Q2. What effect does slime have on the performance of Intersleek 700? 
All antifoulings usually have slime fouling, whether or not it is visible.  The exact effect of this slime on Intersleek 700 has not been quantified. Most ship owners do not consider slime to be detrimental to performance. However experience does indicate that slime can increase drag, but that it does so to a much lesser extent than weed or animal fouling.  The owners who have carried out full ship applications of Intersleek 700 (“Tropic Lure”, “Norway”) have reported that even with slime, Intersleek 700 performs as well as the TBT SPC antifouling that they previously used. 

Q3. Does slime fouling lead to weed fouling on Intersleek 700?
All Intersleek 700 applications to date have shown that intact (undamaged) Intersleek 700 never gets weed fouling, despite the presence of slime. It can thus be concluded that slime fouling on Intersleek 700 does not usually lead to weed fouling. 

Q4. Does Intersleek 700 release silicones into the sea?
Recent studies by the silicone manufacturer GE Silicones have shown that only very small (trace) quantities of silicone are released into the sea from Foul Release coatings, even after prolonged immersion. 

Q5. Are silicones safe environmentally?
Silicones are of low toxicity to man and the environment and are widely used in the cosmetics industry.  Silicones are degraded in the environment via a combination of biological and non-biological mechanisms to inert materials. 

Q6. Is Intersleek 700 easily damaged?
All antifoulings (including Intersleek 700) absorb water and are relatively soft underwater, and so can be easily damaged. The Intersleek 700 System has excellent adhesion and where damage does occur (eg anchor chains) there is no underfilm creep away from the damaged area.  Although Intersleek 700 itself is relatively soft, the underlying epoxy system is tough and durable, and provides excellent abrasion and corrosion resistance. 

Q7. Is Intersleek 700 affected by pollution ie. oil/diesel spillages etc?
Intersleek 700 is not affected by the normal fuel oils or pollution that float on the surface of sea water.  Any residues on the Intersleek 700 surface can be easily wiped off using a soft cloth. A mild water rinsable neutral detergent can be used if necessary. Test patch the detergent on a small area first. 

Q8. Can damaged areas be repaired?
Where Intersleek 700 has been damaged, it can be repaired by re-applying the Tie Coat and Finish, overlapping onto existing sound Tie Coat or Finish, to which adhesion is good (see Intersleek 700 System Application Procedures).  If the damage is into the underlying epoxy, the epoxy needs to be carefully touched-up first before the Intersleek 731 Tie Coat and Intersleek 757 Finish are re-applied, within the specified overcoating intervals. 

Q9. Does Intersleek 700 have good weathering characteristics?
Intersleek 700 is based on silicone technology, and as such is extremely durable and does not normally undergo any weathering deterioration.  Intersleek 700 retains its gloss, smooth surface and colour for extended periods and so is ideally suited for Fitting Out and on Boottops (except where subject to extensive mechanical damage). 

Q10. Why is Intersleek 700 so expensive?
Not only is Intersleek 700 based on expensive silicone raw materials, but it also requires careful process control during manufacture. This makes the cost high.  Intersleek 700 is also a high solids product, making the cost/litre higher than low solids products. 

Q11. How dependent is Intersleek 700 on the finish Coat dft?
It is essential that the dft’s of both the finish Coat (150µm/6 mils) and Tie Coat (100µm/4 mils) are as specified. Any lower than this and the foul release property of the system will be impaired.  Intersleek 700 relies for its efficiency on the “rubbery” nature of the film. If the dft’s are low, then the film becomes less ‘rubbery’ and barnacles can attach to the surface. 

Q12. Does Intersleek 700 need registration under pesticide legislation as in the case of biocidal antifoulings?
Intersleek 700 is a fouling control coating which works by a ‘non stick’ or physical mechanism. It contains no added biocides therefore is not, by definition, a biocidal product or a pesticide in the eyes of the legislator. Therefore it requires no registration under pesticide/biocidal product laws. 

Q13. How long can a ship stay stationary without major cleaning?
Microfouling can attach to Intersleek 700 within 5 days in areas of very severe fouling. But this can usually be easily removed once the vessel returns to normal service speeds.  After 14 days stationary in high fouling areas, shell fouling can become more firmly adhered to Intersleek 700 and major cleaning may then be needed. 

Q14. What is the lowest temperature that Intersleek 700 can be applied at?
Intersleek 700 can be applied down to 5°C (41°F).  At low temperatures it is critical that the surface temperature is at least 3°C (37ºF) above the dew point.  In order to prevent sagging at low temperatures, a mist coat should be applied first, followed immediately by a full coat.  No moisture, (e.g. rain, dew) must be present on the Tiecoat prior to application of the finish coat. 

Q15. How does Intersleek 700 for Scheduled ships differ from the Fast Ferry Intersleek 425? 
Intersleek 700 has been developed from the experience gained with Intersleek 425. It uses the same basic silicone technology, and has been engineered to enhance the performance at lower speeds (>15 knots-<30 knots). 

Q16 Can Intersleek 700 be used on Fast Ferries? 
Intersleek 700 is not recommended for use on Fast Ferries. It has been optimised for vessels operating at speeds less than 30 knots. At speeds of 30 knots or above, Intersleek 700 foul release capabilities may be compromised. 

Q17 Should Navy and Coastguard Patrol Boats use Intersleek 425, given their (usually) low activity?
Although their activity is low, Patrol Boats can achieve speeds in excess of 30 knots, thus making Intersleek 425 the correct product to use.