom,
a bunch of the "Smurfs" took back their vinyl and epoxy paints for
Micron. They accused me of preparing and painting the bottom in
a Sunday suit. It wasnt true, I was also wearing disposable coveralls
and laytex gloves.
As I understand it the leaching type paints with tin are a much
bigger problem (environmentally) than the copolymers with tin
because they emit the toxicant even while the boat is inactive.
The copolymers need water moving (5-8kts I understand) across
the paint to expose and release tin, which (for salt water boats)
means the tin is exposed mostly in open water, where it is least
harmful (assuming the ocean is an infinite sink to our polutants).
Since I dont do any fresh water sailing I am not familiar with the
issues there (are there any shellfish in freshwater ?, do you need
real bottom paint in a lake ?, etc.).
I suspect the regulators will over-react and ban all tin paints
the same way they banned overboard discharge of "untreated" MSD
systems (like that would make a difference when cities like Boston,
Providence, etc., regularly dump millions of gallons of the stuff).
I would say, to be safe, you might want to think about switching
to a copper based copolymer (Micron44 is something like 45% copper
and 10% tin, I think Rule KL- has an all copper one).
Walt
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| Associated Press Thu 30-APR-1987 05:59 Deadly Paint
pwrX30-APR-8705
Bill Would Limit Use of Popular Boat Paint Because of
Environmental Harm
By DAVID GOELLER
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) - Congress is being asked to crack down on a
widely popular boat paint that is a boon for barnacle-hating
skippers but fatal to shellfish.
The calls for sharp restrictions on hull paints containing
tributyltin, or TBT, are coming from lawmakers, state environmental
officials and a marine scientist who says that even tiny amounts
are toxic to some marine life.
But the Environmental Protection Agency and officials from paint
and chemical companies say this would be premature because EPA is
studying the situation and could propose interim rules for TBT
paints by year's end.
Appearing before the Senate Environment and Public Works
environmental protection subcommittee on Wednesday, the two sides
agreed on TBI's value to commercial and recreational vessels.
Because of its killing properties, it prevents barnacles and
other marine creatures from clinging to hulls, thus cutting speed
and fuel economy and necessitating more frequent drydocking and
repainting - a big-ticket item for commercial vessels.
But, the witnesses also said, TBT's barnacle-killing ability is
indiscriminate; it can also destroy clams, oysters, mussels and
tiny marine life as it is released into water from painted hulls.
The agreement ended when it came to the actual dangers posed to
mollusks by TBT and the concentrations needed to ravage shellfish
beds.
``TBT is toxic to marine organisms at levels as low as about 20
parts per trillion,'' said subcommittee chairman George Mitchell,
D-Maine.
Sen. John Chafee, R.I., said 20 parts per trillion is the
equivalent of one drop of TBT spread out over 500,000 tank trucks
full of water.
``Extensive laboratory tests in the United States and other
countries have produced scientific documentation of the harmful
effects of TBT on marine life,'' said Sen. Paul Trible, R-Va., the
legislation's principal sponsor.
In the past year, Maryland and Virginia have taken the national
lead in moving against TBT paint by barring its use on vessels
shorter than 82 feet and setting maximum rates at which TBT can be
released from hulls.
Dr. Torrey Brown, Maryland secretary of natural resources, said
water samplings at four Chesapeake Bay marinas last year found mean
concentrations of TBT ranging from 51 to 408 parts per trillion,
with peak readings reaching 998 parts per trillion.
Velma Smith of the Virginia State Water Control Board said more
than 70 percent of the pleasure and commercial boats in the world
use TBT paints. ``The use of TBT is growing, and left to itself,
the problem will get worse,'' she said.
Robert Huggett of the Virginia Institute of Marine Science at
the College of William and Mary said that while scientists do not
know what concentration of TBT is safe for marine life, ``we know
it is extremely low.''
John Moore, assistant EPA administrator for pesticides and
toxics, said the legislation should be shelved because his agency
is studying the problem and could propose some short-term
restrictions on TBT this year.
He acknowledged, however, that implementation of regulations
could be held up for two or three years if anyone forces EPA to
hold an administrative appeal hearing on its plan.
Also urging rejection of Trible's bill, which would allow use of
only those paints that release very miniscule amounts of TBT, were
officials from International Paint Co. and M&T Chemicals Inc.,
which produces TBT.
They said Congress should allow EPA to continue its research,
which Moore estimated could take up to four more years and would
provide the basis for any long-term restrictions.
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