Best bottom paint

[Ron Koenig]

I am currently in the process of stripping the bottom of my 1983 C-30 since it looks and feels like a lunar surface. I want to put on the best type of bottom paint for my sitiuation. (Which is mainly day crusing with a little racing thrown in.)What is your opinion on Ablative vs. Sloughing paints? How much speed can be gained by going to one of the new teflon type paints like VC17? We have warm fresh water up here and get a lot of slime build-up on the bottom. Whats the best paint to combat the slime?I have checked the archives but there is no information on the pros and cons of different paints or on how actual performance is affected by different paints.Your help in this matter is appreciated.

 

[Stevec]

On Long Island Sound, NY...

I've been using Ablative (ACP 50) for the last 5-6 years. I like ablative because it does wash/wear?? away with time/use, so there is minimal build up. One thin coat a year (May-October) is all I need. A LIGHT wet sand before application will do it. Oh yes.......it does keep barnacles off although nothing I've tried keeps those tiny shrimp off. Now if I can find a recipe.....

 

[Keith]

bottom paint

If you are in fresh water and do not plan to go to salt water in the future, I like VC-17. It is a fast teflon paint which is so smooth, things have a hard time attaching to it. I used it for 10 years on my old Catalina 30 and was very happy with the relsults. There is no build up each year and it is easy to apply. All you have to do is power wash the boat and apply a new coat. No sanding is required or desired as long as the surface is smooth. Down side is that it is a one season paint (although I have gone two years when it was wintered in the water) and it is not very good in salt water. It also needs a good barrier coat such as VC-tar. Because it is a acetone/teflon base, all of the old bottom paint must be removed before applying or it will do that for you leaving a mess.

 

[Justin - O'day Owners' Web]

VC-17

I like VC-17 for a freshwater application, too, but bear in mind its a great deal of work. You need to bring the bottom back to factory smooth for it to be worth doing, and you must barrier coat underneath it. As someone else pointed out, if you put it over existing paint you will have a mess on your hands. One of my clients did this to themselves this past spring and it was awful. They had a large bill from the yard for clean up and abatement.I personally use Micron CSC. I like the lack of build up and the ability to go multiple seasons with one application. Of course, when I looked at my boat this afternoon I discovered that yard took most of the paint off with the power washer obviating the long-term paint thing, but so be it.<soapboxmode> I don't care for the slime blocker formulae. They rely on seriously high does of toxins, and I guess I feel the copper is bad enough. I won't apply slime blocking paints to my clients boats. Just go sailing and most of the slime comes off anyway. </soapbox><flamesuit>Justin - O'day Owners' Web

 

[bill moffett]

VC Tar/VC 17

I have applied the combination of VC Tar and VC 17 now to three boats I have owned. I have removed tons of Trinadad Blue to make it happen. Once you set up for this system, I think you will agree that it is the best. Once you are set, having followed the directions and applied 4-6 coats of Tar and 2-3 coats of 17, all you do thereafter is roll or spray a coat of 17 just before launch. No sanding, no chipping, just 17. It's a dream. Plus you get a water barrier you do not have to worry about for the rest of your ownership of the boat!

 

[Bob Camarena]

Match to Local Conditions

You should check around locally and see what seems to work best. I keep my boat in warm fresh water as well in the California Delta region. I don't think anyone around here has found anything that keeps the slime from growing. The upside is that it's easy to keep scrubbed with a Dry Diver or other form of long-handled bottom brush.