Bottom paint

[Vahevala]

Stripped all old paint and barrier coat off my trawler last fall and will be re-coating with recommended 5 coats barrier using interlux 2000E. Have yet to decide what anti-fouling paint to use but now leaning toward interlux micron CSC. Will be heading off in Spring of 2017 on Great Loop so will be in both fresh and salt water environments.
Have any of you old (or young) salts used this product and with what results? Any other thoughts and/or recommendations?
I have spoken to regional interlux rep and he was quite helpful. Just thought I'd ask for some advice for those of you who've "been there done that".
Thanks in advance for anticipated response!
-Vahevala


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[kchace]

I've not used Micron CSC but I've had very good results in brackish and salt in NE with Fiberglass Bottomcote NT.

Ken

 

[River Cruiser]

I had the same thing done during the 2014 winter, I went with Interlux Ultima. After talking with the techs for Pettit and Interlux the one thing that got my attention was the warranty for the 2000, the tech said using both Interlux products there wouldn't be any finger pointing between manufacturers if a problem came up in the warranty period.


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[psneeld]

If doing the loop...I would use Fiberglass Bottomkote NT....cheap and keeps clean as long as you stay moving. Especially with the loop alternating from fresh to brackish to salt for many stretches.


I put 2 coats on and it lasts a summer in Jersey and the winter going to FL and back.


For the loop I might put 3 coats on, stating with the first coat being a different color. Then when done the loop and staying put, the first haul would get the next grade up depending where it was that I stopped for months or more.

 

[Bacchus]

I've used CSC for 25 yrs and like it. I'm in fresh water and pull for winter storage. I usually touch up bare / thin spots each yr before launch w/ a full repaint every 5 yrs or so.
I have used it over ILux 2000 w/ very good results... just need to follow the cure recoat times based on temps.

Can't speak about salt / brackish water results first hand but would go along w/ the Interlux reps advice... I have used them and found them helpful.

 

[psneeld]

In my opinion...when doing the loop...and never stop for more than a week or two...

You could use house paint. The bottom doesn't foul because of moving and the absolute cheapest ablative/wearing paint wears away just like the most expensive.

You can feel good about applying really expensive paint, and lots of it....its your money. My suggestion is think that one all the way through.

 

[fstbttms]

In my opinion...when doing the loop...and never stop for more than a week or two...

You could use house paint.

Then why bother using any paint at all?

 

[psneeld]

Then why bother using any paint at all?

Well maybe not house paint...but you could get by with no paint if you never stop for a week or less.

Lot's of people do....on their week vacation, they put their boats in for the week with no paint at all...hose it off at the end of the week with no growth (even in a high growth area where my marina is)

But that's not what I am saying....by moving, the primary antifouling is preventing growth at all...but for when you do stop for a couple days...a little antifouling is nice but the best is just overkill.

 

[smitty477]

"Then why bother using any paint at all? "


Depends where you want to go but do not let some areas fool you - I been in areas in the NE and in Fla. where two weeks growth will really be a problem without protection.
If the Fiberglass bottomcote is the 'nt' version I am sure it would work fine for a boat on the move.

 

[psneeld]

2 weeks standing till or moving?


I'll buy standing but not moving a couple hours or more every day with some days standing like the typical looper.


If you are going to hang in places for a couple weeks or more...then all means get the right paint.

 

[smitty477]

RIBS sitting next to the larger boat mostly not moving but occasional use - personal experience in Greenport and Block island as well as Miami area.
Clean fiberglass allows growth quite fast - I have used wax type coatings since having this growth and they work great for the 2 weeks or so.
So it does not take much for shorter terms but something needs to be on there.
Similar results with underwater metals when at my home port in Northport on the larger boat.

 

[fstbttms]

"Then why bother using any paint at all? "


Depends where you want to go but do not let some areas fool you - I been in areas in the NE and in Fla. where two weeks growth will really be a problem without protection.

You're preaching to the choir. I clean boat boat bottoms for a living in an area that has (I assume) significantly less fouling than Florida, and I can tell you from personal experience that a boat in salt water without anti fouling paint is a big mistake.

 

[smitty477]

I can share that after boating for more than 30 years plans do not always work like clockwork. So you may set up a long cruise or even the loop and figure you will never be in one spot for more than a few days but reality will eventually catch up with all of our well laid plans. My preference is to set the boat up so that it will be in treat shape and stay in great shape whether or not I am following the 'plan' or not. Just a few things that have happened to us or one of our friends over these past years causing the boat to remain in one spot much longer than intended....
- an 'emergency' call that you need to return to work
- weather including hurricanes that require staying put
- appendicitis which cannot wait
- a request for immediate assistance from a family member/friend


So we always have it in mind that life can sometimes alter our best plans....

 

[psneeld]

Yet you never know where that will be and some paints barely work in some areas and others are better. So what do you use when your problem could be anywhere in the loop?


If you do get stuck and growth is a factor...call a bottom cleaner before moving...about the same price as the difference in expensive versus cheaper paint.


Plus the real gotcha...is the running gear...not cheaper bottom paint. If in Florida in the summer (any high growth area for that matter)...unless you propspeed or similar...your running gear might turn into a ball of barnacles...had it happen to me every time I deployed on a cutter....and Jersey's summer every year.


So you see...there's always more than one way to skin a cat in boating and even the best answers are still only one side of the coin.


So yes OP...use the best, treat your running gear and plan on paying for bottom cleaning. Or go the other way, hope for the best and if something goes different according to plan, solve the issue at that time. Win...you save money, lose...well you already spent it.

 

[smitty477]

"Plus the real gotcha...is the running gear...not cheaper bottom paint"


These past 5 seasons I have had great results using Rustoleum cold galvanizing compound in 20 oz cans for about $8 each at Home Depot. Used on the shafts and props with 2 medium coats it takes about 1-1/2 cans of spray on the bare metal.
Over periods of about 7-8 months and about 1,000 nmiles it stands up well and appears to have much more life left in it when I haul.
Fuel efficiency is affected by running gear growth and hull growth on our boat so keeping it clean is well worth the efforts.

 

[jleonard]

For the past few years I have been using cheap off brand bottom paint from boat zincs.com. It gets my zinc order over $100 so it's free shipping. The paint works fine for seasonal use in LI sound. Also worked fine when we cruised The Canadian canal systems and the freshwater lakes.
Plan on doing the loop maybe 2017 and I'll put on good stuff then.
For running gear I have used brush on zinc paint from McMaster Carr. Seemed to work fine.

 

[psneeld]

Me and everyone else I know has not had any luck with the spray galvanizing in terms of reducing growth unless you spin your prop hard for a bit every month where we are.


I think it provides a smooth surface by sloughing coats as the zinc is galvanically changed...but without movement I see no antifouling properties just like transom zincs that are not reacting get covered in growth as fast as anything.

 

[smitty477]

"Me and everyone else I know has not had any luck with the spray galvanizing in terms of reducing growth unless you spin your prop hard for a bit every month where we are."


I know absolutely nothing about leaving a boat without use for a month so I cannot comment one way or another if that would be an issue. We are not too far away from NJ and travel mostly between BI and NYC and from Albany to the South shore of long island. The spray has worked well being in fresh water for weeks at a time as well as salt for months at a time and back and forth. There is another website that folks comment on form our area (boatered) where numerous folks have had great results with the rustoleum spray. In years past I had used various techniques such as barrier coats with bottom paint, 'special' marine hardware sprays, lanolin, penaten and other brush type paints. This has been by far the best for application, performance, efficacy and removal for replacement.

 

[psneeld]

All the way back to my original post....the more a boat and running gear is moved, the less (not totally) the need for antifouling.

There is a breaking point for everything...but based on a reasonably heavy fouling area...the cheaper ablatives have worked as well as the better ones if the boat is run every week or so. If they sit longer, often the better or more suited for the area paints work better.

Let growth get established enough and almost nothing but mechanical cleaning works.