Bottom Paint Revisted

[Androctus]

I'm sure the topic of paints has been done to death but I can't seem to find a good recommendation for what manner of bottom paint to use on a sailboat thats going to be trailered most of the time. A good ablative anti-fouling seems the thing if your in the water all season but what if you keep it on the rack most of the time? A friend of mine (powerboater) even suggested that I may not need to paint the bottom at all. Is that a good idea?

 

[Pete]

don't paint

you have a good friend in the powerboater, his suggestion that you not paint it is a good one IF you are going to rack store the boat however if you don't and leave it in the water for more then a couple (2 or 3)of days (with out using)the bottom will become very ugly and be a big job to clean.Most rack stored boat are not bottom painted,that is one of the advantages to rack storing (along with it is hard to sink a boat when it is in the rack)another advantage is that is seems to help resale when a boat is not bottom painted,the buyers like to be able to see the bottom with no paint. It will also save you time and money not to paint the bottom. If I were to paint it I would use a multi season ablative paint.You be the judge !

 

[Landsend]

Use Trinidad

Is tuff and will hold up to the trailering as well as give you good in the water results.

 

[Andre K. 1991 Hunter 30]

If you have to....

It depends on what kind of waters you are planning to cover. Trinidad is good for salt water, but if you are planning to move around and sail in salt as well as fresh water, than you need a paint that will work well in both. I agree with Pete that if you are going to put the boat back on the trailer after each "short term use" than you don't need to paint, but if you are going to stay for a week or longer during your holidays, than you may consider painting the bottom with Interlux Micron CSC which is good for both, fresh and salt water.