The Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) took delivery of a new Impact 12-metre RIB in December.

The boat was coated with HullSpeed 3000 after production speed trials were completed and then tested again. Both testing protocols were conducted by Impact manufacturing staff. The application came at the request of FWC in efforts to improve fuel economy, speed and introduce eco-friendly bottom paint into their fleet. FWC and similar environmental enforcement organisations throughout the world are becoming increasingly aware of conservation laws concerning environmentally harmful bottom paints. It is important that these organizations know and utilize eco-friendly alternatives.

Revolutionary water-based drag reduction bottom paints are being credited with increasing the speed and fuel economy of superyachts by up to 8%.

Belle Adventure the 29 metre William Fife Classic Sailing Yacht was coated in March 2012 with HullSpeed 3000-series. She had sailed 9.5 knots in 12 knots of wind with her Petit Ultra bottom paint but one coated sailed 10.5-11 knots in 12 knots of wind with HullSpeed demonstrating an improvement in speed of between 8.5% and 12.5%

With the gradual banning of heavy metal and toxic antifoul paints, and with perpetually rising fuel costs, the marine industry is looking for environmentally conscious, cost saving alternatives. HullSpeed.us™ Performance Marine Coatings, a division of Greenfield Mfg. Inc. in Saratoga Springs, NY has developed just that.

HullSpeed.us™ manufactures a family of water based epoxy/silicone coatings. The bottom paint provides the rugged tenacity of epoxy and the foul release/speed properties of silicone without any negative environmental impact unlike most current antifouling marine paints. HullSpeed.us™ coatings continue to exhibit improved speed and/or reduced fuel consumption when compared to current antifoul paints at the same engine load.