EcoKote

[Ron Geisman]

http://www.ecokote.com/index.shtml

Does anyone know anything about this water-based topside paint? I sent for their brochure but it really does not go into much detail. Based on their statements, it would seem to be an ideal product. I wonder why there is such a lack of information on it... good or bad.

[Ron Geisman]

After almost a month with no replies, I thought I'd rattle our collective cage one more time as I think this may be worth further enquiry.

Their coatings are water-based polyurethane-acrylic and they claim they can be applied directly to brass, teak, vinyl, aluminum, galvanized steel, carbon fiber, kevlar and even glass. They claim it to be even self-priming!

They sent me a sample painted on the back side of a piece of some sort of mylar foil. You can fold it, stretch it and poke it and it stays in place, unbroken. I couldn't even scrape it off with an Xacto knife.

They also claim to give a 5-year guarantee against "weather-related performance problems."

They also claim EcoKote comes in over 16,000 colors, including 2,000 metallic colors. And for those of us with iron keels, they claim it stops rust by reacting with the substrate structure.

[gert]

From their site:

Although EcoKote is a water-based product, it will dry to touch in 3-4 minutes (at 77 °F) and is workable in 10-15 minutes.

EcoKote has anti-static properties. Dirt accumulation on external painted surfaces is washed away by rain. Painted surfaces may be washed or wiped clean when necessary.

Yea, some one please try this.

Sounds "too good to be true" wonder were it's weak point is?

Probably the cost...

[Ron Geisman]

Hi Gert. Thanks for the reply. I remember reading somewhere in their literature that it is less exspensive than two-part marine coatings. Can't be too bad as they show some really second-rate looking oil tanks in coastal Malaysia coated with the stuff. You know, the kind of operation where they do oil tanks and free-range chickens in the same place.

I've got a phone call into them, but just got a voicemail response. I think this is a very low budget operation. If it was Interlux, they'd probably be hauling just painted boats around on trailers in every coastal Fourth-of-July parade in the country.

[kc8pql]

Well, if you have a ply dink that needs a paint job, go for it and let us know how it works. If you just spent 10 years building a 40' cruiser, I think you may want go with something else.

[David G]

Ron,

I've been in the custom woodworking biz for over 30 years. I guess that qualifies me to play the Old Curmudgeon. It certainly qualifies me to be highly skeptical of the Latest Miracle Finish. As mentioned, there's nothing wrong with experimenting on a small project - but don't get your hopes up.

"What we call "Progress" is the exchange of one nuisance for another nuisance" -- Havelock Ellis

[gert]

Got the application sheets from them.

Not for the faint of heart.

Spraying is recomended and the "rules" seem very very stringent