Heard a story about a seasoned sailor who slapped a coat of latex house paint each spring on the bottom of his sailboat. By haulout it was clean, smooth and had no growth. How could this be? Anybody ever hear of this kind of paint being used in freshwater? Comments...
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Could Be ...
Not a lot of credit is given to exterior latex housepaint. For over 50 years, latex housepaint has undergone serious component dissection and analysis. And all in the name of competitiveness. Laboratories over decades of research have brought to market some really amazing housepaint. Considering a paint so easy to use that you simply wash out your brushes and rollers with plain water, Latex (also called acrylic)can now withstand years of the worse beating from mother nature than nature itself. It can resist stains and scuffs, peeling and harsh sun exposure. After all, it has to look good on houses for at least 2 years. Most brag a life of many times that. And when it comes to mildew and mold, many brands have resistant formula latex paints to fill that niche. So yes, seems to me latex as bottom paint could do what you say. Tom
Not a lot of credit is given to exterior latex housepaint. For over 50 years, latex housepaint has undergone serious component dissection and analysis. And all in the name of competitiveness. Laboratories over decades of research have brought to market some really amazing housepaint. Considering a paint so easy to use that you simply wash out your brushes and rollers with plain water, Latex (also called acrylic)can now withstand years of the worse beating from mother nature than nature itself. It can resist stains and scuffs, peeling and harsh sun exposure. After all, it has to look good on houses for at least 2 years. Most brag a life of many times that. And when it comes to mildew and mold, many brands have resistant formula latex paints to fill that niche. So yes, seems to me latex as bottom paint could do what you say. Tom
Don't think so....
I bought a project boat last year. Sitting in a slip with 5 or 6 years of neglect behind it. Got it quite cheap actually, in part because the previous owner painted the hull with an exterior grade marine house paint. The paint was peeling all over the vessel, making it look like absolute hell, thus allowing me to purchase the boat for less than the diesel engine on board is worth. I have been busy with other upgrades and have not addressed the paint on the hull yet but that will come with the next haul out. Bottom line, if you put it on your hull and it doesn't work, you will have to take it off, and that is a heck of a lot more work. Go for a reasonable grade of bottom paint, it will do the job for you forever in fresh water.
I bought a project boat last year. Sitting in a slip with 5 or 6 years of neglect behind it. Got it quite cheap actually, in part because the previous owner painted the hull with an exterior grade marine house paint. The paint was peeling all over the vessel, making it look like absolute hell, thus allowing me to purchase the boat for less than the diesel engine on board is worth. I have been busy with other upgrades and have not addressed the paint on the hull yet but that will come with the next haul out. Bottom line, if you put it on your hull and it doesn't work, you will have to take it off, and that is a heck of a lot more work. Go for a reasonable grade of bottom paint, it will do the job for you forever in fresh water.
no way
water saturation and latex don't mix. Neither do oil and water saturation. Water saturation being in water most or all of the time. Raed the labels and you will find one part oil boat paint is for ABOVE the water line. Oil or water based paints will work for the top sides. Just be prepared to paint every year or two. Want it to look good for a longer time? Use two part paint, probably some type of epoxy. It's what your cars are painted out of. As for a house, it stays dry most of the time, so the paint looks good.
water saturation and latex don't mix. Neither do oil and water saturation. Water saturation being in water most or all of the time. Raed the labels and you will find one part oil boat paint is for ABOVE the water line. Oil or water based paints will work for the top sides. Just be prepared to paint every year or two. Want it to look good for a longer time? Use two part paint, probably some type of epoxy. It's what your cars are painted out of. As for a house, it stays dry most of the time, so the paint looks good.
Picture is painted wrong
The one thing that keeps American maunufactuers from screwing the public by keeping 'secrets' is competition. Wow, will this ever cause a stir. If there was a better and cheaper way, some paint manufacturer would already be marketing it. Besides, there is a lot more to bottom paint than just paint, you know, necessary noxious and toxic chemicals to prevent bottom growth. I have a friend with a very large sailboat that looks like a garbage barge. He too finds 'quick cures' and as long as its cheap, he thinks it looks good and he stopped industry from screwing him. If you saw his boat you would know that it is worth just a small fraction of what it should be worth. To take it one step further , he buys all his engine parts in places like Auto Shack if he can. He is also constantly hiring people to work on his engine. He still dont get it. THERE AINT NO FRE LUNCH.
The one thing that keeps American maunufactuers from screwing the public by keeping 'secrets' is competition. Wow, will this ever cause a stir. If there was a better and cheaper way, some paint manufacturer would already be marketing it. Besides, there is a lot more to bottom paint than just paint, you know, necessary noxious and toxic chemicals to prevent bottom growth. I have a friend with a very large sailboat that looks like a garbage barge. He too finds 'quick cures' and as long as its cheap, he thinks it looks good and he stopped industry from screwing him. If you saw his boat you would know that it is worth just a small fraction of what it should be worth. To take it one step further , he buys all his engine parts in places like Auto Shack if he can. He is also constantly hiring people to work on his engine. He still dont get it. THERE AINT NO FRE LUNCH.
You TOO!?
I've got an uncle like that. Every old car he ever bought is out in the pasture, except the 53 Packard Limo. Even the 57 Hudson is still there. (57s aren't the good ones like my old 54 Holiday Coupe with twin H power.
) Last I heard one of my other uncles has the limo. But yeah, he doesn't get it. As long as the car company went out of business, then that makes it a good car, not a bad one. He even bought a late 70s Olds Cutlass diesel because GM quit making them. Yuck!
I've got an uncle like that. Every old car he ever bought is out in the pasture, except the 53 Packard Limo. Even the 57 Hudson is still there. (57s aren't the good ones like my old 54 Holiday Coupe with twin H power.
) Last I heard one of my other uncles has the limo. But yeah, he doesn't get it. As long as the car company went out of business, then that makes it a good car, not a bad one. He even bought a late 70s Olds Cutlass diesel because GM quit making them. Yuck!
Einstein or Bozo
For every Einstein there are 200 million Bozo's. More than likely, whenever you hear of a radical new way of doing something, its not from the Einstein. You have a better chance of winning the lottery than you do of running across an Einstein. Its important to keep that in mind when you own a boat. When about to undertake repairs you are not familiar with, read a lot, get on this site and learn as much as you can. you will find the concenus of opinions pretty much along the same lines. Be wary of the radical ones, they could be very costly mistakes. Usually this happens when you have a good solid plan and are in the yard, then a well meaning person comes along and offers advice and for some reason you take it.
For every Einstein there are 200 million Bozo's. More than likely, whenever you hear of a radical new way of doing something, its not from the Einstein. You have a better chance of winning the lottery than you do of running across an Einstein. Its important to keep that in mind when you own a boat. When about to undertake repairs you are not familiar with, read a lot, get on this site and learn as much as you can. you will find the concenus of opinions pretty much along the same lines. Be wary of the radical ones, they could be very costly mistakes. Usually this happens when you have a good solid plan and are in the yard, then a well meaning person comes along and offers advice and for some reason you take it.
Too Good to Be True
This has all the earmarks of the marina version of an urban legend, started when some guy who was just too cheap to buy bottom paint decided he knew better than all the chemists @ Trinidad. There are always going to be these kinds of guys who are just plain miserly, and try stuff like this. They will buy non-marine grade plywood, full of voids, because it's cheaper. They will buy corrugated, flexible water hose by the foot, instead of the part numbered hose built for their engine. Bargain basement batteries. I know these guys. You know these guys. Here's an idea: why don't you try it out for yourself? Then you can be at the front of the revolution in your marina.
This has all the earmarks of the marina version of an urban legend, started when some guy who was just too cheap to buy bottom paint decided he knew better than all the chemists @ Trinidad. There are always going to be these kinds of guys who are just plain miserly, and try stuff like this. They will buy non-marine grade plywood, full of voids, because it's cheaper. They will buy corrugated, flexible water hose by the foot, instead of the part numbered hose built for their engine. Bargain basement batteries. I know these guys. You know these guys. Here's an idea: why don't you try it out for yourself? Then you can be at the front of the revolution in your marina.
Won't work, but . . .
Epoxy a piece of wood, paint it and set it in the water, tie it to the dock or weight it so it sinks in the slip. Pull it out 6 months later and probably there will be a lot of weeds on it. At least you will know the answer cheap. Even cheaper is to guess it is probably bs. JM2C, OldCat
Epoxy a piece of wood, paint it and set it in the water, tie it to the dock or weight it so it sinks in the slip. Pull it out 6 months later and probably there will be a lot of weeds on it. At least you will know the answer cheap. Even cheaper is to guess it is probably bs. JM2C, OldCat
I think ...
one can surely use any type of paint or ever no paint at all if he can conveniently (and willing) to clean the bottom every few month or whenever necessary. I'd paint a piece of plywood with latex and hang it along side with my boat and see how it would looks like next spring. Maybe there is a miracal out there.
one can surely use any type of paint or ever no paint at all if he can conveniently (and willing) to clean the bottom every few month or whenever necessary. I'd paint a piece of plywood with latex and hang it along side with my boat and see how it would looks like next spring. Maybe there is a miracal out there.
Think again
I have two 150ft wooden converted mine sweepers used for marine research. I have used quality exterior latex house paint on all surfaces above the water line for 12 years. this includes the wood decks,hull & full interior. Latex lasts for years,is cheap,easy to use & non toxic. I have not tried it below the water but what you propose sounds interesting.
I have two 150ft wooden converted mine sweepers used for marine research. I have used quality exterior latex house paint on all surfaces above the water line for 12 years. this includes the wood decks,hull & full interior. Latex lasts for years,is cheap,easy to use & non toxic. I have not tried it below the water but what you propose sounds interesting.
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