South Florida Bottom Paint Questions

Getting ready to haul and paint my GB 42 kept in Jupiter FL. Keep the boat in a small hurricane hole marina with little to no current. Try to use the boat as much as possible but there will be weeks go by without any movement. Currently have an ablative paint on the hull. I have paint narrowed my choice to recoat down to Micron 66 and Seahawk Biocop TF. No scientific reason, just reading online. Seems that folks down here gravitate to these? My two questions are about the Micron 66.

I read differing things about taking a boat with Micron 66 through fresh or brackish water. Planning an Okeechobee Waterway trip sometime next year which will expose the boat to not so salty water. Does doing so ruin the paint or is it simply that it doesn't protect in fresher water and will possibly need a cleaning afterward? It's only a day or two to get through to the west coast of Florida so how much build up could occur?

Second question on Micron is on how my slow 7-8K speed will affect it. I also read that it is better used on boats where speed gives it an assist in cleaning. Even read one post that said you need to be 20+ knots for it to work properly.

Any comments or suggestions appreciated!

IMO, the type of bottom paint doesn't really matter because you are going to have the bottom cleaned and inspected every 4-8 weeks, along with the hull zincs 'depending upon local conditions.'
Per the water way, I am told some folks park their boats in the lake for a month to kill off the saltwater critters. I don't know if that is the truth or if it really works.

BUT, if you are going out for a while, you know the drill, get the bottom cleaned, have sanitary tank pumped the day before, fill the water tanks, fill the fuel tanks as necessary.....
finally, bring food.

Never thought about it that way although the more cleaning the sooner it is gone. If I could spread the cleanings out...that would have to help. Or not. Who knows? It's friggin bottom paint which is right up there with which anchor. On the fresh water dunk, I have read of people who go fresh and it kills things off and that makes sense. Although I doubt they just drop off the hull leaving it squeeky clean. I read this morning that someone had decided to not use the Micron 66 because going through fresh(er) water killed off the anti-fouling properties. I didn't quite buy that so thought I would ask. My whole life has spent racing sailboats with no bottom paint. Actually one had hard paint but all of them were scrubbed weekly before racing so I have very limited experience with bottom jobs. Seems that after you narrow it down to 1-2-3 choices in a particular area for a particular boat and use it is flip a coin.

I don't think passing through the OWW will hurt your bottom paint.

It may kill some of the growth, but I doubt it, barnacles get fresh water inflow over them pretty often and survive "in the wild."

On the other hand, who knows what that Lake O water will do. It's a toxic sludge of chemicals right now, thanks to your friends big sugar. It may eat through the bottom of your boat.

Micron 66 and Pettit Trinidad SR are probably the most popular AF paints in South Florida. Trinidad is a hard paint so not for you.

Micron 66 is optimized for boats that can do 20 knots or more, so not for you.

You do want a paint with slime control. It really extends the life of the paint.

I suggest Micron CF. It's an ablative with slime control. It should keep the bottom clean close to a year without the need for cleaning and then you can extend it another year or two with regular cleaning.

Where did this idea that a boat needs to be cleaned every few weeks even with expensive bottom paint on it?

If you're going to pay a diver, Micron CSC is a good copper ablative at a reasonable price.

Clean it frequently to keep the barnacle growth down, especially on the running gear.

My experience in fresh water; slime build up. Salt water; pretty much anything that can get a foothold on the hull.

In all the tests and reports I have read its pretty obvious that certain formulations work better than others in different areas. So it makes sense to ask folks in FL what works there and use it.

Ken

The keys in the life of the paint are 1-the application of it and 2-the care of it. We use only hard paints, no ablative, so can't help in paint choice. How frequently have you been getting it cleaned?

HopCar said:

Micron 66 and Pettit Trinidad SR are probably the most popular AF paints in South Florida. Trinidad is a hard paint so not for you.



Micron 66 is optimized for boats that can do 20 knots or more, so not for you.



You do want a paint with slime control. It really extends the life of the paint.



I suggest Micron CF. It's an ablative with slime control. It should keep the bottom clean close to a year without the need for cleaning and then you can extend it another year or two with regular cleaning.



Where did this idea that a boat needs to be cleaned every few weeks even with expensive bottom paint on it?



If you're going to pay a diver, Micron CSC is a good copper ablative at a reasonable price.

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[emoji106]
What He Said.

HopCar said:

I suggest Micron CF. It's an ablative with slime control. It should keep the bottom clean close to a year without the need for cleaning and then you can extend it another year or two with regular cleaning.

Where did this idea that a boat needs to be cleaned every few weeks even with expensive bottom paint on it?

If you're going to pay a diver, Micron CSC is a good copper ablative at a reasonable price.

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BandB said:

The keys in the life of the paint are 1-the application of it and 2-the care of it. We use only hard paints, no ablative, so can't help in paint choice. How frequently have you been getting it cleaned?

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We bought the boat in March and the bottom paint was poor. So I have had it cleaned once a month and it has needed it badly every time. Hopefully with a new bottom job I can cut out the diver. No love for paying them monthly.

Also thinking about Petit Ultima SR 60. Dual biocide and high copper content.

I hate this process and choice. Just have no experience with bottom paint on this boat in this area as of yet.

Practical Sailor tests bottom paint.

HopCar said:

Where did this idea that a boat needs to be cleaned every few weeks even with expensive bottom paint on it?

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From experience. Now if it's a full displacement, one might avoid regular cleanings and just paint more frequently. We have planing and semi-planing. Every three weeks in summer, four in winter. On the other hand, we've gotten three years from bottom paint and had it still look good when hauled to be repainted. We were targeting two years but at two years definitely wasn't needed. Now, we do use hard and not ablative.

We've seen the appearance and the loss of speed on boats not cleaned regularly. By doing it with the frequency we do, it's an easy job, pretty much just wiping the bottom clean with a soft brush. No scraping, ever. Not allowed.

BandB, I have experience also. I don't have any loss of speed for at least eight or nine months after applying high quality paint with slime killer. No point in cleaning before then. After that I would go several months without cleaning. I would usually haul after about 24 months and reapply.

I do use ablative paint designed for the speed of my boat and I apply several coats.

Up until Prop Speed came along, the prop would need to be cleaned pretty quickly. With Prop Speed, the prop stays as clean as the bottom. I also picked up almost a full knot in speed over a painted or bare prop.

I actually have a good relationship with a diver who regularly cleans a boat near me. When he sees fouling, he cleans the bottom and sends me a bill. I never have to ask him and he never does it until it needs doing.

Possum is, or was, semi displacement that I usually ran about fifteen knots. I'd slow down to twelve if I wanted to save fuel.

HopCar said:

BandB, I have experience also. I don't have any loss of speed for at least eight or nine months after applying high quality paint with slime killer. No point in cleaning before then. After that I would go several months without cleaning. I would usually haul after about 24 months and reapply.

I do use ablative paint designed for the speed of my boat and I apply several coats.

Up until Prop Speed came along, the prop would need to be cleaned pretty quickly. With Prop Speed, the prop stays as clean as the bottom. I also picked up almost a full knot in speed over a painted or bare prop.

I actually have a good relationship with a diver who regularly cleans a boat near me. When he sees fouling, he cleans the bottom and sends me a bill. I never have to ask him and he never does it until it needs doing.

Possum is, or was, semi displacement that I usually ran about fifteen knots. I'd slow down to twelve if I wanted to save fuel.

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We use hard and in 8 or 9 months ours would be covered where we dock. You'd need to blast it. We also run faster and are more bothered by loss of speed.

We use Prop Speed and believe in it while many don't. We lose no speed to dirty hull or props. We do reapply the prop speed annually. It could go longer but then would require a separate haul out.

We expected to bottom paint every two years, but we've ended up going three years and still could go longer if we really wanted to. See many who do it annually and have no idea what is causing their need so soon. Don't know if it's application, quality or type of paint or not cleaning.

We don't really know when or how much speed we would lost as we never let it reach that point. Could we go longer before diving or between dives or before painting? Not sure we know. We've just chosen a pattern that works for us.

If waiting 8 to 9 months works for you that's great. It varies so much by exact location and use. We've gone months without cleaning when cruising or in other locations. On the TN River we've gone 6 months at a time and had a hard time finding a diver, then the diver has said we didn't really need it, but done it to humor us. We went 9 months cruising from Washington State to Fort Lauderdale. We checked it and it was fine but we were putting a lot of miles on it. We cruised the east coast and had it cleaned in Newport after 11 weeks and the diver there said it really didn't need it. We just didn't want to wait another 6 weeks until we got home. On the loop, we got it cleaned once in 8 months and were told then it really didn't need it.

Now, wish we'd known about divers when we lived on a lake. We'd have the boat hauled and it would look horrible. We had it washed 3 times a year and it took acid to get it completely clean. The ultimate package of boat detailing there was $29 per foot. We didn't get that. We did get detailing by the marina we used but it was far less than that. Cleaning with acid washing of hull ran about $250 if I remember correctly. So we spent about $750 a year on a 30 foot boat. A diver would have made far more sense and kept it better. We would lose 2 to 3 knots from clean to dirty, but then it ran over 50 knots at WOT.

I hate to think of Possum in the past tense. Just reading where you wrote "is, or was" was painful and I'm sure it still is to you. Have you given thought to your next boat yet?

We used Micron CSC with decent results on a slow trawler (7-8kt). Biggest problem I had was with growth on the prop. Growth on the hull might have had a nominal impact on fuel efficiency but growth on the single prop was a real killer. Worth paying the diver to clean the prop, or get yourself a hookah and do it yourself.

The major paint manufacturers have paint selection guides on their websites. Answer a few questions and they recommend the best paint for your boat, location and use.

Using their website, I determined that Pettit Trinidad SR 77 was the best performing paint for my boat and location. My marina's manager and my diver both agreed.

In my marina, even with the best bottom paint, boats need cleaning by a diver every three or four weeks in the summer and every couple months in the winter.

So my diver comes, cleans the bottom and running gear, inspects the hull and paint condition and checks and replaces anodes. He sends me a report and a bill.

WesK said:

Using their website, I determined that Pettit Trinidad SR 77 was the best performing paint for my boat and location. My marina's manager and my diver both agreed.

In my marina, even with the best bottom paint, boats need cleaning by a diver every three or four weeks in the summer and every couple months in the winter.

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It's one of the most popular paints.

"In my marina, even with the best bottom paint, boats need cleaning by a diver every three or four weeks in the summer and every couple months in the winter."

Is that a month of just sitting , or is the boat operated during that 3-4 weeks?

FF said:

"In my marina, even with the best bottom paint, boats need cleaning by a diver every three or four weeks in the summer and every couple months in the winter."

Is that a month of just sitting , or is the boat operated during that 3-4 weeks?

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Sitting. Or maybe a day trip or two.

I have looked at their paint selection guides and find them....ok. They don't ask deep enough questions though nor would I expect them to. This is your basic case of analysis paralysis which I fall prey to..oh..every time I make a decision. My diver tells me his boss swears by Micron Extra. No idea what type of boat, usage, nothing. That doesn't really help.

If I go back to the basics on this it would seem like my first time out of the gate I should go with something that has high copper content and dual biocides, the things that kill off the growth. If I use that thinking I come up with Pettit Ultima SR 60. Lots of good comments about Seahawk Biocop TF though.... on and on. Am totally confused on Micron 66. Am told "you need to be 20+ knots for it to work but then ready that "it works sitting in the slip".

Ablative paints keep clean by boat motion thru the water , they may be a poor choice for a seldom moved boat.

"On the other hand, who knows what that Lake O water will do. It's a toxic sludge of chemicals right now, thanks to your friends big sugar. It may eat through the bottom of your boat."

This is beyond nonsense .

Hundreds of thousands of folks DRINK water from the lake area , and don't seem to be having problems .

From the Keys on up past Lake O' most of their drinking water comes from the Lakes aquifer.

Any fresh water may kill some of the sea water growth , if you are in fresh long enough.

Our boats at Ortona do not have growth problems , and a 2-3 week cruise in sea water does not create growth that doesn't leave on returning home.

Does being in fresh water for two months have any negative effects on bottom paint when entering salt water again? Does it need to be sanded or "reactivated" somehow?

Greetings,
Mr. c. It's my understanding that the effectiveness (activity) of anti-foul paint is unaffected by either salt or fresh water or travel between the two. Nothing needs be done if making the transition.

FF said:

Our boats at Ortona do not have growth problems , and a 2-3 week cruise in sea water does not create growth that doesn't leave on returning home.

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Ortona seems to be a well kept secret. I think it combines hurricane shelter, surge immunity, salt water access, little traffic, and a fresh water environ for the hull.
I've spent over 50 years in FL, including flying/driving/hunting/diving/boating all over, and never heard of it. How's the real estate availablity these days?

Here at the shipyard where I work we paint the bottoms of large yachts all the time. The first question the paint foreman has is, "What kind of paint is on the bottom now?" He wants to make sure that the new bottom paint will be compatible to the old bottom paint. For some of the larger boats if the current paint is not known, a sample of the old bottom paint is sent to Interlux or other paint manufacturer for analysis.
A little research on the manufacturers website might give you the right information.

yachtbrokerguy said:

Here at the shipyard where I work we paint the bottoms of large yachts all the time. The first question the paint foreman has is, "What kind of paint is on the bottom now?" He wants to make sure that the new bottom paint will be compatible to the old bottom paint. For some of the larger boats if the current paint is not known, a sample of the old bottom paint is sent to Interlux or other paint manufacturer for analysis.
A little research on the manufacturers website might give you the right information.

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All the paint companies have charts but not knowing what you have can be a problem. Most will work fine, but it's possible to have one that just isn't compatible.

"Does being in fresh water for two months have any negative effects on bottom paint when entering salt water again? Does it need to be sanded or "reactivated" somehow?"

When you move the boat , the water does the scrubbing , to a cleaner surface.

Nothing extra required.

Ortona hurricane hole , yes there is always reel estate for sale , the prices seem to be about 1/2 of coastal prices. 50 miles to West and 100 to East coasts.

Remember going to Ft Myers its a couple of opening bridges and 2 locks to transit.

For a cruiser a day getting in or out is no big deal , for fish boat guys it doesn't work.

Parks and I keep our boats in brackish water (engines and bottom and I find Trinidad works best. We run our boat weekly or a minimum of 2-3 times a month at cruising speed We do t have the diver over to the bottom unless we have to miss some trips.

Parks I hope your planning on a new boat, that’s your baby!

Hi Bigfish, Ellis has Possum's bigger sister listed in their brokerage. It has a much nice interior than Possum. Very expensive. Maybe I can afford it if I opt for a cheaper nursing home when the time comes.

Parks

Losing Possum is an opportunity to have Possum Too, your retired and should spend some of that Sale of HC money on Parks. My crew convinced me you only live once so we offered on a larger GB, it was accepted so tomorrow we go to survey and sea trial. This is the second sea trial for us in two weeks, first one we rejected. My gut tells me this is going to be ours (now to write the check).

My point is if I can do it you can too. Your younger, have more money, look a lot better and drink more beer so it should be an easy decision for you. LOL