My Catalina 36 needs to have its bottom repainted according to the guy who dives on it every month to clean it. I have gotten quotes that range from $970 to $1,700 for the paint job and I don't know how to compare them. What should I look for, i.e. type of paint, number of coats, etc. to make a fair comparison?
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Bottompaint
Hi Peter - The costs involved may include some or all of the following: haul, pressure wash, environmental fee, block, laydays, materials (paint, sandpaper, disposable suit, gloves, rollers, pan liner, paint, tape), labor, laydays, crane time to splash. If you have the time and inclination, you might consider saving some money and painting the bottom yourself; it's not rocket science. Regarding the difference in costs, be sure to ask specifically what's included to compare apples to apples. Best, Trevor
Hi Peter - The costs involved may include some or all of the following: haul, pressure wash, environmental fee, block, laydays, materials (paint, sandpaper, disposable suit, gloves, rollers, pan liner, paint, tape), labor, laydays, crane time to splash. If you have the time and inclination, you might consider saving some money and painting the bottom yourself; it's not rocket science. Regarding the difference in costs, be sure to ask specifically what's included to compare apples to apples. Best, Trevor
Further on Bottom Painting
Thanks, Trevor, I am totally ignorant on the subject. What is the best kind of paint to use for a boat that is in the water all year round in cold Pacific waters? How many coats should be used to make sure the paint job lasts several years?
Thanks, Trevor, I am totally ignorant on the subject. What is the best kind of paint to use for a boat that is in the water all year round in cold Pacific waters? How many coats should be used to make sure the paint job lasts several years?
It's really pretty easy
This is what I'd do (and saves you a ton of money!) 1. Go to West Marine and ask them about paint for your area. 2. Have you're boat put on its cradle. 3. Clean it well with a pressure washer/water. 4. Tape your water line. 5. Using a roller, apply the paint to everything but what's under the cradle pads. 6. Use a bottle jack under the cradle (mine supports 10 tons) to raise the boat (front or back) about 6-8 inches and place some jack stands (2-3)under the section of the boat you're working on then lower the cradle so the cralde falls away from the boat leaving the boat on the jack stands. 7. Paint the areas needing it. 8. Reverse the process under step 6 and repeat steps 6 - 7 for the remaining area (ie, front or back) I've done it this way for 7 years now. Takes me a weekend to do the entire bottom, and while the paint is drying, I can still get up inthe boat and do other stuff (cleaning, polishing, etc.)
This is what I'd do (and saves you a ton of money!) 1. Go to West Marine and ask them about paint for your area. 2. Have you're boat put on its cradle. 3. Clean it well with a pressure washer/water. 4. Tape your water line. 5. Using a roller, apply the paint to everything but what's under the cradle pads. 6. Use a bottle jack under the cradle (mine supports 10 tons) to raise the boat (front or back) about 6-8 inches and place some jack stands (2-3)under the section of the boat you're working on then lower the cradle so the cralde falls away from the boat leaving the boat on the jack stands. 7. Paint the areas needing it. 8. Reverse the process under step 6 and repeat steps 6 - 7 for the remaining area (ie, front or back) I've done it this way for 7 years now. Takes me a weekend to do the entire bottom, and while the paint is drying, I can still get up inthe boat and do other stuff (cleaning, polishing, etc.)
Why not just drop a pad?
Rick, the vast majority of the cradles used around here have adjustable pads. Most owners just drop one pad at a time to paint under it. I wonder if guys down south, where the boats are in the water year round, even own cradles? Kevin
Rick, the vast majority of the cradles used around here have adjustable pads. Most owners just drop one pad at a time to paint under it. I wonder if guys down south, where the boats are in the water year round, even own cradles? Kevin
Well, Peter, Here's the Deal:
It isn't hard to do. If you have not done it before, it will cost you in lay days, tho. Lay days are storage charges by the day that boat yards will charge you for each day you are out IF you do it yourself. :{ For your boat, figure $100/day. Additionally, many boat yards require you to purchase all materials from them thus denying you any savings from comparison shopping. IMHO, the difference between do-it-yourself and the yard doing it is relatively small keeping those points in mind. For my 40', quotes were $900 at Baja Naval in Ensenada BC and $1700 in Marina del rey. Of course, you will incur slip charges, etc. in Ensenada, so the savings narrows (but, the work is good). You will want a hard epoxy paint (such as Pettit Trinidad) at $165/gallon which is pretty typical. You will want two coats and three on the water line, and the leading and trailing edges of the keel and rudder. That will take two gallons. With that combination, you can get three years (with a dive service). To prep the boat for a haul out for painting, have your diver do a "pre-haul out hard cleaning" to get the boat ready. You may be able to avoid the cost of a pressure wash, but many yards throw it in anyway. Having the diver prep it is better than just a pressure wash, and if he does a good job, makes it ready for paint right out of the sling. You may want to take the opportunity to replace your shaft packing with a dripless while you're out if you hace a conventional packing gland. There is another thread running on this site about other things to check when out of the water. Good info on it. Other than that, when you take it to the yard, bring dock lines for both sides, and rig fenders for both sides. Many yards prefer you back in to their haul out (ask them), but no big deal if you don't. (Oh, one other thing, don't do as I did and forget to turn off the refrig!) Here is one lead for you: South Coast Shipyard in Newport Beach. (949) 675-4027. They are reviving their yard and gave me a very good quote altough I had another yard do it since I won a promotion. Many yards have February specials that may save you a couple of hundred. Ask them. I attended a bottom painting seminar and have some other information should you decide to do it yourself. Good luck, Rick D.
It isn't hard to do. If you have not done it before, it will cost you in lay days, tho. Lay days are storage charges by the day that boat yards will charge you for each day you are out IF you do it yourself. :{ For your boat, figure $100/day. Additionally, many boat yards require you to purchase all materials from them thus denying you any savings from comparison shopping. IMHO, the difference between do-it-yourself and the yard doing it is relatively small keeping those points in mind. For my 40', quotes were $900 at Baja Naval in Ensenada BC and $1700 in Marina del rey. Of course, you will incur slip charges, etc. in Ensenada, so the savings narrows (but, the work is good). You will want a hard epoxy paint (such as Pettit Trinidad) at $165/gallon which is pretty typical. You will want two coats and three on the water line, and the leading and trailing edges of the keel and rudder. That will take two gallons. With that combination, you can get three years (with a dive service). To prep the boat for a haul out for painting, have your diver do a "pre-haul out hard cleaning" to get the boat ready. You may be able to avoid the cost of a pressure wash, but many yards throw it in anyway. Having the diver prep it is better than just a pressure wash, and if he does a good job, makes it ready for paint right out of the sling. You may want to take the opportunity to replace your shaft packing with a dripless while you're out if you hace a conventional packing gland. There is another thread running on this site about other things to check when out of the water. Good info on it. Other than that, when you take it to the yard, bring dock lines for both sides, and rig fenders for both sides. Many yards prefer you back in to their haul out (ask them), but no big deal if you don't. (Oh, one other thing, don't do as I did and forget to turn off the refrig!) Here is one lead for you: South Coast Shipyard in Newport Beach. (949) 675-4027. They are reviving their yard and gave me a very good quote altough I had another yard do it since I won a promotion. Many yards have February specials that may save you a couple of hundred. Ask them. I attended a bottom painting seminar and have some other information should you decide to do it yourself. Good luck, Rick D.
One other suggestion
The information provided so far has been on the money. One trick I learned from doing my boat was to mask the hull about two to three inches above the at-rest waterline soon after the boat is hauled. It's easy because the old waterline will be visible in the old paint. After the hull is sanded and prepped, apply the new paint up to the taped line. The paint above the waterline won't wear like the rest of the hull. When it's time to redo the bottom paint, you won't have to re-tape the hull. Just break out the roller and go for it. Peter H23 "Raven"
The information provided so far has been on the money. One trick I learned from doing my boat was to mask the hull about two to three inches above the at-rest waterline soon after the boat is hauled. It's easy because the old waterline will be visible in the old paint. After the hull is sanded and prepped, apply the new paint up to the taped line. The paint above the waterline won't wear like the rest of the hull. When it's time to redo the bottom paint, you won't have to re-tape the hull. Just break out the roller and go for it. Peter H23 "Raven"
Haulouts
Peter Very good input so far. I just had my C34 hauled, today, in fact. $1,125 for a coat and a half of Pettie Trinidad. I've been doing this for almost 6 years now, third haulout, average every two years. One coat'll go a little bit more than a year. For a littl bit mor, in some marine yards, you can have them add a second coat for the first few feet down, where most of the sh*t grows in the sunlight. Gets you another 6 months, at least. Other things to consider, in addition to just $$$. How close is the yard? (Mine's within walking distance of my slip - no car involved getting to and from). Do you know the poeple? If this is your first haul, like anything else, ask around. Once there, get to know them. If they get to know you, it's a good idea to consider coming back next year or two. As for price and the "best" paint (I'm just NOT the guy to ask about anything whatsoever to do with the word "best"), also ask around. There are probably more people on your dock who are more familiar with your particular harbor and conditions than everyone combined on this forum. The first time is ALWAYS hard. But after I told the haulout guys that I'd rather BACK my boat into their travel lift, and had FUN doing it this afternoon, you'll soon learn that the second and the following haulouts can be fun! *5 Good luck, Stu
Peter Very good input so far. I just had my C34 hauled, today, in fact. $1,125 for a coat and a half of Pettie Trinidad. I've been doing this for almost 6 years now, third haulout, average every two years. One coat'll go a little bit more than a year. For a littl bit mor, in some marine yards, you can have them add a second coat for the first few feet down, where most of the sh*t grows in the sunlight. Gets you another 6 months, at least. Other things to consider, in addition to just $$$. How close is the yard? (Mine's within walking distance of my slip - no car involved getting to and from). Do you know the poeple? If this is your first haul, like anything else, ask around. Once there, get to know them. If they get to know you, it's a good idea to consider coming back next year or two. As for price and the "best" paint (I'm just NOT the guy to ask about anything whatsoever to do with the word "best"), also ask around. There are probably more people on your dock who are more familiar with your particular harbor and conditions than everyone combined on this forum. The first time is ALWAYS hard. But after I told the haulout guys that I'd rather BACK my boat into their travel lift, and had FUN doing it this afternoon, you'll soon learn that the second and the following haulouts can be fun! *5 Good luck, Stu
Thank You
Thank you all for some very informative replies. Rick D.'s not has been especially helpful.
Thank you all for some very informative replies. Rick D.'s not has been especially helpful.
Be carefull
When the boat is up on stands you must be carefull that it doesn't fall. I jacked mine up off of it's trailer to paint under the bunk boards. When lowering it got off balance and dropped a few inches back onto the trailer. If there is any tilt to the boat you have to deal side loads. Fortunately I had tied the boat to the trailer and though they both moved the boat ended up on the trailer. This was a light 26' boat. Hate to think about what would have happened if it had been the 12000# boat that we now own. I was lowering the boat onto the trailer about an inch at a time using several small jacks and then it started moving backwards. No harm done but scarey.
When the boat is up on stands you must be carefull that it doesn't fall. I jacked mine up off of it's trailer to paint under the bunk boards. When lowering it got off balance and dropped a few inches back onto the trailer. If there is any tilt to the boat you have to deal side loads. Fortunately I had tied the boat to the trailer and though they both moved the boat ended up on the trailer. This was a light 26' boat. Hate to think about what would have happened if it had been the 12000# boat that we now own. I was lowering the boat onto the trailer about an inch at a time using several small jacks and then it started moving backwards. No harm done but scarey.
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