SUPERYACHT #10
Autumn 2006
Article selected from our quarterly magazine dedicated to the largest
and most luxurious boats with information, interviews, technical
articles, images and yachting news
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Article by
Roberto Neglia
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CHALLENGER HI-SOLID
THE TURNING POINT
Enamels give the boat its finish, but also a protective barrier
against sun, salinity and water. For some years now the products
on the market have added important aesthetic values (metallic,
changing etc.) to their increasingly improved technical characteristics.
It isn't just a question of looks. Because greater porosity makes
a surface more vulnerable to attack by dirt - which can penetrate
more deeply - and especially by atmospheric agents. In a tough
marine environment this easily leads to yellowing and dulling of
the surfaces. But the exterior aspect is not secondary, and
increasingly greater customer satisfaction can be achieved with
research into special subtleties - metallic, micalised and even
changing colours - to be matched with the superstructure or with
deck accessories that can be done in the same shade. One of the
advantages of enamels is in fact the possibility of using
tintometric systems developed for car bodywork which makes it
easier to find the right colour for any retouching.
The choice of product for finishing the hull is therefore a
delicate step. And if this is true for all boats, it is especially
true for superyachts, and not only in consideration of the
economic question. These boats, much less frequently laid up and
rarely under cover, are objectively more exposed. Moreover, the
cost of any renovation required due to poorly executed paintwork
cycles or to the application of unsuitable products can be very
high indeed.
Until not so long ago it was said of enamels that they didn't last
long, they got dull, were easily scratched or altered. Today
paintwork has evolved into the application of actual cycles of
specific products that achieve flexibility, great brightness and -
why not? - top aesthetic quality. The professional cycle for a big
yacht involves undercoat, a sprayed plaster jacket, another
undercoat, an under-enamel coat and lastly the finish with two
coats of enamel. A coat of transparent acrylic for further
protection can be applied as an optional.
Precisely in this sector Boero, a traditional Italian company well
known worldwide, has intensified its research, exploiting the
experience gained with 430 superyachts over the last twenty years.
The result is Challenger Hi-Solid, the new product of the
SuperNavi line, which will shortly be launched on the market.
It's a completely new concept high-solid enamel specifically for
maxi yachts, the fruit of 4 years of ad hoc study in collaboration
with prestigious Italian and foreign research laboratories.
The debut of this line marks a step forward for Boero and
completes the painting cycle offered by the company. So the
customer can choose all the products from the same company - a
full package - with obvious advantages both in terms of costs and
simplification of supply.
Challenger HS operates in different directions: technical
evolution of course, but without forgetting the aesthetic aspect
and environmental safeguarding. From the first viewpoint we should
mention duration, chemical resistance and the low solvent content,
a detail of considerable importance in the application phase.
Special care has been taken at the aesthetic level, with 2.000
colours available and no less than 15.000 combinations of
customised shades created by the tintometric system and sent
directly to the customer within a very brief time schedule.
The range goes from classic pastel through metallic finishes to
500 metallic, pearled and changing shades. The latter are
increasingly used and substantially contribute to a successful
aesthetic design result. Application of the film offers a matt,
gloss or non-slip finish.
Hi Solid has the merit of corresponding to the tough European
Union VOC standards on emissions, which come into force on 1st
January 2007. These standards are in fact obligatory only for the
industry and vehicle bodywork sectors and therefore do not concern
shipyards, but Boero's involvement marks a new company philosophy
aimed at the development of low environmental impact products.
To go into detail, Challenger is a bicomponent enamel of an
acrylic nature which can be polished and treated with abrasive
paste to improve finish or regain colour. It is especially
suitable for spray application and has high filling qualities and
considerable covering power while permitting thick coats with a
reduced risk of dripping. The advised base is polyurethane or
epoxy. The dry thickness per coat is 50-70 microns, with an
average theoretical yield of 11 square metres per litre. Drying to
touch takes 6-7 hours with a minimum of 24 hours for polishing and
7 days for the complete screen.
The litre/square metre specification, at 50 microns, shows a 40%
saving on materials.
The product has been tested under various environmental conditions
in Florida, New Zealand and Europe.
For information: Boero Colori Divisione Yacht Paint; 16121
Genoa (Italy); Via Macaggi; 19; Tel. +39 010 55001; Fax +39 010
5500207; web site www.boero.it.
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