Several readers have forwarded me a press release on the latest high-tech nano-coating – a spray on glass coating designed to protect a wide range of surfaces from . . . well, just about anything. According to the press release, the nanotechnology product, developed in Turkey and owned by a German company, yields a harmless spray that can protect virtually any surface against dirt and mildew and weathering for up to a year.
Is this the long-sought, miracle marine protectant for boaters? Will this mean that vinyl seat cushions (the notorious mildew magnet) might make a comeback? Maybe, but given our experience with waxes and miracle coatings, Im dubious . . . very dubious that a spray-on product could stand up to a year of exposure in the marine environment. But spraying a silicate on your hull might not be the wisest course of action if you plan to paint it down the road. Ordinary silicone is already the bane of professional boat painters, causing all sorts of adhesion troubles. As tech editor Ralph Naranjo found out in our topside paint test, the best paint isn’t worth a damn if it doesn’t stick.
Nevertheless, my interest is piqued. If the test on Ataturks mausoleum works out, the spray-on glass may be just what I need to keep the local homeowners association – and their incessant requests that I pressure wash my driveway – out of my life.
