SeaSlide Bottom Coating

[Greg Maier]

Has anybody tried the SeaSlide Bottom Coating from WestMarine. It is supposed to give the boat 3+ mph. Has anybody heard of this stuff.

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/commerce/command/ProductDisplay?prmenbr=201&prrfnbr=114562&store_num=4&store_name=Paint%20%26%20Maintenance&subdept_num=202&subdept_name=Paint%20,% 20Varnish%20%26%20Teak%20Oil&class_num=203&class_name=Bottom%20Paint&outlet=

[Greg Maier]

The University of Rhode Island. Department of Ocean Engineering.

"The Sea-Slide coating indicates drag reductions of approximately 7% to 17% below the anti-fouling painted hull. It is therefore concluded that the Sea-Slide paint reduces the overall drag of a hull by a clearly measurable value."

The total drag can be split into two main components; viscous or friction drag, wave and eddy making drag. The higher drag reductions at lower speeds are thought to be the result of the higher proportion of viscous drag at lower speeds. The assumption is that the Sea-Slide paint affects the viscous part of the total drag and has no effect on the wave and eddy making drag components. This means that Sea-Slide paint reduces proportionately larger percentage of total drag at lower speeds than at higher speeds in displacement type hulls.

In the planing hull the paint may produce additional effects of allowing the hull to plane sooner (come out of the water sooner) reducing the wetting surface of the hull. This will reduce the frictional part of the total drag.

The results of the tests indicate that the overall drag of a hull moving through water is affected by the application of the Sea-Slide coating. It is therefore recommended that Sea-Slide paint be used to smooth out the roughness of the hull caused by the antifouling paint normally used on commercial hulls like tankers and merchant ships. If it is proven that the Sea-Slide does not impede the action of the antifouling paint the benefits in commercial ships can be substantial.

T. Kowalski, Professor of Engineering

University of Rhode Island

[jengel]

I have no bottom paint on my little 16'. It's always been in a lake. Now I trailer it and use it in Long Island Sound. What are the rest of you Northeast saltwater donzi owners using on your bottoms?

[Crossbow]

No paint on my bottom either just installed the Air Dock that you see in the mags. Works great boat sits high and dry when not in use . eek!

[Greg Maier]

The SaeSlide isn't designed to keep barnacles off like bottom paint. It is designed to reduce friction. It is said that it reduces drag in the water from 7 to 17%. People spend thousands to get 5 mph out of their boat, I would be surprised if this was never tried. Has anybody here tried it?

[Paul Storti]

I haven't used sea slide but I used something called sppedcoat that I got at the Miami boat show it was "guaranteed" to give me more speed and while it felt sliperry I found no difference on the gps and the sliperry feeling only lasted a few outings. Since then I have lost about 3mph and 200rpms on top and I'm wondering if that coating has something to with it. I have to get the boat out with just me and a half tank of fuel and see if I have truly lost speed or its just the heavy cooler I bring out every weekend...

[Moody Blu']

I use petit trinidad SR
this stuff got practical sailors # 1 spot 2 years in a row , and it works very good!!

[yachtjim]

jengel, if you are keeping your boat on a trailer then don't put anything on the bottom. Only use bottom paint if you plan to leave your boat in the water for extended periods of time, like a few weeks or more.

[MOP]

Does anyone work for Boeing? I would like to try the rivlets that were used on Stars & Stripes in Austrailia. For a sail boat they got a decent gain in speed. They are used on aircraft to break the stiction layer to increase speed, seems to me if they help slow and real fast should work for Donzi's too!