Hulls of marine craft are usually treated with an antifouling paint which is often copper based. Paints of this type are also not environmentally acceptable in that they are usually sacrificial and tend to pollute the waterways in which the marine craft : is operating.

There is thus a necessity for a method and means for treating timbers as well in hulls of marine craft in a manner which will resist attack by living organisms and which is environmentally friendly. It would be desirable to use a product which is naturally occurring.

Historically, it has been found that extracts of the capsicum plant which p imarily constitute capsaicin (8-methly-N-vainllyl-noneamide) have a number of beneficial properties, one property being as a repellent for insects such as termites in a wood coating or impregnation application and as a marine organism repellent in a marine coating applications. Various means have been proposed for extracting capsaicin for use in this application such as that disclosed in US patent No. 6 465, 022 in which a method of providing an essential oil extract of capsicum from capsicum plants is described.

Various applications of capsaicin have also been disclosed in the prior art. For example, US patent No. 5, 985.010 discloses an animal repellent comprising a mixture of capsicum and a liquid organic solvent which are bonded or cross-linked with polymeric substance. The repellent disclosed documents is primarily used as a rodent repellent. US patent No. 6,523, 298 discloses a capsicum-based pesticide which comprises an aqueous formulation containing capsicum.

Whilst the compositions of the prior art are suitable for limited applications, they are not particularly suited for effective wood or fastener preservation applications or for application as anti-fouling in a marine environment.

Summary of the Invention The present invention aims to provide preparations which have improved repellant properties as compared to preparations of the prior art or which at least provide an alternative to the preparations of the prior art. In particular, the present invention aims to provide repellent preparations which are particularly suitable for use in waterproofing, water-resisting and preserving applications particularly of timber and fastener. The present invention in a further aspect aims to provide preparations which are particularly suitable for use as a marine anti-fouling. Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description.

The present invention thus provides in one aspect a preparation for repelling living organisms said preparation comprising in combination capsaicin and a natural or synthetic wax. The term living organisms as used herein includes animals such as rodents, including mice and racks, insects such as termites, wood borers, ants, spiders and other pests, as well as marine organisms including borers, barnacles and shell fish.

Preferably, the preparation contains the following : Capsaicin present in 1 to 50% by volume of capsicum oleoresin Natural or Synthetic wax 5 to 90 % by volume A natural wax for use in the preparation may be selected from a wax from a plant or animal source, a mineral wax or a wax derived form a natural occurring substance or liquid. Typical natural waxes derived from plants or animals comprise wool wax or lanolin, bees wax, or carnauba wax. A typical mineral wax comprises montan wax derived from lignite. A wax derived from a naturally occurring substance comprises paraffin wax which is a by-product of petroleum. The natural wax may comprise one or a combination of two or more of the above natural waxes A synthetic wax for use in the preparation may comprise a wax produced primarily from ethylene. Such waxes include polyethylene wax, polypropylene wax, and tetrafluoroethylenc wax. The synthetic wax of the preparation may comprise one or a combination of two or more of the above synthetic waxes

So that the preparation is in a suitable form for application, the preparation suitably also includes a solvent. Alternatively or additionally, the preparation may include other forms of emulsifying agent. A preparation of this form is particularly suited to pressure treating of timber.

The preparation may also include natural oils including vegetable oils.. The preparation preferably also includes a fungicide. The preparation may further include a fragrance.

The wax/capsaic} n ratio in the preparation is typically 10 to 20 to 1 by volume.

This however may be varied depending upon the repellent properties required of the preparation and/or the waterproofing/preseving properties required of the product In a Eher aspect, the repetlent preparation of the invention is used as an additive. The preparation is suitably used as an additive for paints or plastics to act as a repellent for mice, rats, rodents or other vermin.

In yet a further aspect, the present invention provides-a method for preserving timber, said method including the step of applying to said timber a preserving preparation, said preparation comprising in combination capsaicin and a natural or synthetic wax.

In yet a further aspect, the preparation comprises a preparation for inhibiting marine growth.

In yet a further aspect the present invention provides a method for inhibiting marine growth on a surface exposed to a marine environment, said method including the step of applying to said surface, a marine growth inhibiting composition, said composition comprising in combination capsaicin and a natural or synthetic wax.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, a repellent preparation contains capsaicin and lanolin. Whilst reference in the embodiments described below is made to lanolin, lanolin may be'substituted by other waxes or wax- like material having similar water resistant and adhering properties.

Capsaicin for use in the prepar. ation is extracted from capsaicinoids contained in Habanero peppers which have comparatively elevated capsaicinoid content. The capsaicin however may be extracted from any other pepper or capsicum species.

Capsaicin for use in the preparation is provided in capsicum oleoresin. Capsicum oleoresin may either be used in the preparation to provide the required capsaicin

content in a liquid form or a powder or granular form.

Preferably, the preparation comprises a combination of the following : Capsicum Oleorcsin (containing capsaicin) 1 to 50% by volume Lanolin 5 to 90% by volume Lanolin as used in the preparation is also known as wool fat or grease. Lanolin however may be present in the preparation in the form of any lanolin-based product.

For effective blending with capsaicin, however., the lanolin is liquefied.

The preparation may be prepared by any suitable combining method including heating, blending and homogenizing processes. It has been found that the combination of lanolin and capsaicin act in synergy to provide a preparation which has the beneficial repellent properties of capsaicin and the beneficial adhering, protecting and water proofing properties of lanolin. Such properties make the preparation suited to a wide range of applications.

For application as a coating or preservative, the preparation also includes a solvent, The solvent is present in the preparation in 5 to 90 % by volume.

Alternatively or additionally, the preparation may include other forms of emulsifying agent.

A preparation for pressure treating of timber comprises Capsaicin 1% to 5% by volume Lanolin 10% to 30% by volume Solvent 50% to 90% by volume In a particularly preferred form the preparation comprises : - Capsaicin 1% to 2 % by volume Lanolin 15% to 25% by volume Solvent 60% to 80% by volume In the above preparations capsaicin is present in capsicum oleoresin in liquid or powdered form.

When used in an application as a preservative for timber, the beneficial properties of me preparation provided by the capsa'cin serve to repel termites, rodents, insects, spiders and the like whilst the beneficial properties of the lanolin serve as a waterproofmg or water-resisting and preserving agent for the timber.

For timber preservation, the preparation can be vacuum impregnated into the timber in a conventional manner by exposing the timber to a vacuum and applying the

preparation to the timber whilst under vacuum for a sufficient time for the preparation to penetrate the timber.

As an alternative, the preparation can be applied by any other suitable method known in the art. For example, the preparation may be applied to timber by spraying, wiping, rolling brushing or soaking.

The above preparation and method is also suitable for application to fasteners particularly fasteners subject to corrosion or other attack.

The preparation may also include natural oils including vegetable oils which when used are present in the preparation in 5 to 90 % by volume.

The preparation may also include a fungicide. The fungicide where used is present in the preparation in I % to 80% by volume. In one preparation, the fungicide comprises Tea Tree Oil. Where Tea Tree Oil is used as a fungicide, it is present in 1% to 30% by volume. In another preparation, the fungicide comprises methylated spirits, typically Industrial Methylated spirits present in the preparation in 1 to 80% by volume. The fungicide may comprise a combination of Tea Tree Oil and methylated spirits or any other fungicide or combinations thereof.

The preparation may further include a fragrance. The fragrance which may be lavender or any other fragrance when used is present in the preparation in 1% to 20% by volume.

In a preferred embodiment where the preparation is required for use as a coating, the preparation comprises : - Capsaicin 1 % to 5% by volume Lanolin 10% to 30% by volume Canola Oil 5 % to 15 % by volume Industrial Methylated spirits 1 % to 2% by volume Tea Tree Oil 1 % to 2 % by volume Solvent 50 % to 90 % by volume A particularly preferred preparation for this purpose has : Capsaicin approximately 1% by volume Lanolin approximately 20% by volume Canola Oil approximately 10% by volume Industrial Methylated spirits approximately 0.5% by volume Tea Tree Oil approximately 0. 5 % by volume

Solvent approximately 68 % by volume Capsaicin in the above preparations is provided in capsicum oleoresin in liquid form.

The preparation of the invention also has particularly beneficial application as a marine growth inhibiter which therefore makes it particularly effective as an anti- fouling for the hulls of boats. In such an application, the beneficial properties provided by the eapsaicin serve as a repellent to marine organisms whilst the beneficial properties of lanolin contained within the preparation serve both as a marine growth inhibiter and as a waterproofing or water-resisting agent for the hull. In its application as a marine growth inhibiter, the preparation comprises capsaicin present in the preparatinn in 1 % to 50 % by volume of capsicum o ! eoresin and the lanolin is present in the preparation in 5% to 90% by volume with or without the additional additives referred to above.

In the case where the preparation is to be used in marine applications for example as a marine anti-fouling on the hulls of boats, the preparation is normally applied by spraying, wiping rolling or brushing.

In a further application, the preparation referred to above is used as an additive, the preparation comprising 1% to 50% by volume of capsicum oleoresin containing capsaicin and 5% to 90% by volume of lanolin. The additive is simply added to paint for application as a coating in a known manner, the coating thus having enhanced waterproofing properties due to its inclusion of lanolin and the coating having repellent properties due to its inclusion of capsaicin.

The preparation of the present invention due to its primary effective components being naturally occurring components is environmentally friendly product with its capsaicin content making it particularly effective as a repellent for termites, rodents, insects, spiders and other living organisms and its lanolin content making it particularly effective as a waterproofing and preserving agent for timber and fastenings.

The tenns"compFisin 3"or"¢ompnsest as used throughout Ae specification and claims are taken to specify the presence of the stated features, integers and components referred to but not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integer/s, component/s or group thereof.

Whilst the above has been given by way of illustrative embodiment of the invention, all such variations and modifications thereto as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of the invention as herein defined in the appended claims.