Micron Extra third season in southern New England?

[RobG]

After power-washing at haul-out last fall the bottom paint condition and thickness still looks very good after two seasons. I have a hard red first coat which isn't showing at all. Then two thick coats of Micron Extra and a third along the leading edges and water-line. I wasn't there to see the bottom prior to the marina power-washing, but from what I could tell while she was in the water there was just a little slime by October which is normal from past experience. Nothing I would even consider scrubbing (if it was allowed anyway). Are all of the bio-sides/anti-fouling's gone or almost gone regardless of the thickness at this point?
With "normal" spring weather I would have just gone ahead and done it already anyway but now I'm in a pinch.
Any southern NE'ers using Micron Extra have luck with a third season?
Thx gang.

 

[Solstice]

You should be fine if the paint hasn’t come through to your red base coat. Extra is a copolymer ablative so as long as you see blue and the paint is free of chemicals (cleaning etc) the paint will do it’s job.
The Interlux techs told me that the main reason NE boats see paint flaking off is because many ritually apply a coat of multi season paint every Spring just because. This causes thickness build up and the paint lifts from the hull.
Your power washer must be very good because that’s usually where I lose a lot of my paint.
I’ve happily used Micron Extra for years, however I did switch to Micron 66 last season...we’ll see if it is any better than the Extra for the money...been a horrible Spring!!

 

[ToddS]

I've pushed a 3rd season before with a solid coat or two of ablative over a contrasting color (much like your scenario)... different paint (WestMarine CPP) but my results were just that there was a little more slime than usual by late summer/early fall, but it didn't have barnacles or anything too terrible on there though. I'm in Southern New England as well. I also agree with Solstice, that people generally go too thick with ablatives... I feel like you want them to wear really thin before recoating so you don't accumulate paint over time ideally. It doesn't take much ablative to keep the creatures from sticking (imho). In the past I've generally done ONE thick coat, with a little extra second coat at the bow/waterline every-other year. because my old boat needed about 7/8ths of a gallon to do the bottom, and the extra 8th went to the leading edge to use up the paint. Just got a new boat that will use over a gallon, so I may do a full second coat depending on how much is left in the second can.

 

[shemandr]

My bottom paint was done last year and it looks good except for a few areas where the old blue shows through. I'm not painting this year. I do scrub some while swimming around the boat. But I agree that just layering paint on year after year ends up with too much paint and flaking problems.

 

[RobG]

Thanks for the quick reply guys! Looks like I'll just touch-up the leading edge of the keel.
Yeah crappy spring. I'm usually in the first week of May...just around the corner. I just took off and packed up the cover last weekend. SO much to do and so little time. Looks like I'm going in late this year. Water is still low to mid 40's anyway. That's chilly out on the mooring!

 

[ToddS]

I feel your pain RobG... I bought a boat very late in the fall and had to haul it without even getting a day of sailing in... yesterday it snowed here (Boston area)... and I'm dying for warm weather so I can get some stuff done, and get her in the water to finally enjoy some sailing.

 

[shemandr]

My wife and I have been joking that even a parrot could do the weather report .... Aaaaaaaark, 40 degrees, Aaaaaark. Windy Aaaaaark.