Fresh water bottom paint
- Thread starter Sailor Sue
- Start date
My brother had boats on Erie for a number of years. He used the cheapest bottom paint available - but doesn't remember which one. He said everyone told him it doesn't matter in Erie. Racers of course were more concerned but for other reasons.
My guess is your Total Boat Krypton will work just fine but no direct experience. How is it for price?
dj
My guess is your Total Boat Krypton will work just fine but no direct experience. How is it for price?
dj
I use Krypton in Lake Erie. It works fine. I've also used their JD Select water based, which also worked fine but had adhesion problems when I used it over Interlux ACT despite the allegedly compatibility. Basically in the Great Lakes, most anything works to keep off zebra mussels for the 6 months you are in the water.
The nice thing about Krypton is that it's not copper but zinc based, so you can use it on outboards & outdrives safely. It also comes in colors you can't get in copper like white or teal. Like the others I've used, it is ablative so no heavy sanding. Pressure washing is usually sufficient. On the down side, the smell is very strong, I use a gas (not dust) respirator, especially under the boat.
I use the Total Boat ablative bottom paint in Lake Superior, mostly bays, etc. Not a lot of big water unless it's nice and calm. I moor in a small and fairly stagnant bay. There's not a lot of water movement so the water is pretty green all season. It's worked fine for me for ~ 6 years. I do get some slime, but nothing that a scrubby pad wouldn't easily remove. Usually we don't bother during the season.
I pressure wash when we haul out in the fall -- just a light cleaning to get the majority of the slime, etc. off. Then in the spring I do a much better pressure washing job when I do the deck, etc. Basically blasting off anything that wants to come off. Then roll on another coat.
My boat is small enough that a gallon lasts me 2 seasons. I keep the can in the basement where the temperature is fairly constant (no idea if it helps) and usually add a little of their brushing thinner (not much) if feels too thick. About the only thing "special" that I do is use a cheap drill-powered paint mixer to make sure that all of the solids are back in suspension before I start.
I pressure wash when we haul out in the fall -- just a light cleaning to get the majority of the slime, etc. off. Then in the spring I do a much better pressure washing job when I do the deck, etc. Basically blasting off anything that wants to come off. Then roll on another coat.
My boat is small enough that a gallon lasts me 2 seasons. I keep the can in the basement where the temperature is fairly constant (no idea if it helps) and usually add a little of their brushing thinner (not much) if feels too thick. About the only thing "special" that I do is use a cheap drill-powered paint mixer to make sure that all of the solids are back in suspension before I start.
ShawnL, Thanks, all good information.
After several trips to and around Lake Superior we always thought the water was too cold for any sort of growth. It was certainly too cold for swimming where we were!
After several trips to and around Lake Superior we always thought the water was too cold for any sort of growth. It was certainly too cold for swimming where we were!
I use VC17 on the sourthern end of Lake Michigan. Touch ups help but a full coating makes a noticeable difference in how it sails. I know you're looking at Krypton but that's a little bit of info that might help down the line
I do get slime, but about as much as with other paints. It pressure washes off easily. I recoat every year, but I probably could go two years. I use less than a half gallon on my boat, and it seems to be fine after two years in the can (in a cool basement.)
VC 17 is probably the most popular paint I see on Lake Erie too. It is hard and slick which helps with speed. Because it goes on very thin, you don't get too much excessive build up and you can go several years with just light sanding. I'd have to strip the old paint to switch though. A friend did that last year and said "never again!".