Bottom Paint

[Allen Glasson]

I am getting ready to paint the bottom of my 87 / 23' Hunter. I have power washed and lightly sanded with 80 grit sandpaper ( as reccommended). My question is: Has anyone ever added food coloring to bottom paint to get the color they want???? I am trying to match the dark blue line on the side of my boat. Thanks, ALG

 

[MIke B]

food coloring

On our h23 we use vc17, it goes on copper because of the copper pigment in the paint, when it gets wet it becomes blue, it gets lighter as the pigment is released, adding a coloring would probably not work with this type of paint, maybe one of the others,The blue with vc 17 looks ok with the blue line. abut it is always in water so not worried about color, good luck MIke B

 

[Wanderer138]

Hmmmmm....

Never heard of it being done, though I suspect that it would depend on what type of bottom paint you end up using. That subject comes up every so often, so there should be plenty of info in the archives. Considering the wide range of colors available, you should be able to get a match right out ofthe can. Besides, as Mike B noted, the color is not as important as the anti-fouling properties of the paint. With the exception of about a one-inch band above the water line when the boat is at the dock, the only other time anyone really sees my copper-red VC17 bottom paint is when I am going hard to weather with the rail down and leaving them in my wake!PeterS/V Raven

 

[Darrel Richards]

Tabasco Sauce

Never heard of anyone putting food coloring in the bottom paint. Did herethat some of the folks in south use a good hot sause mixed in to the paintto help with the anti-fouling.Pick up a can of good anti-fouling paintand you'll see what is weighs. And the paint is so thick that no way will anything like food color change anythingabout the bootm paint color. Hopefully the only thing thats going tosee what color your bottom is, or even how it taste, is the fish or some envious person abeam of you when yourheeled over to the max.Have fun.