Update - 2/24/08
Went on-line to Interlux Corporate and found the 'man in charge' of the paint division.  Using the email address format of the other Interlux employees, I forwarded him the email thread with the So Florida Rep.

Update - 2/23/09
The Interlux rep is still trying to blame everyone else for the paint failure of his Interlux Trilux product.

1.   He says the contractor knew they shouldn't use it on fiberglass.  What?!  Interlux Trilux specs say it's appropriate for fiberglass and the contractor has used it often because it performs so well on fiberglass.

2.   The Interlux rep says the only reason it was used was because we wanted grey.  He's been repeatedly told that the gray color when the contractor said, "oh, by the way, you can have another color with Trilux. Do you have a preference?" The Interlux Trilux specs say it comes in colors and is suitable for fiberglass (yeeessss, back to that agine).

3.   The Interlux rep says that the contrctor didn't put the appropriate number of coats on the boat.  The contractor says he followd the instructions to the letter.  Our conversation was that he did, but we certainly didn't read the instructions as we weren't applying the paint.

The ONE issue that the Interlux rep keeps avoiding (what a surprise) is that the boat was loaded with barnacles within WEEKS of the paint being applied. When he first inspected the boat in November, he admitted that the amount of barnacling was excessive and there was obviously a problem  (ya THINK?!).  NOW he's looking to blame everyone else for their failed product.

Our experience and opinion is that Trilux is bad paint and Interlux doesn't care about it's customers.

Update - 2/19/09
Heard from local rep, who thought he should give me a lesson on how and why Trilux was developed, what it was made of and that it's for aluminum boats, not fiberglass boats.  I really hate it when men talk down to me.  I told him that I didn't care why Trilux was made or what it was made of.  The tech specs said it was suitable for fiberglass and wooden boats; the boat was cleaned, primed and painted according to Interlux specs and the bottom was loaded with barnacles within a month of being painted and launched.  So far as I'm concerned, that's paint failure, plain and simple.  He offered for Interlux to supply new paint, the contractor to paint the boat and for us to pay for the haul out.  That breaks down to roughly... $600 to Interlux, 1,500 for the Contractor and close to 3,000 for us.  He somehow seems to think this is a fair and equitable solution to the problem of HIS paint failing.  Noooottt gonna happen. Sent him an email telling him this was not acceptable.  As far as I'm concerned, Interlux should be paying for everything.  We'll see what happens next.  Will keep you posted

Update - 2/19/09
Corporate rep, Joe Szoke, said they don't get involved and it's the rep's decision.  Go Figure! 

Update - 2/18/09:
I finally heard from the Rep.  He has only offered to provide new paint.  Let's see now... that's a drop in the bucket compared to the cost of hauling and repainting.  I think I'll wait to hear from Interlux Corporate.

Original Blog:
Normally, I wouldn't do this as I like to report positively on good things, not negatively on bad things.  However, I'm tired of the runaround we've been getting from the Interlux Florida Rep and after his behavior at the Miami Boat Show, here I am.

In September, we had Nautic and Company (great company) from Ft. Lauderdale work on our boat.  Our boat was hauled, powerwashed, sanded, washed again and then Nautic put the recommended primer and 2+ coats of Trilux 33 bottom paint on SeaWolf.  Having been there and watched the application, Nautic's work was done professionally and properly.  Within a month, we were covered with barnacles.  We called Nautic and they contacted the Interlux Rep.  After a couple of weeks, Nautic called and apologized that they had been unable to reach the rep and gave me his phone number, thinking that as I was the customer, I would probably have better luck.  I contacted the rep and scheduled an appointment.  He didn't show, but called a couple of days later to reschedule.  When he inspected the boat he told us that Trilux was not appropriate for fiberglass boats and should never have been used.  He suggested we move the boat out of a heavy tide slip and have the bottom scrubbed.  We did as he suggested and have had less growth, but our diver tells us it is still excessive.  I checked the Interlux paperwork, which clearly stated that Trilux 33 was specifically formulated for aluminum boats but was appropriate for fiberglass and wooden boats, also.

Since his November inspection, both Nautic and I had tried to contact the rep (for almost 3 months), with no luck.  Bill and I made a point of visiting the Interlux booth at the Miami Boat Show.  We spoke with the rep at that time.  He was inappropriately aggressive in his denials of having received any emails or phone messages from either Nautic or me.  From both of us???  Yeah, right!  He also kept hanging his hat on the erroneous hook that the Trilux is not for fiberglass boats.  If not, why do the Interlux specs say that it is?  Finally, he agreed to provide replacement paint.  He said he'd contact Nautic and talk to them.  I emailed the rep several days ago and haven't heard from him yet.  Nautic, much to their credit, agreed to apply the paint at a reduced rate, even though it does not appear that they did anything incorrectly.  I doubt the yard will haul us for free.

Since I haven't heard from the rep yet, I've sent an email to Interlux corporate asking if they will cover the cost of the new haulout and repaint since it is their product that obviously failed.

I'll keep you posted as to what transpires.

Like Bill, I grew up in the northeast, in northern New Jersey right near NY City.  I spent many fun times at the Jersey shore and the local lakes, but cruising?  Just not on the radar screen.

Bill and I had known one another for almost 13 years before we started dating.  We had worked together in the late 60's and early 70's and, along with other co-workers, we remained friends and we all got together about once a year.  We were both married to other people.  All of a sudden, we were both divorced.  Next thing you knew we were hanging out together and the rest is history.  Along with the kids (most days), he's the best thing that ever happened to me.

For me, the defining point was in 1980 when we went to the now defunct Club Med on Paradise Island in the Bahamas.  We're early risers and were sitting on the deck outside the dining hall, overlooking the harbour.  There was an absolutely gorgeous Tahiti Ketch anchored out right in front of us.  As we watched (and drooled) a man came up on deck (buck naked), yawned, stretched, scratched and went below to get a cup of coffee.  I was dumbstruck and could only think of all of the sail-off-into-the-sunset movies I'd seen as a kid.  Ironically, Bill was thinking the same thing, but he turned to me and said, "I've always wanted to do that."  What a shock!  We'd known one another for more than a decade and I didn't know that about him.  Nor, I might add, did he know it about me.

That very day we started making our plans.  We didn't know if it was possible, but we were going to give it our best shot.  We did... and it worked... and five years later we were on our way.  That was the When.

The Why is just as simple... just because!  Bill wanted to cruise and so did I, so why not?!

If you've just read Bill's February Blog, keep on reading, if not, you need to read his version of this disaster first, so hop on over to Bill's Blog and catch up.

The whole scene was hysterical.  We set off first thing after breakfast and headed for the sail boats.  The "Plan," or so I thought, was to get a lesson or two and then sedately venture out on our own... near shore in light winds.  Next thing I knew Captain Bill was telling the sailing instructor he had experience.  I know that the sailing instructor knew that we had absolutely NO practical experience by the look on my face, but he still, much to my surprise, gave Bill the boat.  Go figure!  I, in my infinite stupidity, actually got in the boat instead of running for the hills.  To this day, I can't believe I got in the boat!

So off we went, and I must admit, the Captain did quite well launching us and taking us out to the buoy.  Then the fun began.  The Captain says, "coming about."  I knew enough to duck, but I wasn't ready for the dunking I got.  My immediate response, after I stopped laughing, was, "okay, bright boy, now what do we do?"  I could not believe my ears when he confidently assured me that he knew how to right the boat because he had, 'read it in chapter 6.'  Next thing I knew, he was standing on the centerboard and climbing on the boat.  The boat took off like a rocket once he was aboard... without me!  I was NOT a happy camper.

Fortunately, Captain Bill likes me and he managed to come about (sans the dunking part) before he hit Africa and come back for me.  Then the foolish man asked if I wanted to do it all again.  Not bloody likely!  Basically, I told him to come back after his 1,000 mile checkup and I'd think about it.

He did and it all worked out just dandy as we're both still alive and have a lot of miles under the hulls.