New 31' Sailboat Bottom Paint, $1550 Seem Ok To You?

woodster · May 9, 2010

they useally get $30.00 a ft. to paint the bottoms on older boats that have been in use but on a new one i would think that is a bit much....you can buy Pettit Trinadad bottom paint for about$ 180.00 (dealer cost) whitch is upper end paint....depending on if you get 1 or 2 coats..... it should take from 1& 1/2 to 2 & 1/2 gallons of paint ...and being a new boat that they are making a fair profit on to start with i would think they would do it cheaper to inhance or induce the sail of the boat...it is already out of the water i presume and time wise to paint if they are any good at what they do should take about a day for two coats.......go back and bargan on this if you have any Scotch Blood in your bones at all ...lol they will go for it ...as they dont want to loose the sale in this economey i am sure....just MHO.......

regards

woody

PS if ya gona sail ya gotta be CHEEP...lol

Ed Schenck · May 9, 2010

We will have to assume that the boat is out of the water. How else could you get a quote? Then it is hard to say without knowing the condition of the bottom. Is the quote itemized with a list of work items? Or is it just "paint the bottom"? If the old paint must come off and the quote includes at least two coats of a good anti-fouling paint then it might be a good price. Just too many variables without knowing how it looks and what they are going to do.

I put two coats of bottom-paint on my 37 -footer myself for about $300.

higgs · May 9, 2010

Up here on the Great Lakes we use VC 17. I use two quarts on my 34 and do the job myself for a little over $100.

Deleted member 78819 · May 9, 2010

If it is brand new and never been painted before I believe that a new boat also needs to have the bottom cleaned to be sure there isn't any wax or residue left from the mold. It probably requires a light sanding to ensure a good bond with the bottom paint. The quote may also include a barrier coat? If she was a demo boat and has been in the water you would need to add the cost of hauling and launching to the total. I don't know what your dealer has listed as part of the prep or what they are using for paint but I don't think $1500 sounds out of line and I'd want the bottom of my new boat taken care of. Up here, in Minnesota, depending on the quality of the paint you can go two or three years before repainting ablative antifouling paint. It also depends on how much she is used. If she is sailed often I suspect ablative paint will wash away a bit sooner.

RECESS · May 9, 2010

Get a local marina to quote a price if you do not want to do it yourself. The dealer may be trying to get some profit for just arranging the work to be done. You also have no idea the level of expertise is going into the prep and paint work. With a marina that has a sound reputation, at least you know it is being done right.

Liam · May 9, 2010

Sounds about right

Haul and launch= $350
Bottom prep and taping 1.5 hours at $75= $120
2 gallons of Trinidad at $240 gal= $480
Apply two coats (2.5 hours per coat) 5 hours at $75= $375
Rollers, Brushes, reperators, gloves, paper suit= $50
Total= $1375

You could do the painting yourself and save $375.
Most boat yards will not let you do the prep and will require you to buy the paint from them at list price.

Liam · May 9, 2010

PS; Higgs used two quarts of paint on a 34 footer. That must have been really thin.
I have a 33 footer and use a gallon per coat. Two thick coats. But then I get at least 3 years from a haulout in the Pacific Ocean.

Steve Dion · May 9, 2010

Depends on where your boat lives. There are also the other factors about being a new boat.

If it were me, I would have the boat sanded and barrier coated (it is okay to sand if barrier coating). This will help prevent (not eliminate) blisters down the road.

I just got a price on our Hunter Vision 36 for a bottom job and they quoted about $800 +/- depending on the paint. This including hauling the boat out, power washing, prep (minor sanding), paint, tape, disposal fees (gov't has got to get their share) and the splash.

PS: You should ask your dealer what the charge is for the factory to do this procedure.

Terry in Naples · May 9, 2010

bottom painting

I had my older catalina 34 done last yer at about $1800.00 First time bottom application takes longer as the bottom needs to be prepped before painting so it would cost more. I use Micron 66 as recommended by the marina for tropical areas. I am a long time boateer so have seen prices rise and rise. However, this is someting you should not "cheap out on". Read up on bottom painting, go to the yard and see them apply the 2 or 3 coats. etc etc. Make sure it sits at least overnight to cure the last coat.
Terry

Bad Obsession · May 9, 2010

What!?!?!?! My bottom paint costs from this year:

2 Gallons of West Marine Ablative Paint with slime preventive (Irigol): $240
Haul out: $350
Painting Tools: $50
------------------------------------------
Total: $640

I did the prep work and painting and that saves loads of time and money. I get two years out of a bottom job as I put on 2 heavy coats (3-4 coats in certain areas).

If they are adding in barrier coat and other things that may not be too far off. I highly suggest doing the barrier coat for obvious reasons.

druid · May 9, 2010

The quote does sound high, especially if it does not include barrier coat and haulout.

As for time between haulouts and type of paint: other posters: remember the boat will be in a LAKE (fresh water). No barneys. I'd say go with a smooth, hard bottom paint, maybe even an epoxy, and it should be good for at least 5 years, especially if you dive it and wipe off the algae once in a while.

You really don't need a poison paint - it would just pollute the lake unnecessarily.

druid

digby sailor · May 9, 2010

up here in ns we haul out every october and launch in may,growth is likely slower than down south as water temps are cooler.The method that seems to work best for me is a half gallon does one coat on a 30 foot hunter and last with great coverage zero growth all season then after haul out powerwash/scrub off as much of the bottom coat as possible and recoat a few days before launch in the spring.That way you get no build up of paint that needs to be scraped every few years.I prefer interlux xxx bottomcote which costs me 42 bucks for a half gallon at the local yard.I basically wash the hull in the fall and again in the spring and scuff the surface with a sander before recoating...cost under a hundred bucks total.Now that being said I did do a number on the hull of my old 25 that included fairing the keel /keel joint sanding to the gel coat applying two coats of barrier coat and a coat of bottom paint and new boot stripe this job took awhile and cost me about 250 all told if my memory serves.

Hermit Scott · May 9, 2010

Sure you could get it done cheaper, you could also get it done more expensive than what you are quoted. Whether you spend $300 and do it yourself or $1500 for some one else, I would be most concerned that it is done right.
please ask the salesman what exactly does the quote cover. If there is dewaxing, how is it done? Can you watch and check to see that it is done right at different stages of the job?

Joe · May 10, 2010

Call around for other quotes. A new boat means de-waxing... but that's no big deal. I am sure the quote includes haul out and launch... if not run, don't walk to someone else. If you bought a new boat from this guy he should cut you a deal for bottom paint anyhow.... If it includes prep, barrier coat, and antifouling paint (plus haulout) 1500 is good..

If it was me, I'd do it myself... just for the experience so you'll know what to look for next time

DougM · May 10, 2010

VC 17 goes a long way ... I do my 33 footer with about 3 quarts. VC seems to work best in fresh water. Minimum prep time, doesn't build up. It might even last a couple of seasons.

The yard where I store my boat allows me to to do my own work, and purchase my materials wherever I wish. They are very direct about abiding by environmental rules.

As a side note: When I purchased my boat (new) The dealer did the bottom paint. That cost was no doubt hidden in the final purchase price, but I still felt like I got a good deal.

DannyS · May 10, 2010

Yup, we freshwater boaters are lucky in that bottom painting is a breeze and relatively cheap. VC-17 is great, I get my 35 footer done with 2 quarts. Not what you want to use in saltwater.

Liam · May 10, 2010

Whoever said that it depends on where your boat is, is absolutely correct.
Where in fresh water lakes you might get some moss and a couple of quarts of VC-17 will control it. The Oceans are basically "living water".
Six months without mega-toxic paint protection and things turn into reefs!

bffatcat · May 10, 2010

bottom job on a new boat

Forget about trinadad or any ablative paint you need V17 for fresh water. first you have to
remove the wax from the bottom. 1 gal of lacquer thinner and an hours work will do it
Next you need a barrier coat. Than you need 2 coats of bottom paint. You have about $500 in materials and about 6 hours labor. I wouldnt pay $1500 for that.

Steve Dion · May 10, 2010

Actually Trinadad SR work well in fresh water. That is what we have been using in the Sacramento Delta for years.

New 31' Sailboat Bottom Paint, $1550 Seem Ok To You?

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