Bottom Paint in Fresh Water

[Careyrobison]

Hey everyone!

Recent additon to the sight hope someone can share some insight. I am looking at buying a benetaeu 305. The boat has reportedly spent it's whole life in freesh water. My concern is that the current owner states it does not have bottom paint, but has had a recen tbottom cleaning ( in the water, and hasno evidence of blisters). Has anyone ever heard of a boat that stays in the water not having bottom paint? Kind of concerning to me.

I appreciate any comments

Carey

 

[Ed Schenck]

No need for concern. Anti-fouling does nothing to protect the bottom from anything but fouling. Bottom-paint is not the same as barrier-coat in other words. It might get slimy in fresh water without anti-fouling but only barrier-coat prevents blisters. Haul the boat and have the bottom checked as part of the survey. Then you might consider barrier-coat before the anti-fouling. But most boats out there have the anti-fouling over the original gelcoat.

 

[DougM]

This sounds a bit odd to me, unless this person has found some really clean fresh water somewhere. I have had power boats in the past that were trailered and if the boats were in the water a week, they started getting slimy.

On sailboats around here VC 17 appears to be the bottom coating of choice. The boats come out of the water in the Fall, and light pressure washing takes care of any minor buildup that occurs along the waterline. Cleaning and repainting in the spring is a piece of cake. I have had VC17 on my boat since new , five years, and all I have had to do is wipe down the bottom with alcohol in the Spring and recoat it. Many people have said that they can actually go two seasons between bottom painting. Bear in mind that the sailing season is pretty short and we have to haul out for Winter here.

On the down side, I keep hearing that if one moves a boat to salt water, the VC 17 has to come off, because it doesn't do the job. I have meant to go to the Interlux website to see what their recommendations were for that kind of a situation.

 

[fstbttms]

On the down side, I keep hearing that if one moves a boat to salt water, the VC 17 has to come off, because it doesn't do the job. I have meant to go to the Interlux website to see what their recommendations were for that kind of a situation.

VC17 is unsuitable for saltwater environments. Were you to move a boat that wore VC17 to a saltwater environment, you would have to repaint. Your choice of new anti fouling would be dependant on the fouling conditions. If you moved to an area of low fouling, you could stay with a vinyl paint like VC Offshore and not have to remove the VC17. But Offshore is not suitable for regions of higher fouling and in that instance, you would likely have to strip the VC17 off and go with a more traditional, non-vinyl paint.