Any recommendations for the best bottom paint? Got a dock at Lake Arthur, and previous trailer sailor. O'day 22 badly need bottom coat. Any suggestions?
Fresh Water Bottom Paint in Western PA
- Thread starter joatmon67
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VC-17 is probably your best bet.
Will accumulate growth if the boat is not used but if its put on 'smooth' (burnished with 'stiff' paper) the growth will usually 'release' when the boat is at 'full speed'. If not then the growth is easy to 'squeegee off' --- long handle on a 12" window squeegee and about 10 min. work. VC17 is copper filled TEFLON - 'fast' bottom paint.
Ive been using VC17 for about 30 yrs. on boats that I keep on a polluted Eastern PA lake ... only need to re-paint every 3-4 years.
Will accumulate growth if the boat is not used but if its put on 'smooth' (burnished with 'stiff' paper) the growth will usually 'release' when the boat is at 'full speed'. If not then the growth is easy to 'squeegee off' --- long handle on a 12" window squeegee and about 10 min. work. VC17 is copper filled TEFLON - 'fast' bottom paint.
Ive been using VC17 for about 30 yrs. on boats that I keep on a polluted Eastern PA lake ... only need to re-paint every 3-4 years.
joatmon67,
I'm in the middle of that nightmare right now, today, in an hour, on my third day. OY! VC-17 is great stuff, as Rich has pointed out. It's supposed to add a knot to your speed and bio-stuff just can't grab hold of it. One problem is that once you use it, you're married to it. Since it's very slippery, not much but VC-17 will stick to it come re-paint time. Also, the colors are limited and dark (I think). I almost went with it,then I decided on Pettit Hydrocoat. It's a waterbased, hard ablative that is supposed to be perfect for trailerables and it's supposedly more environmentally conscious do to the reduced VOC's. Either way, they are both excellent products.
If you're stripping your bottom first, I recommend a 3000 PSI pressure washer with a rotating nozzle. Mine took 85% of the paint off in a couple of hours.
I'm in the middle of that nightmare right now, today, in an hour, on my third day. OY! VC-17 is great stuff, as Rich has pointed out. It's supposed to add a knot to your speed and bio-stuff just can't grab hold of it. One problem is that once you use it, you're married to it. Since it's very slippery, not much but VC-17 will stick to it come re-paint time. Also, the colors are limited and dark (I think). I almost went with it,then I decided on Pettit Hydrocoat. It's a waterbased, hard ablative that is supposed to be perfect for trailerables and it's supposedly more environmentally conscious do to the reduced VOC's. Either way, they are both excellent products.
If you're stripping your bottom first, I recommend a 3000 PSI pressure washer with a rotating nozzle. Mine took 85% of the paint off in a couple of hours.
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