BOTTOM PAINT WARNING!!!

[mattttt25]

PLEASE READ!!! a few months back, i asked questions concerning a new product from dolphinite- a clear, ablative bottom paint that could be applied without sanding. i received few comments, but decided to give it a try. i applied it to my 20' center console and it has since been in the water. after 4 weeks of inactivity (i was out of town), i return to find my boat with severe barnacle and marine growth. it's extensive, trust me. i've lost 10 mph and my engine struggles to 4000 rpms.<br /><br />i have since discovered that most stores have pulled the product and are offering refunds. if you see it on the shelves, please notify them. here's the kicker- i went to dolphinite's website. they have a disclaimer now that states they are simply a distributor and that they bought it from a manufacturer. they say they have received reports that the paint does not adhere and simply does not work to inhibit growth. the product they were pushing so hard, and now they are trying to break ties. they claim they are on my side and working the issue.<br /><br />i filled out a form they provided on the website. now i am in the process of finding a marina that can haul, clean, and repaint my boat quickly. i then plan to do everything possible to have dolphinite pay for all of this, including time spent and lost.<br /><br />just what i need in the middle of the summer...

 

[flashback]

Re: BOTTOM PAINT WARNING!!!

Man I feel for ya, I remember that post you made and was wondering how it would work out, Thanks for shareing your misfortune with us, you will save many of us from doing the same thing......well look at the bright side, paint stripper will most likely take it off easily.........good luck.....

 

[mattttt25]

Re: BOTTOM PAINT WARNING!!!

let's hope. email messages to dolphinite just returned, seems they disabled their accounts. any idea how to get a phone number?

 

[magster65]

Re: BOTTOM PAINT WARNING!!!

I remember that post. Sorry to hear about that Matt.

 

[kdmiller8251]

Re: BOTTOM PAINT WARNING!!!

Sorry to hear about your troubles...<br />Good Luck<br /><br />Dolphinite Inc <br />19 Mitchell Road, Ipswich, MA 01938 <br />(978) 356-9834 <br /><br />Contacting the BBB may be an option...<br /><br />Tallman

 

[mattttt25]

Re: BOTTOM PAINT WARNING!!!

thanks for the number. i will try to remain calm and civil, and let them handle this before i turn to other means. hopefully they own up and agree to pay. but check out their website if you get a chance. on one side they are still pushing and selling their "award winning" bottom paint. and on the other side, they state it does not work and should be pulled from the shelves.

 

[theboat]

Re: BOTTOM PAINT WARNING!!!

Wow! I was thinking about using this paint and am glad I didn't.<br /><br />Sorry to hear about your Dolphinite issues. Good luck getting your money back.

 

[Dhadley]

Re: BOTTOM PAINT WARNING!!!

I too remember seeing your post. I was thinking about it too. Thanks so much for sharing the info. I know it doesnt make you feel any better about your hull (nor help you clean it) but everybody here appreciates the "heads up".<br /><br />It would be interesting to see what shows (trade and public) they display at. Hummmmm.........

 

[mattttt25]

Re: BOTTOM PAINT WARNING!!!

my update- not much. i filled out the online form, stated i want and expect full restitution, provided email and phone numbers. no response after approx 3 weeks.<br /><br />i tried sending emails to the addresses listed on the website. all were returned undeliverable.<br /><br />i called the executive offices. got a standard message stating if i was calling about the bottom paint to see their website. they said all forms would be forwarded to their insurance company and counsel. i left a message anyway and asked for a call back.<br /><br />i spent 8 hrs power washing my hull. knocked the barnacles off, but their little "feet" just don't come off. my hull is anything but smooth.<br /><br />so, here at iboats, we know not to support chaparral and DOLPHINITE!!!

 

[cobra 3.0]

Re: BOTTOM PAINT WARNING!!!

Just goes to show, stick with time proven products!

 

[Ralph 123]

Re: BOTTOM PAINT WARNING!!!

Well Matt unfortunately you are probably going to be screwed - if they have that many problems they are probably in the middle of filing chapter 11 or even 7....I'd be shocked if you can any kind of restitution uless they are part of a Fortune 500 sized company.

 

[mattttt25]

Re: BOTTOM PAINT WARNING!!!

well, from what i have been told, they are an old, well respected company. according to their website, they blame the actual manufacturer of the paint. they are attempting to seek restitution from them. they also state they are working with their insurance carrier to assist. they are saying everything right, but i just wish they would tell me that on the phone or by email.<br /><br />of course, i just want my boat to be back to normal, and it probably won't be this season.

 

[mattttt25]

Re: BOTTOM PAINT WARNING!!!

update- last week spent fixing my hull problem. took a few hours getting it off the trailer and on to blocks. power washed and scraped for a few hours. then spent approx 10 man hours sanding the entire hull with 80 grit and orbital sanders. i'm talking full tyvek suits, goggles, dust masks. barnacles and gel coat smell great together. got the hull back to a clean white finish. cleaned well with mineral spirits, taped, and painted with interlux micron csc. turned out great. dried and back on the trailer. lots of work.<br /><br />well, my rpm's and speed came right back. amazing how much a rough surface can do. it's nice to have my boat back after losing most of the summer because of dolphinite.<br /><br />getting ready to send them my "bill" and a nice letter asking what they are going to do. if no response (which i'm guessing will happen), my lawyer will take over.<br /><br />again, pls don't buy anything from DOLPHINITE. they suck-

 

[ratherbefishin]

Re: BOTTOM PAINT WARNING!!!

I think one thing there was a red flag-the claim you could apply it over existing paint.Any recoating job is dependant on surface preparation- stripping thr old coating right off down to bare substrate- and this is where all the time and labour is spent. You've finished the job now- but I do suggest people try one of the new generation water based chemical strippers- non toxic,doesn't burn your hands, no fumes , spray it on- leave it over night,power wash it off.Lay down landscaping cloth which acts like a sieve to catch the paint particles,the solution goes right through it, no need to contain it as it's benign and biodegradable.Sanding is only needed to deal with any rough spots already on the hull.Check it out- www.napierenvironmental All the R&D was done at a local marina .

 

[ratherbefishin]

Re: BOTTOM PAINT WARNING!!!

sorry- forgot the ''.com'' which results in a bad gateway www.napierenvironmental.com

 

[mattttt25]

Re: BOTTOM PAINT WARNING!!!

one more update and warning to NOT USE DOLPHINITE!!!<br /><br />still no response from the company. emails and phone messages go unanswered. their website still tries to blame everything on the manufacturer they bought it from. funny, the can of paint said dolphinite, nothing more.<br /><br />anyway, there is a class action suit against them. after talking with a few lawyer relatives i have, i decided to send one final certified letter demanding payment. if i don't get it, i'm filing in small claims court here in maryland. i figure i'll atleast get a judgement against them or make them come to md for a court hearing. i'll let you know how it turns out.<br /><br />again, don't buy anything from dolphinite.

 

[18rabbit]

Re: BOTTOM PAINT WARNING!!!

Mattttttttttttttt25 - sorry to hear you have to experience this. Maybe there is something below that will help explain.<br /><br />The March 2004 issue of Powerboat Reports has the results of their annual bottom paint survey. A total of 54 different products were tested. Only four emerged with a rating of “excellent”. Here are a couple paragraphs that relate to Dolphinite, from that report:<br /><br />From Powerboat Reports, March 2004<br /><br /> In the article on coatings for underwater metal in our February issue, we ran a short bit on what happened to Dolphinite’s Go Fast, a resin-based paint meant for virtually any surface. To recap briefly, it became widely known by last summer (2003) that there was a problem with the paint. Dolphinite acknowledged the problem, and said that the Clean Seas Company of Jacksonville, Florida, designer and maker of the Go Fast bottom paint, had provided a different formulation in the mass produced product from the test samples. Clean Seas, in turn, blamed Dolphinite for mishandling the paint and providing inadequate instructions. <br /><br /> There’s currently a nationwide class action lawsuit against both Dolphinite and Clean Seas, seeking damages for consumers who had used either Go Fast or Dolphinite’s Inflatable Bottom Coat, also manufactured by Clean Seas. <br /><br /> For what it’s worth, out test panel with Go Fast emerged completely fouled, as if it had never been painted.<br /><br /> EDIT: Oh, almost forgot… the bottom paints that rated “excellent” after being submerged in a strong tidal current for 3 months in Connecticut and another set of test panels submerged for 7 months in Florida. Note: the Connecticut test panels were pulled early for to a possible hurricane … that never arrived. Here are the “excellent” bottom paints, as per Powerboat Reports:<br /><br />Interlux – Micron 66 - $212.83/gal from shipstore.com.<br />E-Paint – EP-2000 - $205.70/gal from the mfg web site.<br />E-Paint – EP-ZO - $160.93/gal from mfg website.<br />Petit/Kop-Coat – Trinidad SR - $169.99/gal from West Marine.<br /><br />To date, the best bottom paint Powerboat Reports has encountered is Sea Hawk Islands 44 Plus , a TBT based paint that is no longer available in the US, but it is still available in the Caribbean. After being submerged for 28-months in Key Largo, nothing is growing on it, yet.

 

[CoachHolland]

Re: BOTTOM PAINT WARNING!!!

Class action lawsuit? That's unfortunate. After all the money is distributed and the lawyers take their cut, each boater will receive $5.43.<br /><br />Not actual numbers of course, but every class action I've ever seen is like that. <br /><br />Best of luck!

 

[mattttt25]

Re: BOTTOM PAINT WARNING!!!

exactly. that's why i'm thinking of small claims court instead. i'm not looking for much- cost of materials, time spent fixing it, a few months lost time on the water. probably $1000 total. i just don't know what happens if i get a ruling at court, but they still have a pending class-action against them. i wonder if i have to wait. back to the lawyer friends for advise...

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: BOTTOM PAINT WARNING!!!

Boaters world on Long Island still has it on their shelves.The price is down to 29.99.I think it was 49 last year.What a bargain for some crap that apparently dont work.Charlie