Bottom Paint or Keel Cable?? Opinions please

[Captnkev25]

What is the detriment to not bottom painting for one season? I purchased my boat in August and was assured the bottom had just been painted in June with multi season ablative paint. It's out on the hard right now and the marina owner told me I need to paint every time I have her stored on land. It is a 1984 Catalina 25 swing keel. My real reason for asking is because of budget constraints. I had planned on bottom painting her and set aside the money.
BUT I have been reading more and more about the keel cable snapping and the keel smashing down and sinking the boat. This has got me worried because I don't know the integrity or age of the existing keel cable. Herein lies my problem. I can only afford to either paint her or replace the keel cable at the moment so do I pay for the peace of mind knowing the cable is a new one or do I repaint the bottom??
Is it a major issue if I "skip" a season of paint? I do know it's a major issue if the cable let's go.

Thanks in advance for your advice.
Kevin

 

[tommays]

What paint was used

as there is single and multi season if it is multi season as you say and there is paint left it will work

 

[JoeWhite]

I do not believe that your boat will sink because the keel cable snapped. If the cable snaps you will not be able to pull the keel back up - but that is all that will happen. Somewhat inconvenient and that is all. The paint - I think you can skip a season and you will be fine.

 

[Captnkev25]

I was told it's multi season ablative?? This is my first sailboat and I've never had to deal with this before. Common sense tells me that having the peace of mind of the new cable outweighs any performance loss over not bottom painting for a season. There is definitely paint left after the boatyard power wash. I just was wondering if there was any long term detriment other than minor performance loss for a season to skipping a year if it was not multi season as I was told.

 

[Captnkev25]

I know the boat won't sink due solely to a snapped cable but I have heard many stories of the cable snapping while the keel was up and the weight of the keel swinging forward and smashing into the trunk breaking the glass and causing costly damage or worst case scenario allowing water in and sinking the boat. I guess my real question was is there any harm other than some extra scrubbing next year and some hull speed reduction to skipping a year of painting.

 

[sailaway78]

Keel cable

Replace the keel cable first. No question there. If the bottom paint is bad, and you start growing stuff on the bottom, it will only slow the boat down. If the cable breaks, it can be a pure bitch with the boat in the water, and we know it won't break when out of the water. So, do the keel cable and enjoy your boat.

 

[Captnkev25]

Thank you. I figured as much and that's the way I was leaning but being all new to this I figured I'd ask on here. I had no idea if bottom painting was as crucial as something like the cable or if it was more of something to enhance performance. For all I know the cable could be fine. The previous owner had not replaced it (I'm the third owner) and my replacing it is purely for my peace of mind.

 

[mel22]

Will you trailor launch. If you trailor then just look for marine growth and if it becomes a problem then pick up and wash.
If you have any doubts about the cable I would advise changing that before it breaks.
You are right in worring about possible structual damage. IMHO.

 

[Captnkev25]

No the boat is kept in a slip from April to November.

 

[Mike1956]

I want to join in by recommending changing the cable first. The threat of sinking if the cable breaks while the keel is raised is a real possibility. For a few dollars, well maybe more, it is well worth the peace of mind and safety. Any time you have a question which you're not sure of the answer, always pick the one that is most safest. You'll always be right!

 

[CalebD]

Sounds to me like you are likely paying someone else to do this work.
1 Gal. of CPP single season ablative paint at Worse Marine is about $100. Add paint roller sleeve, brush, gloves and thinner and total material costs should be less then $200. It could take 3 to 4 or more hours to do given prep work.
New cable with new fittings should cost around $100 even from Worst Marine. If you need to use a travel-lift or other lifting apparatus like a crane add another $250. Once everything is in place it should not take more then an hour to replace the cable.
Inspect this cable as much as you can from the top sides before assuming it is ready to snap. If there are any 'meat hooks', as in split strands of wire in the wire rope it is time to replace it. If not then check the attachment point to the swing keel as you launch. If it all looks good then go sailing.
About the bottom paint... Since you are in salt water (either LIS or GSB) the bottom growth can be pretty severe. I always repaint my boats hull each spring as the paint I use mostly wears away after a season in the lower Hudson. You can also dive your boat a few times a season with a plastic scraper and clean off clinging growth or hire a diver to do it for you.
I'll hazard that you will find out why the 'yard guys' suggest re-painting the bottom if you do not.

 

[Slim pickins]

There is a real good website for you to join it's www.Catalina-Capri-25s.org there is loads of info there with manuals and a forum just for our boats. That is my other hangout. But everyone is correct change the cable and pivot ball. You are right that if the cable snaps when the keels up it could take the trunk out and cause the boat to sink. You will just have to scrub harder when you haul out. I could only afford barrier coat last season so once a month I took a swim and scrubbed. I'm in freshwater so the buildup wasn't too bad.

 

[Joe]

Do them both... that's part of boat ownership. Neither one of those projects is very expensive.... especially since the boat is currently out of the water. A gallon of inexpensive ablative paint, if you look around, can cost a $100 or so plus the cost of a paint roller and a couple hours of your time....

As far as the centerboard wire, have you even inspected it yet? May be much ado about nothing. Besides, isn't there a pin, or some other device, to lock it in place so it doesn't accidently deploy?

Again, neither one of these are major projects.. so suck it up and take care of business.

 

[Captnkev25]

Caleb unfortunately for me both these jobs would need to be done while she is out of the water so I'm beholden to the boatyard she is at to do the work. If the would let me I'd have no problem spending a day painting the bottom. I enjoy working on boats very much and am looking forward to other projects that I can do myself.

 

[Ray Bowles]

kev25, You should be able to inspect 80% of the cable from the cabin of the boat. Additionally you can probably inspect the turning ball at the same time. You will need a good small flashlight and a mirror on a stick like auto tech's use. If the cable is good without fray, barbs and ugly kinks then I'd paint this year.
The boat must be on the hard to paint and if the cable checked out from above then when you come out to paint you can do the very up close inspection of the rest of the cable as you can lower the keel at that time.
If the boat is on a mooring then you can leave the keel down with a little upward tension and this will eliminate wear on the cable and stop the possibility of a sudden drop.
If you purchase a catalog from "Catalina Direct" for the C25 ( should be under $20) it will have a very good parts blow-up of the complete keel system and will list all the parts needed and their prices. When you do the keel cable you should install the "pucks" on the top of the keel to stop side to side slap. If the cable is good enough for another season then I would paint now and plan to do the complete keel maintanance operation next year. Pucks and all. It is not a hard to do repair.
This is just how I'd approach this problem as the chance of cable breakage is small if your in boat inspection looks good. Either way the boat must come out for either in depth job so you're covered and can still max out your sailing season and do the least damage to the wallet.
If you have additional questions just ask them.
Ray

 

[dscribner]

Kev,

Fix the cable and sail with a dirty hull. So you loose 1/2 knot. Whatever. Then, scrape & paint in the fall. If you like ablative, I think (don't know) that repainting ablative is pretty straight forward. YOu can recoat without stripping to the glass. It's a swing keel so the bottom is fairly flat so you can build horses to carry the weight. Borrow a trailer and take her home to work on her yourself.

 

[RAD]

Captnkev
When I had my Bristol 24 I would leave it in the water for 3 yrs with out painting with good multi season paint and in the summer while anchored give the water line a wipe down hardly ever had to much crap on the bottom...did the same for my present boat until I found a yard that lets you paint, I concur with all about checking and or replacing the cable as I have a centerboard too and that cable wears right above the loop at the point where its attached to the centerboard from the motion of the board moving side to side.
The last time I changed the cable I added a little more so all I have to do is just cut the cable right above the shackle loop and re-crimp a new loop
Where on Long Island....south shore or north?

 

[Cayennita]

One thing about ablative paints is that they last from season to season and not lose the abilty to function the following season. Boats with non ablative paints need to be painted every year because the chemicals added to the paint "die" when out of the water and the paint is useless. On top of that if it is not removed then it builds up until you have a mess. I have used ablative paints since 1980. When I lived in New England, I always painted the bottom at the end of the season. In the spring I launched early while everyone else waited for a warm day to work on their bottoms. Now I live in the Caribbean and use ablative (Vivid White) and paint every other year.

 

[estopa]

Whats the "puck" look like? I have a O'day with centerboard and would love to avoid the side to side slap. I already have everything out because I am replacing the pendant line and bottom painting the keel slot.

 

[Captnkev25]

Thanks for all the help with this guys. I really appreciate it. I contacted the previous owner and after digging around for some receipts I was assured that the hull had been painted with MULTI season ablative paint. I went down to the yard and wound my way through the maze to my boat and rubbed my hand over the majority of the hull as I was told that if there is still good paint it will come off on my hands. There appears to be a good coat on there now so I'm just gonna chance it. I came home and ordered the cable maintenance kit from Catalina Direct and spoke to the yard service head who told me they could put it on for $100. I think I'll sleep a little easier knowing this as I'd rather have a dirty hull floating out there then a nice clean one sunk to the bottom. This is purely for my peace of mind and so I can positively know the last time it was done as the years go by. RAD I'm on the south shore of Long Island which is why I opted for the swing keel. I have done most of my sailing on my Aunts 25 O'day which has a centerboard and it's the best depth finder out there lol. Thanks again to all.

Kevin