Number of coats of bottom paint

[Levin]

Hello all...

So I have a follow-on question about bottom painting after my last thread about the cutlass bearing (oh and thanks again for all the input on that subject). Basically what I want to know is how many coats of bottom paint should I be looking to get on my boat. I have a 2000 Hunter 340 and its bottom hasn't been painted in about five years (yeah I know I let it go a little longer than I should). Not sure how many coats were put on the last time but both of the yards I have gone to asking about work quotes have suggested just getting one coat.

I'm assuming this is about right or else wouldn't they be pushing for me to get two? I'm assuming this is true because they are actually arguing against their bottom line by making this suggestion (i.e. if I get two coats it makes them more money). Basically what they said was that getting two coats sometimes leads to too much buildup.... or do they just want me to come back into the yard more frequently for more bottom painting?

Anyway any thoughts on this would greatly be appreciated. BTW... I live and sail in San Diego and the surrounding waters... don't know if that makes a difference but thought I would mention it as well.

Take care,
-Levin

 

[seadaddler]

Depends

In NY we put one coat every year because we pull the boat for winter and use bottom paint that does wear not hard bottom paint.
Now living in Florida and last time I painted was Oct 2008 two coats and so far been doing real good with just needing to clean the prop,I do not clean once a month like some do I just sail her alot and its been looking good when ever I dive and check and clean prop.
We leave our boats in all year so don't want to spend $$$ pulling her out onto hard for painting,we just pull a boat onto the hard for repairs so the longer the bottom paint last the less $$$$ spent.
I guess you will need to here from sailboaters in your area and see what they do.
Nick

 

[Old Skool Neil]

I'd suggest 2 coats in contrasting colors. As you clean the hull over time you'll know exactly how deep you are into the paint.

 

[RAD]

When I used to leave my boat in for 2+ years I did the same process two coats of ablative over a different color and when hauled I never saw the that different color and hardly a barnical...I did dive and clean the shaft and prop when I could in the summer months
A friend who bought my old Bristol left it in for three years and had the same results

 

[Weasel]

Bottom Paint

Rad:

Depends... you did not say what type paint you were going to use. If you are a racer, you may just want to put on one coat of a hard paint as you will be scrubing it before races. (Burnishing is the word they use...) I hung up the racing winch handle several years ago.
If you are a cruiser maybe you should invest in an ablative paint. Down here in the South where we get a lot of slime build-up, we use Interlux Micron Optima. Three coats, for 3 years. Also the hull is cleaned really well before applying and any build-up areas are faired. Also you may want to have the yard add just an extra coat to the leading edge of the keel and LE of the rudder.

Good Luck & Fair Winds

Weasel

 

[RAD]

I did say Ablative.....and I was using Pettit's Utima SR at 200+ a gallon now I haul every winter and I'm using West Marine ablative thats made by Pettit at 1/2 the price

 

[CalebD]

Levin,
I'm glad you posted where you keep your boat as that is a factor but it is not the only one. As others have just mentioned the type of paint you intend to use, or have been using are another factor. Whether you keep your boat at a sip or on a mooring can be yet another factor. How fast the water moves where you keep your boat is still another as is the average water temperature and whether salty vs. fresh water.
What I am trying not to say is that there isn't really an answer to your question. You will have to figure out what works for you, your boat and your waters.
VC-17 is the choice of bottom paints for Great Lakes racing sailors but would not likely work well in salt water (I tried it once and never will again due to cost and ineffective results in salt water).
What works for me in a tidal river (Hudson) off the Atlantic coast may not work for you in SD harbor. I use what is likely the same paint RAD mentioned and I always give it 2 coats every spring. Mitigating factors for me include that the river develops a 2 knot current at new and full moons and our boat is on a mooring. We also haul our boat in mid summer for a hull cleaning, which involves power spraying which knocks off a good bit of paint, and then again in the fall it gets the same treatment. We get no buildup of ablative paint from year to year this way.
More expensive paints do not necessarily guarantee the multiple year performance the manufacturers like to advertise. There are just too many factors involved to recommend 1 or 2 coats of product 'X' for your area, including the prep work done to your hull before the paint is applied. I would ask as many of your dock neighbors about what paint they use, how many coats of what paint, and what results they have had (eg., how many seasons it has lasted).
If you have to repaint often (every year) then a cheaper paint may be the better bargain. Your mileage will vary according to some of the factors I have laid out.

 

[Old Skool Neil]

Levin,
Local experience is the best way to go. Typically in Southern Cal we use a diving service to keep the hull clean year 'round and in my case, I asked my diver what paint he prefers for our local conditions. I figured he observes paint performance on more boats in a month than I'll see in a lifetime. His preference hands down is Pettit Trinidad red. He didn't know why but the red Trinidad outperforms their other colors.

My previous haulout I applied a single coat of Trinidad with an extra coat on the leading edges and waterline (I'm slipped in L.A. Harbor). It lasted pretty well for 3 years, got way thin after that. This haulout (a month ago) I put on 3 coats. The diver will lay off for at least 2 months and then will likely do a cleaning every other month during the short sunlit days of winter. By the time he gets back to monthly cleaning it will be around 10 months since painting. I hope to get 5 years or more from this paint job.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Levin, we have a little trick called a coat and a half. The half coat are the leading edges and a foot or two down from the waterline.

For many, many years I hauled out once every two years. Saltwater, boat in 24/7/365 in San Francisco Bay.

Because of my skiing accident in January 2009, everything got rescheduled and put off over a year and a half.

The paint lasted a year or more longer than I had expected. We also used to use the boat a lot more often than I have been able to do recently. Use it a lot and the paint keeps working, regardless of type of paint.

I'm switching my haulouts from two years to three or more with the same 1 1/2 coats, Petit Trinidad blue.

Interesting how you learn from experience.

And, they make more $$ on the haulouts than they do from the markup on the paint, so less paint on any given haulout makes sense for them in the long run.

 

[FourPoints]

I used (after soliciting many recommendations) 3 coats of ablative paint, 1st coat a different color than the 2nd and 3rd coats...

 

[jcastle]

If you are trying to go at least 2 years + between bottom jobs, you should use at least two coats. (may be a 3rd the waterline and high wear areas) Go with the suggestions above by using different colors between coats. When you see the underlying color...its time to paint again. How long that takes depends on how often you use the boat, if you have a diver cleaning the boat, and the type of bottom paint you use. Go with with harder ablative bottom paint. All of the bottom paints in this link are "harder" ablative paints. I have used Sea Hawk's Cukote for many years now and love the performance and durability. I get at least 3 years everytime.

 

[gypsyorchid]

bottom paint

I have a Catalina 22 that I sail on the lake. It stays in it's on private slip year round.
Planning on hauling her out this year. How many coats of bottom paint should I apply?
What other things should I pay attention to?

 

[Levin]

Hello again all,

So it sounds like the consensus is to go with two coats of bottom paint. It also sounds like it would be smart to go with two different colors. BTW... for those that asked... yeah I'm thinking of going with ablative paint and not hard paint. Still have a diving service but figure I'll have them lay off for a bit after I get it painted.

Thanks for all the help.

-Levin

 

[FourPoints]

just wanted to throw another comment in here... I did 3 coats of regular ablative last year when launching the boat, and only did touchup painting where it seemed to need it this spring.

Yesterday right below the waterline i found a small round patch of barnicles about 2 inches across. I think I should have done a 4th coat at the waterline...

 

[zeehag]

ok--LEVIN--you are in sin diego, you want to use trinidad sr. you want to use 2 coats with 4 on leading edges an waterline. will last you 5 yrs. i know.. btdt. you might consider southbay boatyard or whatver they call themselves now--down in chula vista--usually the best deals are there. north bay is waay pricey.
goood luck and smooth sailing...