Why is it that paint companies change the names and labels of anti-fouling products so often ? We all know that it seems like every time we have selected a product, we either like or do not like the entire range of options in anti-fouling’s are switched around and we are forced to rethink our choices and restart the evaluation of performance and prices to choose a new one.
Rest assured this is not because paint companies are out to make you suffer and make you rethink .
One of the main reasons is that regulations the “poisons” that go into anti fouling paint are constantly changing . Not only could they be changing but they are also changing differently in different jurisdictions . So, the paint companies require to adapt their formula to produce a product that remains as optimal as can be, within the new restrictions .
Another reason could be that the costs of certain ingredients are increasing or decreasing, and the optimal formula may change and hence the need to change the paint to create the most effective product within the cost constraints they are confronted with . (Patent and formula ownership may play a role here )
For visitors to the Caribbean who may be accustomed to paints suitable for very different conditions (water temperature is a major factor in paint performance) … it may be even more confusing.