Almost time to bottom paint

[Donna]

Okey-dokey, it's almost time to bottom paint.

Tell me what is the best bottom paint around and can I mix a custom color?

 

[O C Diver]

You can mix colors from the choices offered. Simply there are usually 3 to 8 colors offered for most bottom paints. You could certainly mix a quart of red and black for a different color. Don't think they tint bottom paint.

Ted

 

[CPseudonym]

A tip I picked up from someone was whatever color you choose pick a heavy contrasting one for the first coat. That way you can easily "see" when your bottom paint is getting thin.

 

[Capt.Bill11]

A tip I picked up from someone was whatever color you choose pick a heavy contrasting one for the first coat. That way you can easily "see" when your bottom paint is getting thin.

What he said. ^

 

[Donna]

Ok, here is a stupid question. How many coats?

 

[Chrisjs]

If you are starting with a clean bottom (!!), then minimum 2 coats in different colors.
After that just refresh with an additional coat of the outer color paint annually or as needed. Ablative paints wear off faster if the boat travels further or you are aggressive about keeping the hull clean. You might get 2 years between painting. Not sure what works best in your area but Micron CSC was my choice. Avoid the cheap paints and non-ablatives (much harder to deal with in the long run - must be sanded before painting, whereas ablatives just need a good scrub)

 

[BruceK]

Usually 2, maybe 3 around the waterline if you have some paint left.
With color resolved,you need to be asking about:
hard or ablative
best brand/type for your area
what to use on running gear and/or
propspeed or similar, or not, and where to apply it
That should set the hounds running.
Do you know what`s there now? Not all paints go over other paints, an undercoat may be necessary if you don`t know/can`t find out.

 

[motion30]

2 on the bottom 4 on the water line

 

[O C Diver]

Ablative is good if your boat moves fast enough for the paint to shed. My 15 knot charter boat does; my 7 knot trawler doesn't. I'm going back with hard as it seems to last longer if you have a diver periodically cleaning the bottom. Depending on water salinity and temperature you may get 3+ years. Have had similar results with Propspeed. Works great on the running gear of the charter boat. Only worked on prop and shaft of the trawler as the skeg didn't have enough water flow (force) to blow the spat off.

Ted

 

[Nomad Willy]

Very revealing post Ted.
I can plug that right into my experience.
Went w ablative. Lasted very long. Needed refinish. Very hard job. Scraped it all off. Never want to do that again.

I just assumed my boat at 6 knots would sluff off the paint in time. Didn't happen.

 

[Chrisjs]

Do not understand previous posts. Had no problem whatsoever with CSC at 7kt!!!

 

[Nomad Willy]

Chrisjs,
I remember that stuff from about 12 years ago. I owned an Albin then and a guy w a 34' cruiser did a coat of CSC every year. But now the hauling out costs are so high more expensive harder stuff may be cost effective. I had pretty good service w $85 gal Petitt Sea Mate in Alaska. We had tidal grids that only cost $35 or were free. Every year was easy. Not so down here.

 

[O C Diver]

After that just refresh with an additional coat of the outer color paint annually or as needed. Ablative paints wear off faster if the boat travels further or you are aggressive about keeping the hull clean. You might get 2 years between painting.

Do not understand previous posts. Had no problem whatsoever with CSC at 7kt!!!

All bottom paints have chemicals in them to deter growth. So all bottom paints deter growth for quite a while. Ablatives are designed to shed exposing a fresh layer of the chemicals and shed any growth that is starting. If you need to add a coat annually, it sounds like its not revealing a fresh surface. If you don't have to scrub the ablative, my experience is that it will last 2+ seasons. A diver scrubbing the ablative definitely reduces the coating thickness which shortens its functional life. Trust me, I would much rather have ablative and Propspeed on my boat and not have to scrub the bottom.

Ted

 

[Capt.Bill11]

Ok, here is a stupid question. How many coats?

I'd put one color coat followed by 3-4 coats on the bottom and 4-6 coats on the sides if you're using ablative paint and you're going to have a diver scrub it on a regular basis.

With a hard paint I'd use less coats.

 

[fstbttms]

Tell me what is the best bottom paint around...?

This professional hull cleaner only ever recommends two anti fouling paints; Pettit Trinidad (hard) and Interlux Micron 66 (hybrid ablative.) Two coats everywhere and a third at the waterline.

 

[rwidman]

Apparently, nobody on this forum has ever gone to a paint manufacturer's website. If you do, you will find a paint selector guide that asks you questions like Where do you boat? How fast does your boat run? Do you keep it in the water or out? etc.

Answer the questions and you'll have your paint. Of course, there are two major manufacturers so you still have to make a choice.

Before you actually buy the paint, talk to marina staff and professional divers in your area to see what they have to say.

For me, all the signs pointed to Pettit Trinidad SR 77. It's a hard paint and the only possible disadvantage is, it has to be kept wet. It's not supposed to be out of the water for more than 72 hours.

 

[Donna]

Obviously I want to use the best. I don't mind spending more money on something that is going to last longer or be easier for the divers to clean.

I am not somebody who is penny wise and pound foolish. I personally like Pettit paints, but this is my first rodeo on bottom paint. Since this was an estate sale, I have no clue what is on there. It doesn't matter since I will be sanding it down and repairing some small blisters. I am going to try this myself with the help of someone who has become interested and my daughters with their husband/boyfriend. If I find we cannot do it without professional help, I'll suck it up and have the marina I pull out at do it.

 

[Chrisjs]

Hi Donna:
Make sure you wear protective clothing, goggles and good masks if sanding/painting the bottom paint. That stuff is really nasty!! Also, if you are sanding, be aware that there should be at least 2 coats of barrier paint under the first coat of anti-fouling paint. If you sand too much, you will remove this as well (assuming it is still intact). If you are really stripping down a crappy bottom (!!), then you might consider starting from scratch and doing 2 barrier coats, then the anti-fouling.

 

[Gdavid]

If you are sanding all of the way down, apply a barrier coat before you repaint the bottom.


Edit: Didn't see your post Chris

 

[Capt.Bill11]

While barrier coats are great, if your boat didn't have any, and you have few if any blisters, then they are not mandatory.

 

[Gdavid]

While barrier coats are great, if your boat didn't have any, and you have few if any blisters, then they are not mandatory.

This is most likely the case but if you bought a boat that had been dry stored for 6 months out of every year and you intent to use it year round, it could develop a problem.

 

[Donna]

She stays in the water and I intend to use it year round. I do have divers maintain the bottom every 6 weeks in the cooler water, but every 4 weeks in warmer water. As they say, "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."

 

[Nomad Willy]

Donna says "Obviously I want to use the best"

Not obvious. You want the best for you .. Not what the old salts say or the well to do or those that use the most popular or what makes you look most knowledgeable. Just the best for you.

And your situation is as unique as you. Plug in all the variables. What you read, what you think you know and what you're sure you know. This applies to all the boating stuff. If you have access to cheap haulouts frequent applications of a very soft AF may be the best as a good example. And on TF you can take much to the bank but a lot of what you read pretains to what the paticular poster owns. Everone is quite attached to what they have .. best or not. Over time (lots) ... you will know from whom the best advice comes from. If someone says many things that you know are right then the chances of him saying something you don't know about has an excellent chance of being right. But of course no guarantees.

I have no experience in tropical waters but I've heard Trinidad something is good. Just a hearsay but tropical waters are unique re bottom paints .. I hear.

 

[rwidman]

Obviously I want to use the best. I don't mind spending more money on something that is going to last longer or be easier for the divers to clean.

I am not somebody who is penny wise and pound foolish. I personally like Pettit paints, but this is my first rodeo on bottom paint. Since this was an estate sale, I have no clue what is on there. It doesn't matter since I will be sanding it down and repairing some small blisters. I am going to try this myself with the help of someone who has become interested and my daughters with their husband/boyfriend. If I find we cannot do it without professional help, I'll suck it up and have the marina I pull out at do it.

Bottom painting (and more importantly, the preparation) is something I would gladly pay someone else to do. It's hard, dirty work and involves hazardous materials. I would rather unclog a marine head.

 

[dhays]

Bottom painting (and more importantly, the preparation) is something I would gladly pay someone else to do. It's hard, dirty work and involves hazardous materials. I would rather unclog a marine head.

Yeah, me too. My back is toast. Crouching down underneath a hull sanding or painting isn't something I can do these days. But then again, I am inherently lazy.

 

[Capt.Bill11]

Bottom painting (and more importantly, the preparation) is something I would gladly pay someone else to do. It's hard, dirty work and involves hazardous materials. I would rather unclog a marine head.

She could also just pay someone to do the dirty work and then do the rolling and brushing herself.

 

[Donna]

My yard wants $5,900.00

 

[CPseudonym]

That'll cover quite a few trips to the chiropractor

 

[markpierce]

My yard wants $5,900.00

In 2012 when I paid for double painting, the cost was $2,541 in my high cost-of-living area:

Haul, power wash, and launch: $396
Bottom painting package: $1,154
Second painting: $647
Propeller treatment: $344

Donna, is your boat much larger than my 36-footer? Apparently not.

 

[psneeld]

Many variables that shouldn't be comingled.

There are many paths, but once down one follow it, not the paths of others or other products.