Bottom Paint - San Francisco Bay

[Jonathan Sherlock]

I am moving my boat from a fresh water lake to the San Francisco Bay and will be having the bottom cleaned and repainted before it goes in. First, I am wondering how often the bottom needs to be repainted in this environment (the boat will remain in the water all year round). Can anyone recommend a good paint to use for this environment? Also, can anyone recommend a good local yard that they have had experience with? Thanks!

 

[Dave K]

No boatyards in South Bay

There aren't any boatyards left in the South Bay, the nearest one from Mountain View would be in San Francisco.My boss had his Catalina 320 trucked out here from Boston and he used Berkeley Marine Center to get it launched and the rig put back up. The bottom was also done at the same time since they use ablative paint in Boston and hard paint is better if the boat is in the water year-round, but I think my boss did the painting himself (at the Berkeley facility). According to him, Berkeley was cheaper than two yards he checked in Alameda.If you don't mind my asking, where are you planning to berth the boat, once you have the bottom ready? I keep my 192 (mast up) at the dry storage in Redwood City so it's convenient to use after work during the summer months.

 

[Jonathan Sherlock]

Brisbane

Thanks for your response. I am actually going to put it in at the Brisbane Marina near Oyster Point. I had thought about the Redwood City marina too. But I wanted to get up closer to the city. Berkeley sounds like it may be better for me then. Looks like it may be cheaper. Do you know how often your boss has his repainted? Also, does he have a recommendation for the trucking company he used to move his boat. I need one of those too. Thanks so much Dave!

 

[Dave K]

Bottom Paint

You'll get a better answer on frequency of bottom jobs from someone other than me - I think it has a lot to do with how much cleaning you do while the boat is in the water. Folks who have their boats cleaned by a diver to keep the algae off have fewer problems with other gremlins attaching.I don't think my boss would recommend the trucker he used - there was a significant delay in delivery of his boat because the driver failed a drug test enroute. Unfortunately I don't know the name of the company and my boss is on vacation this week.I've sailed out of Oyster Point a number of times. It's certainly convenient but with the summer wind whistling through the San Bruno gap it's one of those marinas where the wind and chop are on the nose when you are trying to get back home.I prefer Richmond, the Oakland/Alameda Estuary and Redwood City marinas because the prevailing winds have you going to windward on the trip out - when folks are start getting cold, damp and grumpy, you can turn back, break out the sandwiches and drinks and it's a pleasant trip home off the wind. I've found that ending the trip on a good note is key to getting folks (like my wife) to go out the next time.But you are right, Redwood City is too far south to make a round trip to any of the San Francisco destinations in a day.

 

[bruce cornell]

bottom paint

would recommend asking local sailors, where you are going, what paint appears to work best for them. we all have 'our best paint' but it may not be best there.