Foam Elastomer Buoys from Dave Mac

Hippo says its buoys offer a number of unique advantages over the steel and alternative plastics technologies.

Foam elastomer technology employed in the construction of the hulls makes them virtually unsinkable, and the hulls can also be supplied with a 100% UV-stable colouring integrated into the outer skin, as well as a safe antibacterial coating to inhibit marine growth.

Chris Sparrow, Hippo’s sales and marketing manager, said port authorities will feel the benefit of this type of design over the lifetime maintenance programme, which is where the major cost of ownership of any buoy is incurred.

“The majority of this maintenance cost will be incurred on the occasions when that buoy has to be lifted out of the water and brought back to land for refurbishment for repair. Our guiding principle is the design, manufacture and supply of buoys which will only under exceptional circumstances need to touch land, and where the in-water maintenance programme can, as far as is possible in any given application, be reduced to a regular lift to inspect the moorings and jet-wash off any marine growth or bird deposits,” he said.