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It’s time for The Triton’s annual crayfish boil with V-Kool of Florida. All captains, crew and industry professionals are welcome to join us on the first Wednesday of May from 6-8 p.m. in Fort Lauderdale.
Until then learn more about the clear “tint” that blocks the heat but not the sun, from V-Kool of Florida owner and former captain Scott Frischhertz.
So tell us about V-Kool. What is it?
V-Kool is made of multiple layers of optically clear polyester sheets embedded with silver. The silver allows visible light to pass through while rejecting 94 percent of infrared, which makes up the largest component of heat from sunlight.
V-Kool was invented at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the mid-1970s for the U.S. Department of Defense. It wasn’t until 1995 that the technology was developed into a thin film.
In 2014, the manufacturer was purchased by Eastman Chemical.
So it’s better than tint?
When tint is applied to glass, it causes an increase in heat absorption, much like wearing dark clothing in the sun. The heat absorbed into the glass then radiates into the room. V-Kool has an extremely low absorption rate so the glass doesn’t get hot.
Also, tint blocks out the light so that interior lights are needed during dusk and dawn or even on a cloudy day. Our film is clear, and it does not diminish nighttime visibility.
What if someone wants tint as well as heat reduction?
At the request of a friend, local marine surveyor Chris Pliske, we experimented with this idea. Chris and his brother, David, own an older sportfish. They wanted heat rejection as well as the dark appearance for the salon windows.
We installed a layer of VK 70 and then applied a layer of limo tint over it. It has worked very well. The V-Kool reflects 94 percent of the sun’s infrared rays, which prevents the layer of limo tint from getting hot. This procedure has been gaining in popularity. Last year, we treated the guard shack at Marina Mile Yachting Center and the front offices of Lauderdale Marine Center with the same system.
Does V-Kool ever need to be replaced?
V-Kool carries a five year warranty in a marine application, however there are boats that have been treated over 10 years ago and the film is still going strong. The only way for the film to fail is direct exposure to salt water (i.e. a leaking window) or damage from impact or sanding. The very first application of V-Kool on a yacht is now 14 years old and still looks and performs as the day it was installed.
How did you get into the business?
I am a former captain and met the owner of V-Kool on a charter in 2003. After he explained the film to me, I purchased a roll and installed the first piece of film on the boat I was running, M/Y Carib Queen.
You’ve been hosting this event for a couple years now and you always have crayfish. Why crayfish?
I’m originally from New Orleans where crayfish parties are common place this time of year. I still have connections there and I fly them in fresh for the event. When you’re standing around a table with a bunch of strangers eating crayfish, you can’t help but strike up a conversation. You’ll end up meeting people that you would not normally meet at a networking event.
While they are tasty, they take some work to eat. How do the locals in New Orleans do it?
Crayfish are peeled similar to shrimp. Pinch the tails and suck the heads. We’ll be giving lessons at the event.
The networking event is Wednesday, May 2, behind the V-Kool office at 1304 S.W. First Ave., one block north of Tap 42 Bar and Grill in Fort Lauderdale (33315). Visit www.V-Kool-florida.com for more details about the company.
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