Supernavi

Supernavi 624….as clean as a whistle

The latest version of Supernavi antifouling, the SPC 624 proved to be an absolute winner in the growing range of Supernavi products. The ‘’ Lulworth ‘’, a Classic sailing yacht from 1930 was one of the first to take this antifouling on it’s hull and came to the conclusion that the 100% Tin-free self-polishing product did an excellent job. The 624 will initially be brought on the market in the three different main colours: black, red and blue. Being on the hull for just under 5 months is of course not jet enough to draw a final conclusion , but coming out of the water as clean as this lifts your expectations to a very high level. The yacht stayed in the area of La Spezia for the winter period and did not move around to much, which would naturally be better for a 100% self-polishing antifouling according to the developer of the Boero lab, Mauro Legrottaglie.

We will keep the LULWORTH and the other users under surveillance, but for now all flags are ''spotless'' green….. 

Navicovers popular in East Europe

The sales and interest for the Boero Navistyle products and in particular the plastic covers has taken a strong rise in Eastern Europe. Countries like Russia, Ukraine and Croatia have quickly become large consumers of these products. The Navicovers are perfect for Yachtbuilders that need to finish the refit or construction outdoors, but also indoors it prevents heating up the whole building and therefore saving a lot of energy. The covers are relatively easy to apply over a plastic tube scaffolding . The plastic that can cover with one piece a surface of  almost 50 sqm is very strong and resilliant. It is designed to keep the heat inside and dust and wind outside. Specialised companies can also construct the scaffolding and the plastics. Boero is offering the total package including zippers, doors and heatguns. In Italy the main use is for refits and you are able to detect them basically in Ports all over the country.

Challenger shows it,s quality on the''Lady First''

The latest yacht sprayed with The Challenger HS topcoat created only smiling faces. The refit of the ‘’ Lady First’’ an 32m Custom line at Overmarine shipyard showed that the dark blue ( in this case Perini blue ) colours of Supernavi are absolute high quality ‘’prize-fighters ‘’ that need to be presented on the most prestigious vessels around.  The circumstances of the application at the end of May where far from perfect; Little light, no aspiration and little airflow .However the applicator was more then satisfied with the flow, coverage and gloss of the result. Applying the coats with only one hour interval and using a small amount of dilution, he more then happily confirmed that with the next dark blue project he will use Challenger again. ( for better view, click on the photo )

Zeca system gives Alu vessels chance to use copper antifouling

The ZECA System is a proprietary anti-corrosive and barrier coating system for the protection of aluminium alloy hull immersed surfaces - specifically allowing the use of copper-based anti-foulings such as Altex  Supernavi AF 619 and AF 633.
Not all alloy hulls are suited to this application and on no account should the system be used on stern-drives or outboard motors.
It is well recognised that the use of copper anti-fouling coatings, even bronze fittings, in direct connection with aluminium in the presence of an electrolyte such as seawater can cause massive corrosion and depletion of the aluminium.
It is less well known, but nonetheless not uncommon practice, that copper based anti-fouling coatings can be applied to aluminium hulls as long as there is an efficient dielectric (electrically insulating) coating between the aluminium substrate and the copper anti-fouling.
The safe performance of such a coating system depends entirely on the insulating coating remaining intact and not allowing direct contact of both the copper and the aluminium with the common electrolyte - seawater.
Obviously as minor in-service underwater damage areas add up, exposing more and more aluminium, the risks of aluminium sacrificial corrosion increase with this simple 'insulation coating' concept.
Until the development of the ZECA System, originally in Canada in collaboration with the Alcan Aluminium Company, there was no coating system that provided a high level of protection for aluminium hulls using copper based anti-foulings - essential for increased hull efficiencies and decreased docking frequency.
In 1988-89 the Alcan Company smelter in British Columbia installed the ZECA System on their freight and passenger ferries and have since then continued enjoying the benefits of copper based anti-fouling protection to the present day.
The ZECA System retains the principle of installing an efficient water-barrier and dielectric coating but has the added advantage of a unique primer, the lynch-pin of the system - ZECA Primer.
The unusual chemical and physical qualities of the ZECA Primer give added protection when the underwater protective and anti-fouling system is breached to the aluminium substrate. Working vessels subject to underwater damage, such as fishing vessels, mussel harvesters, work barges, landing-craft etc. are offered advanced security and protection between extended dry-docking times.
The final tested 'ingredient' for the ZECA System is the importance of deploying only pure zinc anodes, not zinc alloy anodes or aluminium alloy anodes.