Recommendations on bottom paint requested

CoralRose

CoralRose

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Dec 19, 2018
13
Hunter 23 Humboldt Bay
Hello all,

My Hunter 23, built 1986, was kept in freshwater most of her life (I believe all but can't say for certain). She now has moved to saltwater where she lay in a slip all summer. I sailed her to a shipyard on Saturday and tied her up there by arrangement with the shipyard's owner. The owner has asked me what paint I want. Here are the characteristics of how she is used:

1. As you all know she has a fiberglass hull, I plan to take her out of the saltwater now (Oct-2022), have her hull cleaned and painted.
2. I will put her back into her slip in saltwater about April-2023.
3. I would like the option of putting her on a trailer in Oct-2023 and keeping her at my house for the winter where I can work on her. But, if all is well and I have sufficient crew (I don't like to single hand sail her due to my age) I would like to have the option of leaving her in her slip all year Apr-2023 until it is required to haul her out and have the bottom repainted.

So, is there a antifouling bottom paint that you would recommend that can wear well if not taken out of saltwater but won't break down in air if I decide to trailer her in the winter? What do you think is the best option for this situation?

All opinions appreciated.

Crazy Dave, you designed this boat: do you have a suggestion for this situation>

Thanks,

Mark
Coral Rose Owner and Skipper
 
Justin_NSA

Justin_NSA

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Jul 7, 2004
8,497
Hunter 30T Cheney, KS
I would ask other sailors around you what works for them. Nothing works as well as first hand knowledge.
 
rgranger

rgranger

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Jan 19, 2010
12,714
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
In the Fall of 2020, I moved to Charleston SC and this has been my first experience with keeping a boat in a salt water slip. All of my other salt water sailing was as a trailer sailor.

Here is what I have come to accept... you will need to hire a diver to clean your boat once a month during the hot months and about every other month when it cools down. Bottom paint only allows the diver to get the barnicles off more easily. My guy charges me $75 each clean. Use the bottom paint your diver recommends. They see it all and know what is working in those waters.

2 cents and worth even less... good luck.:beer:
 
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sail sfbay

sail sfbay

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Feb 21, 2013
4,638
Hunter 46 Point Richmond, CA
Is there a antifouling bottom paint that can wear well if not taken out of saltwater but won't break down in air if I decide to trailer her in the winter? Typically, boats that stay on a trailer most of the time do best with a hard modified epoxy or a self-polishing copolymer ablative finish that won't rub off like softer ablative bottom paint What bottom paint should I use on a trailered boat? – Jamestown Distributors. You might find this article helpful: What is the difference in hard bottom paint and ablative bottom paint? (bottompaintstore.com). Check your diver and local trailer sailers for the specific ablative paint that works best in your area.
 
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fstbttms

fstbttms

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Feb 26, 2011
1,440
Achilles SD-130 Alameda, CA
CoralRose said:
I would like the option of putting her on a trailer in Oct-2023 and keeping her at my house for the winter where I can work on her.
Click to expand
Your desire to keep the boat on a trailer part-time limits you to an ablative paint. Hard paints cannot withstand prolonged exposure to air.

sail sfbay said:
Typically, boats that stay on a trailer most of the time do best with a hard modified epoxy...
Click to expand
Unfortunately this is not the case, as the article to which you linked specifically points out:

"You should not use a hard paint if you boat comes out of the water such as on a trailer, or a lift. After 72 hours, the hard bottom paint will oxidize on the outer surface from the air and becomes ineffective. If you are trailering your boat, or keep it on a lift you should always use an ablative bottom paint."
 
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fstbttms

fstbttms

.
Feb 26, 2011
1,440
Achilles SD-130 Alameda, CA
rgranger said:
...you will need to hire a diver to clean your boat once a month during the hot months and about every other month when it cools down.
Click to expand
This is certainly true in South Carolina but the OP appears to be keeping his boat on the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, which is brackish at best and does not experience anything like the fouling conditions you are used to. Most boat owners in that area rarely (if ever) even have their bottoms cleaned.
 
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CoralRose

CoralRose

.
Dec 19, 2018
13
Hunter 23 Humboldt Bay
Hello all,

I read your posts and the recommended articles. I was convinced by the article at Bottompaintstore.com and other research at West Marine's website that I wanted a ablative copolymer paint. So, I have ordered this one: Pettit, Odyssey HD. I will let you know if it does not work out well. Thanks everyone for your input,
Mark
 
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Justin_NSA

Justin_NSA

.
Jul 7, 2004
8,497
Hunter 30T Cheney, KS
CoralRose said:
Hello all,

I read your posts and the recommended articles. I was convinced by the article at Bottompaintstore.com and other research at West Marine's website that I wanted a ablative copolymer paint. So, I have ordered this one: Pettit, Odyssey HD. I will let you know if it does not work out well. Thanks everyone for your input,
Mark
Click to expand
That's the same paint I'm putting on this time. Have to remove about 5 layers of old paint first!
 
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