I have an opportunity to inherit a day-sailor for just the cost of the license and upkeep. I am hoping for your expert opinion regarding antifouling paint.
Here are the specifics: I plan to store the boat on the trailer during the winter and will store boat on a lift during the summer. It will only be sailed in freshwater northern lakes from April through September. Since the boat won’t be in the water for longer than a 3 or 4-day weekend at most (and usually just out for a day sail) and because I want to race the boat (so want fast bottom), and due to environmental issues of a biocide bottom paint, and due to maintenance of regular re-application of an anti-fouling paint, I would like to get away from using any type of antifouling paint. The current Bottom barrier is West Marine CoPolymer Plus, Ablative Antifouling paint.
Questions:
1) Should I remove the CoPolymer Plus, Ablative Antifouling paint now, and replace with a wax or some other bottom treatment? If so, how shall I remove the paint? If so, what bottom treatment would you recommend?
2) If paint is still intact (sorry- there seems to be a block on me uploading a picture- I'll amend post later if I can figure out how to post a picture) shall I just use the paint as is, and remove it at a later date?
3) How can I tell when the antifouling paint is no longer doing the job it is intended to do?
4) Is it possible to see all signs of blistering through the CoPolymer Plus, Ablative Antifouling paint as it is currently applied? If there are any signs of blistering, even if boat is free, I am not interested in putting any work into boat.
Thanks in advance . I have no experience with any type of bottom paint.
Here are the specifics: I plan to store the boat on the trailer during the winter and will store boat on a lift during the summer. It will only be sailed in freshwater northern lakes from April through September. Since the boat won’t be in the water for longer than a 3 or 4-day weekend at most (and usually just out for a day sail) and because I want to race the boat (so want fast bottom), and due to environmental issues of a biocide bottom paint, and due to maintenance of regular re-application of an anti-fouling paint, I would like to get away from using any type of antifouling paint. The current Bottom barrier is West Marine CoPolymer Plus, Ablative Antifouling paint.
Questions:
1) Should I remove the CoPolymer Plus, Ablative Antifouling paint now, and replace with a wax or some other bottom treatment? If so, how shall I remove the paint? If so, what bottom treatment would you recommend?
2) If paint is still intact (sorry- there seems to be a block on me uploading a picture- I'll amend post later if I can figure out how to post a picture) shall I just use the paint as is, and remove it at a later date?
3) How can I tell when the antifouling paint is no longer doing the job it is intended to do?
4) Is it possible to see all signs of blistering through the CoPolymer Plus, Ablative Antifouling paint as it is currently applied? If there are any signs of blistering, even if boat is free, I am not interested in putting any work into boat.
Thanks in advance . I have no experience with any type of bottom paint.
