Bottom Paint

[sailaway78]

It's about time to get the new boat out of the water and do a bottom job. I have always used Trinidad. Works well, lasts three years. But it does build up, and sooner or later has to come off. Which is no fun. Has anyone used the Super Ship Bottom paint. It is according to their specs, a hard ablative paint, and they are telling me it should last me three years in this area. ( New Orleans ) I like the idea of an ablative that doesn't build up, but have never tried it before because I always figured it would only last a year of so. Sure would like to hear about anyones experience with this or some other hard ablative, and how long it lasted. I sail too much to have to pull the boat every year to do a bottom job.

 

[Rob Hessenius]

Super Ship Botton Paint

Nice N Easy- Sorry, I have never used Super Ship before, but I'm up on bottom paints. What I think you want to buy is a paint that is an ablative with the highest amount of cuprous oxide in it, instead of an epoxy or a modified epoxy, single season paint. This just might happen to be a multi-season paint which will increase your expense. All you need to do is put more coats on to increase your time between bottom jobs. There is no such thing as a "hard ablative". Ablatives are soft and kinda work like a bar of soap. Rob Hessenius

 

[sailaway78]

Thanks Rob

I didn't realize that there was just ablative and ablative, and no hard ablative. In this case I am not the least bit cocerned about the cost of the paint. Having the boat hualed costs enough to make that the least of my concern. Would just like to keep the three year schedule I have had, without the buildup. May give this ship bottom stuff a try, and put on an extra coat. If it doesn't work, at least I won't be left with sanding off Trinidad.

 

[sailaway78]

Big Joe

WOW, is that your boat. Sure hope not. But I have done this a couple of times before, and therefore don't need any practice at this time. That would certainly be a good one to practice on though.

 

[Rob Hessenius]

Nice N Easy

I just went to Super Ship Bottom Paints web site and they do call this a "hard er ablative". Sounds interesting if it was/is a hard surface, but it really says that it is hard er than others. They want two coats with a third on the waterline. Sounds like all the other paints instructions. I guess I would not be afraid of it. But logic and expierence makes me wonder how it wears off without it being soft? Rob Hessenius

 

[Phil]

There are harder

My understanding is the Trinadad's ablative is a softer ablitative which is why it is popular in the south (more shedding & expouser of new paint/biocide). You might look at a harder & higher content abalitive with a slime preventer. I use their 45% paint at quite a $savings and it works fine. The first year I put on multilple coats because I knew it would stay in the water thru the winter. Check out their bottom paint 67 with SCX. http://www.nationalpaintsupply.com/

 

[ED]

BE CAREFUL

iF YOU ARE GETTING 3 YEARS, KEEP USING IT!And watch wear your advice comes from, what you need in salt water may not be what they are using in a lake. (i dont want to offend contributers,) but the needs in the south are a lot different.it sounds like you need to clean the old stuff off every 12 or 15 years...in florida i would kill to get 3 years.

 

[NautiDuck]

Big Joe!

Do not clean off that bottom. I see several endangered species on there!! *yks

 

[Honeyman]

I'll stick with...

Trinidad!!! Went with the new SR version this year after first haulout in 4 1/2 years. My last Trinidad job lasted that long and thats good enough for me. I'm in your same waters, Gulf Coast approx. 30 deg. lat.

 

[RG]

What's best for lakes

Okay guys, you all sound fairly knowledgable so I have a question.What would you recommend for a boat in a fresh water lake , say, near DFW?

 

[Stu Jackson]

Mixing bottom paints

Nice, before you try something on top of something else, please check if they will adhere to one another without the bottom layer peeling off under your new paint. There was a recent thread about that here, but a little research on bottom paints and talking to the manufacturers will indicate what you can and shouldn't do.