Anyone have any experience or advice with this paint. Boat currently has fiberglassbottomkote, interlux says the ACT (an ablative) can be used over my existing paint. I know all the pros OF VC17 but am wondering about the ACT. Thanks Rick
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Fiberglass bottomkote is a hard paint that leachs out the biocides/chemicals. Fiberglass bottomkote ACT (ablative copolymer Technology)is the paint I'm thinking about using. Ablatives wear away and I'm told this eliminates the sanding needed with a hard type paint. VC17 would require stripping all previous coats of paint. (not sure I am ready to do that-time?-expenses??)
I've used both
Rick, When I bought my boat it had the bottomkote paint on it. It's the modified epoxy bottom paint with a hard finish. The benefit of that paint was that you could scrub it to your heart's content & not worry about scrubbing off the paint. The negative was that, over time, you'd get layer upon layer of paint & it is a royal PAIN in the neck to remove. I decided to strip my bottom down to gelcoat & then use ACT. I've been happy with it ever since, and don't have any buildup of bottom paint. I just have to be careful not to scrub too hard when I clean the bottom before a race. As for compatibility between Bottomkote & ACT you won't have any problems. ACT is designed to adhere to ANY epoxy based surface whether it's gelcoat, barrier coat or modified epoxy bottom paint like Bottomkote. One thing you might want to do is use a different color of ACT than the existing bottomkote you currently have. That way you'll be able to tell when your ACT has worn away & needs a touch up. Good luck, Allen Schweitzer s/v Falstaff C-30 Hull# 632
Rick, When I bought my boat it had the bottomkote paint on it. It's the modified epoxy bottom paint with a hard finish. The benefit of that paint was that you could scrub it to your heart's content & not worry about scrubbing off the paint. The negative was that, over time, you'd get layer upon layer of paint & it is a royal PAIN in the neck to remove. I decided to strip my bottom down to gelcoat & then use ACT. I've been happy with it ever since, and don't have any buildup of bottom paint. I just have to be careful not to scrub too hard when I clean the bottom before a race. As for compatibility between Bottomkote & ACT you won't have any problems. ACT is designed to adhere to ANY epoxy based surface whether it's gelcoat, barrier coat or modified epoxy bottom paint like Bottomkote. One thing you might want to do is use a different color of ACT than the existing bottomkote you currently have. That way you'll be able to tell when your ACT has worn away & needs a touch up. Good luck, Allen Schweitzer s/v Falstaff C-30 Hull# 632
Allen how did you strip the bottom
Sand, paint stripper, pressure wash sandblast Did you use a barrier coat? Any other details you can share. Thanks Rick
Sand, paint stripper, pressure wash sandblast Did you use a barrier coat? Any other details you can share. Thanks Rick
I've used ACT before over typical Interlux
Fiberglass bottomcote. There was no additional prep work involved.
Fiberglass bottomcote. There was no additional prep work involved.
Additional Details
Rick, I used so many stripping methods & the only one that worked was Peel-Away. I knew this was going to be a time consuming job so I started in early April when the temperatures were in the 50's. Peel Away is designed to work in 70 to 80 degree weather, so it wasn't as effective as it should have been. I applied Peel Away 3 times. I figure I had no less than 12 coats of Bottomkote on my hull & it was a royal pain in the neck to get off. Putting all of my weight behind a 1" scraper I worked my way from bow to stern in 1/2" strips. After 3 times I finally got down to clean gelcoat. Lots of work. I definitely feel that if I did it in warmer weather it would have been a lot easier but I didn't have that luxury. By the time I was done I didn't have the energy to do a barrier coat. With the ACT, though, getting back to gelcoat is not that tough at all so one of these days I plan on doing the barrier coat & having that in place. I didn't trust myself with a sand blaster, and using a sander I felt would have been too toxic...I don't like the idea of releasing all of those chemicals into the air. Though Peel Away probably isn't that environmentally friendly, I knew if I kept it off my clothes & skin I'd be ok. I now have ACT on my bottom. I've used it for 3 years. Every year I haul for the winter & apply 2 coats. There is almost no buildup. What is there can easily be removed if I wanted to. ACT WILL adhere to Bottomkote, but my hull had so many layers on it that it wasn't smooth & fair. Some places were peeling, some were rough. I knew I wanted to race someday, so I needed a bottom that was near perfect. I now have that. Removing the Bottomkote from your boat is up to you: I like the "do things right & do them once" approach, but it's not for everyone. If your bottom is in good shape or you're not worried about 1/4 knot in light winds, don't hesitate to put the ACT right over your existing bottom. It'll work out fine. I hope this helps. If you want, email me at allenschweitzer@yahoo.com & I'll tell you more. Good Luck, Allen Schweitzer s/v Falstaff C-30 Hull# 632
Rick, I used so many stripping methods & the only one that worked was Peel-Away. I knew this was going to be a time consuming job so I started in early April when the temperatures were in the 50's. Peel Away is designed to work in 70 to 80 degree weather, so it wasn't as effective as it should have been. I applied Peel Away 3 times. I figure I had no less than 12 coats of Bottomkote on my hull & it was a royal pain in the neck to get off. Putting all of my weight behind a 1" scraper I worked my way from bow to stern in 1/2" strips. After 3 times I finally got down to clean gelcoat. Lots of work. I definitely feel that if I did it in warmer weather it would have been a lot easier but I didn't have that luxury. By the time I was done I didn't have the energy to do a barrier coat. With the ACT, though, getting back to gelcoat is not that tough at all so one of these days I plan on doing the barrier coat & having that in place. I didn't trust myself with a sand blaster, and using a sander I felt would have been too toxic...I don't like the idea of releasing all of those chemicals into the air. Though Peel Away probably isn't that environmentally friendly, I knew if I kept it off my clothes & skin I'd be ok. I now have ACT on my bottom. I've used it for 3 years. Every year I haul for the winter & apply 2 coats. There is almost no buildup. What is there can easily be removed if I wanted to. ACT WILL adhere to Bottomkote, but my hull had so many layers on it that it wasn't smooth & fair. Some places were peeling, some were rough. I knew I wanted to race someday, so I needed a bottom that was near perfect. I now have that. Removing the Bottomkote from your boat is up to you: I like the "do things right & do them once" approach, but it's not for everyone. If your bottom is in good shape or you're not worried about 1/4 knot in light winds, don't hesitate to put the ACT right over your existing bottom. It'll work out fine. I hope this helps. If you want, email me at allenschweitzer@yahoo.com & I'll tell you more. Good Luck, Allen Schweitzer s/v Falstaff C-30 Hull# 632
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