Please select your home edition
Edition
Feb-Nov23 Leaderboard Groco2

Get the underside of your boat feeling fruity

by Mark Jardine 23 Nov 2018 12:00 GMT
Andy Yeomans of Grapefruit Coatings and Sébastien Charles of RENOLIT © Mark Jardine

We spoke to Andy Yeomans of Grapefruit Coatings and Sébastien Charles of RENOLIT about the RENOLIT DOLPHIN S coating which substantially limits growth on the underside of your hull.

RENOLIT MARITIME manufactures and sells long lasting, easy-to-implement and environment-friendly biocide-free silicone fouling release, passive anti-corrosion, weather-resistant and anti-slip solutions for vessels, offshore and yacht surface protection such as topsides, the superstructure, decks, hulls and cabins.

As a side effect of environmental concerns and thus tighter legislation, the traditional antifouling is said to have been reduced in effectiveness. The usually used biocides are very harmful, but Grapefruit have been applying RENOLIT's IMO-certified biocide-free coating in the UK for some time now and proving it can be a total replacement for the antifoul of times past.

Mark Jardine: Andy, what has been the take-up on RENOLIT DOLPHIN S?

Andy Yeomans: We've caught up with yacht owners who had this film applied 12-18 months ago, and the news have been very positive. They have come up to us at the Southampton Boat Show with stories of how their boat glides through the water so easily, after time periods where they would usually see drag from marine growth.

Mark: So, this is a film, not a paint. You strip a yacht back, if it has had antifoul in the past, and apply the film... and then you don't have to replace it every year like conventional antifoul. Sébastien, I hear you can leave it five years?

Sébastien Charles: Up to five years, yes. The whole idea with the film is that it is a long-lasting solution delivering better glide leading to fuel savings. It is changing the way people are thinking about antifouling. Instead of having to lift your boat out every year – or every six months in some regions – you apply it once and can leave it for the next five years. However, a recommended RENOLIT primer must be applied before applying the film.

Mark: The product may allow a little growth when stationary, but when you are moving at 7 knots, the growth is just washed off?

Sébastien: That is the idea, because we are talking about 'foul release', which is not like biocidal antifouling at all. With antifouling the chemicals leak out, making it harder for the growth to stick. As you said, most of the current anti-fouling performances are less effective as before, also according to the information I got from the industry.. Instead, our product has a very low surface tension, which makes it hard for the growth to get in. When you reach a certain speed and use your boat frequently, the growth tends to go away.

Mark: In the UK and around the world, legislation is getting tighter and tighter about what you are allowed to use when you have water contact. Traditional roll-on antifoul is getting less and less effective. Andy, is this the future?

Andy: Definitely. I don't see any other solution coming onto the market which are viable. Some yacht owners have been using house paint, because it acts as a sacrificial layer, but I'm not sure that is any better for the environment! From an owner's point of view, they just want something that works. With the foul-release film, there is an application process, and then very little maintenance over the life-time of the film, so it really is labour-saving.

Mark: So this really is a product that is a game-changer?

Sébastien: Definitely; we are coming up with something that is out of the box. We are not talking about paint, we are talking about film. It takes a lot of time to get people confident that it is going to work. That is our main challenge, but the more we get testimonials like we have here and in Europe, and New Zealand, the more we spread out the message that we have a solution that works. We have the right certification for our products, and proof of the glide increase, which is even more important for motorboats when it comes to fuel savings.

Mark: You have a product which may initially cost more to put on your yacht but lasts far longer and will pay itself off. You then have the reduced fuel costs, increased speed, and the entire time it is on the boat you have the satisfaction of knowing you are not harming the environment. The long-term benefits do pay off. Andy, how do people get this onto their boat? It is the right time of year now!

Andy: We have a very strong partner arrangement in the UK, which is growing fast. We provide very detailed application training, which is aimed at existing vinyl wrap companies, or the marine painting specialists. They all see an end to the traditional antifoul market. We are also delivering this service around the world now.

Mark: If people contact Grapefruit Coatings, can you put them in touch with the nearest yard which is qualified to apply the film?

Andy: Yes, it is all about the location. Fouling is a massive issue; I've raced on boats in the Med where you cannot clean the underside of your boat in a marina. This is not due to class rules but is the up to harbour masters and port authorities to determine the restrictions. So, it is very difficult to keep your boat clean. We won't claim that it makes you go faster; but we state it makes you to stay cleaner for a longer time, enabling you to reach your optimum speed faster over a longer working period.

Sébastien: Grapefruit is a company we are very happy to work with. Whoever we look for as a partner has to be the best. We need to be sure they are applying the product correctly. Therefore all the partners must follow technical and application training to become certified applicators. Now that we are covering Europe and New Zealand and Australia, we are glad Grapefruit can help these customers find a better solution.

Mark: In a time of great change within a conservative industry, it is great to see products with benefits all round. Thank you very much for your time Sébastien and Andy. Two brilliant brands working together.

About Grapefruit Coatings

Grapefruit Coatings is the marine coatings division of Grapefruit which was established in 2003 as Grapefruit Graphics Ltd and has built a reputation for high quality workmanship and excellent service. Our large team enables us to call upon vast amounts of experience and the superior skills needed to cater for our client's needs. The ability to call upon the other divisions of Grapefruit enable us to provide an all-round service to our many loyal and new customers.

Find out more at www.grapefruitcoatings.com

About the RENOLIT Group

The RENOLIT Group is a globally-active specialist for high-quality plastic films, sheets and other plastic products. With more than 30 locations in over 20 countries and with an annual sales of EUR 1,016 billion in fiscal 2017, the company from Worms – nearly 50 km northwest of Heidelberg – is one of the world's leading plastics product manufacturers. Over 4,700 employees continue to further develop the knowledge and expertise gained from over seventy years of business.

Find out more at renolit-maritime.com

Related Articles

Hyde Sails Flying Fifteen Video Tuning Guide
Ben McGrane explains how to get the most out of your B1 mainsail with B1 or 2H jibs Hyde Sails release new detailed video guide for tuning the Flying 15 for use with the B1 mainsail with B1 or 2H jibs. Posted on 22 May
The appeal of offshore
Is there still appeal? Have we made it too onerous? Why would someone take it up now? I had been pondering. Yes. Marquee events have no issue attracting entrants. Middle Sea, Transpac, Cape to Rio, Fastnet, and Hobart all spring to mind instantly, but what of the ‘lesser' races? Lots of boats in pens (slips) a lot of the time Posted on 18 May
X 195 'Turtle' Launch
The first new X One Design in 18 years! I attended a rare event in the X One Design class: the launch of a new boat. It has been 18 years since the last new X was launched, and X195 has been a project that long in the making. Posted on 17 May
Banger Racing, Back Racing and No Racing
Racing on the cheap, a return to racing for young Aussies, and ILCA struggles We start with racing on the cheap at the Colander Cup, then focus on a return to racing for the Aussies at the Youth Worlds, moving on to a complete lack of racing at the ILCA Worlds, and then looking at how SailGP should be back out on the water. Posted on 14 May
Exposure Marine Fastnet Race Kit Video Review
A set of 3 torches specifically designed for offshore racing crews It's a huge year for offshore sailing, and arguably the biggest event of the summer is the Rolex Fastnet Race. Within an hour of entries opening the Royal Ocean Racing Club had received a record 435 yacht registrations. Posted on 14 May
How Seldén Carbon Masts are made
I took a look around the Seldén Mast factory with Richard Thoroughgood to find out more I took a look around the Seldén Mast factory with Richard Thoroughgood from Seldén to find out a bit more about how the carbon tow reels become the masts that we use when out sailing. Posted on 12 May
For the love of slightly larger, even faster boats
Bring it on. No chicken chutes allowed. Celestial, the newest Cape 31 in Oz is up and racing Thank you. You have let For the love of small, fast boats run before the breeze like a superlight planning hull under way too big a kite, with immense sheep in the paddock, and the Sailing Master grasping the flare gun in his pocket... No chicken chutes. Posted on 4 May
The Allure of Timber
The longevity, and sheer beauty, of boats made of wood In these days of exotic materials, high modulus carbon and ultra lightweight construction, it's possible to overlook the longevity, and sheer beauty, of boats made of wood. Posted on 29 Apr
A look inside the Spirit Yachts yard
A close look at what makes their yachts unique Traditional skills in boatbuilding could be regarded as a lost art from a bygone era. In the world of fibreglass and carbon, the joinery and laminating techniques of wood ribs and cedar strips are a thing of the past. Posted on 28 Apr
Make me smile even wider and brighter
What's better than writing about a great programme to get people into yachting? Only one thing... What's better than writing about a great programme to get people into yachting? Well, how about actually speaking with a former participant who has then gone on to work in the industry. That's what! Posted on 22 Apr