Helping Boaters Go Green for Over 40 Years

One of the best ways marine dealers and marina and boatyard operators can help to protect the marine environment is by offering boaters products that truly are “green. Take for example, the Aquagard product line. Offered by Flexdel Corporation, it’s a complete suite of anti-fouling paints, primers and other products that have earned the environmentally friendly label because they release lower levels of volatile organic compounds (VOC’s) and heavy metals into the environment than comparable products.
Available in a variety of colors, Aquagard products are a welcome addition to a marine retailer’s offerings of bottom paints and solvents, as well as a boatyard’s service inventory. “Aquagard products are multi-season co-polymer ablatives,” said Executive Director Greg Devine. “They are water-based and produce better flow and rolling ability.”

Exceeding all standards

The Aquagard line is extensive and includes true clear antifouling spray paint, bottom paints for wood and fiberglass, Alumi-Koat bottom paints for aluminum hulls and pontoons, as well as a variety of other products. All (except the spray paints) are water-based and multi-seasonal ablative. They exceed federal and state VOC standards and are approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). All Aquagard products may be applied over other hard bottom paints. And, unlike solvent-based paints, they will not streak from rainwater. “Aquagard still uses cuprous oxide as its biocide; however, Flexdel has perfected control of leach-out rates of this compound,” said Devine. “The result is a bottom paint that requires less copper, yet still provides year-round protection.” All Aquagard bottom paints are water-based, which minimizes the risk of toxic solvent exposure. And, it allows for year-round indoor application. “Aquagard cleans up with soap and water, and most important, has proven performance in the marketplace,” Devine said. “We offer competitive pricing and don’t charge our customers for UPS hazardous material shipping.”