Bottom Paint for Puget Sound

[MikeHoncho]

Out of Tacoma......getting ready to have a bottom job done on my Hunter H30. The first one in 12 years and the original paint is still there! I can't remember the original brand, but I'm certain you can't buy it anymore. It is a harder ablating paint that leaves a fog in the water when cleaning. The water line is the only place that I can see any potential flaking. I have cleaned it myself since I bought it 9 years ago. I have typically cleaned it every 3 months or so.
I want to switch to a harder bottom paint so I'm not swimming in the stuff when cleaning and want to be more responsible. I believe the only prep due to the original paint being loose is along the water line. The yard that is going to do the work is recommending Trinidad Pro. Reading the manual for it has a chart referencing compatibilities to different ablating paints, but I don't know what my original one is. The common prep is a hard sanding prior to application.
Any input on the actual brand and type, and any input on applying it over a very worn-down ablating paint?

 

[Stu Jackson]

Any input on the actual brand and type, and any input on applying it over a very worn-down ablating paint?

Mike, you may be aware that putting ablative over hard is OK, but not the other way around. However, you say your 9-12 year old ablative is very worn down. So your choice is to figure out if Very Worn Down = Gone, or not. Of not, then you have to remove it before applying hard over the old ablative vs. just sanding.
Those are your choices. Your boat, your choice.
Actual brand and type = I think you mean for new, right? Can't be for the old stuff since you don't know. Maybe your PO will see this?!?
We have different paint restrictions here in Canada, so can't advise on new paint, but ALWAYS the advice has been: "Ask your dock neighbors and your local yard. Guys on the east coast and in California have no applicability for you in Washington, none whatsoever. Bottom paint choice is very LOCAL."

 

[MikeHoncho]

Mike, you may be aware that putting ablative over hard is OK, but not the other way around. However, you say your 9-12 year old ablative is very worn down. So your choice is to figure out if Very Worn Down = Gone, or not. Of not, then you have to remove it before applying hard over the old ablative vs. just sanding.
Those are your choices. Your boat, your choice.
Actual brand and type = I think you mean for new, right? Can't be for the old stuff since you don't know. Maybe your PO will see this?!?
We have different paint restrictions here in Canada, so can't advise on new paint, but ALWAYS the advice has been: "Ask your dock neighbors and your local yard. Guys on the East Coast and in California have no applicability for you in Washington, none whatsoever. Bottom paint choice is very LOCAL."

That is what I have come up with my research also. The original is still there, but very thin and gone in places. The waterline is the most prominent and will need extra work if I go with the hard type. I want something that works well for the money but in the long run, I'm cleaning it myself and can compensate for it some performance issues. I'll take a poorer performance hard paint over an ablating so I don't have to swim in it and cause an eco-disaster every time I clean it, as long as it stays put and doesn't fail due to the underlayer.

 

[Terry Cox]

I do my own bottom work. After the yard crew pressure washes the bottom, I let it dry overnight. Next day I scrape off any loose paint, clean the bright work and apply a thick coat of zinc oxide (diaper rash cream) to the prop and shaft. Then time to sand the bottom by hand to avoid the need for tenting. After sanding, apply two coats of hard blue paint to any exposed gelcoat, followed by two coats of WestMarine brand black ablative.

 

[MikeHoncho]

I do my own bottom work. After the yard crew pressure washes the bottom, I let it dry overnight. Next day I scrape off any loose paint, clean the bright work and apply a thick coat of zinc oxide (diaper rash cream) to the prop and shaft. Then time to sand the bottom by hand to avoid the need for tenting. After sanding, apply two coats of hard blue paint to any exposed gelcoat, followed by two coats of WestMarine brand black ablative.

I’m not retired yet so working OT while someone else does the work pencils out as long as it’s done right.

 

[Terry Cox]

I’m not retired yet so working OT while someone else does the work pencils out as long as it’s done right.

Makes sense, Mike.

 

[jssailem]

If you were not having so much fun doing the OT you could spend more time with your toys.

 

[MikeHoncho]

Well the boat it out of the water. The paint is much more present than I thought it would be. Discussing the paint options with the yard SME, we decided to go with an ablating paint again. The original bleeds a lot, but the newer stuff isn't supposed to, so we will see.

 

[jssailem]

Hope you are successful. I have had a good experience with Trinidad in the waters of Port Everett. My diver likes it. Has made his job easier.

Happy Diver... Happy sailor.