I'm sure this topic has been beaten to death, however, being a newbie, I have read material on Antifouling coatings, and now seek wisdom from those who have gone before me. I am in the Daytona area therefore, high UV and warm salt water conditions. What, who's product works? I'm going to begin work in a few weeks. I don't know what product is currently in place on the boat (Lancer 28). Is this a job to let the professionals at the marina do? What tools, equipment are needed if I do this myself? Thanks all for your input.
Antifouling Coatings
- Thread starter Albert17201
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Practical Sailor tests these paints by area
and gives a frank review of most (if not all) of the locally available anti-fouling paints and tests them in FL and CT with best recommendations for both areas. The cost of subscription costs a bit (@$40/yr) and they have a website with back issues and lots of informative reviews of new and old gear etc. Bottom paints can be quite expensive and useless if painted over the wrong kind of old paint (new hard paint over old ablative for example). Therefore, I suggest you try to find out what kind of paint is now on your hull and go with the same or similar kind of paint if it tends to fare well in your area (again PracticalSailor.com). If your bottom paint is fairly smooth and has no chicken pox like indentations in it AND it is fairly easy to wipe some pigment out of it with a rag it is probably an ablative (or soft) paint. If it has the pox or does not easily rub off then it is a hard paint IMHO. Keep in mind that I have done the hull painting myself for at least 4 years on current 27' sailboat and have found that for the northeast and in the Hudson River which barely gets above 78 deg. the ablative paints seem to work best. I like to do my own bottom job because I do not necessarily trust hired help to be as thorough as I can be on this very important part of my boat (the part that keeps most of the water out). Depending on the paints I have used I have had bad results once because the paint was not mixed up thoroughly enough and the port bow underside (which I painted first with the thinnest paint) came up in the fall with a beard of growth but mostly good results with ablatives that I mix thoroughly before using. I have given you some ideas about painting your own bottom but if you do not have the free time and do have the money you can pay a boat yard or someone to prep and paint your hull. There is always prep work to be done. Inspect your hull. Get to know your boats underside and be able to visualize it. And if you are handy with tools of all kinds (or want to be) and can wear a dust mask now and then and the smell of certain chemicals (acetone, varnish, On & Off etc) does not bother you too much and you have some strength you should do it yourself. Good luck.
and gives a frank review of most (if not all) of the locally available anti-fouling paints and tests them in FL and CT with best recommendations for both areas. The cost of subscription costs a bit (@$40/yr) and they have a website with back issues and lots of informative reviews of new and old gear etc. Bottom paints can be quite expensive and useless if painted over the wrong kind of old paint (new hard paint over old ablative for example). Therefore, I suggest you try to find out what kind of paint is now on your hull and go with the same or similar kind of paint if it tends to fare well in your area (again PracticalSailor.com). If your bottom paint is fairly smooth and has no chicken pox like indentations in it AND it is fairly easy to wipe some pigment out of it with a rag it is probably an ablative (or soft) paint. If it has the pox or does not easily rub off then it is a hard paint IMHO. Keep in mind that I have done the hull painting myself for at least 4 years on current 27' sailboat and have found that for the northeast and in the Hudson River which barely gets above 78 deg. the ablative paints seem to work best. I like to do my own bottom job because I do not necessarily trust hired help to be as thorough as I can be on this very important part of my boat (the part that keeps most of the water out). Depending on the paints I have used I have had bad results once because the paint was not mixed up thoroughly enough and the port bow underside (which I painted first with the thinnest paint) came up in the fall with a beard of growth but mostly good results with ablatives that I mix thoroughly before using. I have given you some ideas about painting your own bottom but if you do not have the free time and do have the money you can pay a boat yard or someone to prep and paint your hull. There is always prep work to be done. Inspect your hull. Get to know your boats underside and be able to visualize it. And if you are handy with tools of all kinds (or want to be) and can wear a dust mask now and then and the smell of certain chemicals (acetone, varnish, On & Off etc) does not bother you too much and you have some strength you should do it yourself. Good luck.
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