Catalina 22 bottom paint dilemma

[langfordja]

Background : I have a decades old 22, currently trailered in my garage. I want to move it to a wet slip and keep it in the water (salt water). It appears to have a (rough looking) coat of bottom paint, also possibly decades old.

please help me think through my bottom options.

1. do it right - sand and paint (the sanding part does not excite me, especially on a boat that is not worth much)

2 do nothing, and deal with the hull condition down the road

3. don’t sand, and just pressure wash prior to paintIng, and see how that holds up in the coming months. Or ”prime” with something (if it exists) that would be easier than sanding and better than nothing

4. Pay 3X for a slip with a lift

5. other options I haven’t thought of

-thanks

 

[LakeShark]

Doing nothing is definitely not worth it as in a few months time the growth will make the boat almost unenjoyable. If you don't want to go with option 1 then depending on the bad parts of the current bottom paint you'll need to sand/remove any bad or flaking areas and then recoat with the same type of paint. If you don't know the original paint type then you may need to primer an that will likely lead you back to option 1. It's really up to you. I have painted both large and small cruising boats many years ago and while some owners wanted the quick chip, sand, and paint; their bottom paint lasted less time and generally had more blistering in the future. Those that took the time to sand it properly and paint it with proper primer, well their paint lasted better and made for a better bottom.

At the end of the day it will be your choice as its your boat. If it's just a cheap toy and pulling it out every few months or year to pressure wash and repaint if needed. Then go with your option 3. It will be more expensive financially in the long run but in the shorter term it will defer that inevitable maintenance. However if you want better boat speed and maintenance then Option 1 is your best choice.

 

[syates]

I moor mine in salt water. I think you will really regret it if you do nothing. I went ahead and had the bottom prepped professionally the first time, and then I have done yearly maintenance myself. I took it to a local boatyard, and they sandblasted the keel, put barrier coat on it, changed the cable, removed and inspected the hangers, and bottom painted the hull and keel. The whole thing came to 1100 dollars, which may seem like a lot of money, but not worrying about whether I missed something is worth something. I have been able to handle the maintenance for 5 years now. Every spring I remove the debris, bottom paint, change the zincs, and change the cable. I can usually get it up on stands, do all of this, and put it back on the trailer in a long day. We all know that salt water can really make a mess of the swing keel and it's hardware. I may, at some point, take it back to the boatyard, for a professional refresh. But, for now I think it is ok. It looks like you are located in Florida, so your season must be a lot longer than mine is here in Maine. This may require more maintenance, for you.

 

[langfordja]

Thanks for the advice.
Since syate mentioned the keel, that’s another saltwater concern. The old pin wore through the keel so I had a stainless steel plate welded around the failure opening, like a taco shell.
And I replaced the old pin with a stainless rod.
I know “stainless” is in the name, but I have seen stainless steel do bad things if left in saltwater for months.

 

[Leeward Rail]

What type of paint is on it now ?

Our boat currently has ablative antifouling paint. It is soft and designed to wear off over time. That way it doesnt build up over multiple applications.

Non ablative paint is hard and builds up over multiple applications.

Some paints lose their ability to work after being exposed to air. For those paints, every time you haul the boat for an extended period, it would need to be repainted.

Some are multi season and ok with being exposed to air.

Many cannot be applied over others.

 

[ShawnL]

Might want to talk to the people over at Jamestown Distributors -- I've used them as a resource before for 'what is this and how do I paint over it' type questions and been happy with their advise (whether or not I chose to heed it).

 

[langfordja]

Thanks shawnL. I’ll talk to Jamestown dist.
Maybe they can help with all the options in leeward rail’s post

 

[watercolors II]

Smooth bottom paint mean better performance, better performance means the boat will handle much better.