Skinnydipping - Bottomless or not

[Kermit]

My First Mate and I have decided what we really want to do is keep our '99 h260 in the water during cold-weather months and keep it on the trailer during warm months. The bottom is not painted and we really like it that way. The previous owner kept it on a lift so it looks pretty dang spotless.

I know we will get staining from our freshwater lake even during the winter. But Starbrite hull cleaner really seems to do a good job of removing the stain. I want to know y'all's opinions of whether we will regret leaving it in the water without bottom paint. And if so, what paint do y'all recommend for freshwater? Even though we have no experience with hard anti-fouling we think we would prefer it over ablative. Just personal preference for the way it looks.

Thanks!

 

[Apex]

bottom paint is usually a local preference. In Muskegon, VC17 (copper hard bottom paint) is king for slime protection.

 

[tommays]

Unless you are really hard working at some point even in fresh water stuff will form on the hull that will be difficult to remove

 

[Bob 04 H260]

I have used vc17 in fresh water and found it easy to use and worked well. Very easy system to maintain, no sanding or buildup.
I never did apply any bottom paint on my H260. It was wet slipped in fresh water all summer and used in saltwater for 3 months over the winter. I just cleaned up the bottom with a pressure washer and maybe some slimy-grimy bottom cleaner. I found any stains left over were bleached out by the sun when it sat on the trailer.

good luck, Bob

 

[rgranger]

I really don't like the ablative stuff. I always managed to get it all over me. Seems like I'd bump the bottom swimming, or pushing the boat off of the trailer, or when I hit bottom, and by the end of the day, I'd have blue smudges all over my legs. Now I just have rustoleum on the bottom and I put a heavy coat of wax on each Spring. I don't leave my boat in the water for more than a week at a time but I have been thinking that when I go on a longer trip, I might add some biocides to the wax before I apply it... (carbaryl = seven dust) and a touch of naphthelene (moth balls)....see if that buys me some time.

I guess if I were making the choice you are contemplating, I'd go with hard over ablative.

... just some free contemplation and worth nothing more....

 

[Gunni]

I have been thinking that when I go on a longer trip, I might add some biocides to the wax before I apply it... (carbaryl = seven dust) and a touch of naphthelene (moth balls)....see if that buys me some time.

That is a remarkably bad idea, toxic to a wide variety of aquatic life and an illegal application of regulated toxins.

 

[kenkindy1]

I kept my 240 in an Indiana reservoir this summer with no bottom paint. When I pulled it out for the winter it had slimey gel like globs attached. These things were the size of my fist. GROSS.

 

[Rich (P303)]

Go with ablative as it wears to thin... unless you want the expense of a soda blast to remove the hard paint after a gazillion years.

 

[DougM]

VC17 if you keep it I fresh water. No need for that funky ablative. Ablative builds up on successive coating,VC does not, and if properly applied ,will last a couple of seasons. Once a ablative is hauled out of the water and dries, it's no longer effective. In salt or brackish water, the VC is ineffective. If I was going to move from fresh to salt water, I would expect to soda blast, barrier coat, and refinish anyway regardless of what was on the bottom before. Just my opinion

 

[Captn TJ]

VC17 if you keep it I fresh water. No need for that funky ablative. Ablative builds up on successive coating,VC does not, and if properly applied ,will last a couple of seasons. Once a ablative is hauled out of the water and dries, it's no longer effective. In salt or brackish water, the VC is ineffective. If I was going to move from fresh to salt water, I would expect to soda blast, barrier coat, and refinish anyway regardless of what was on the bottom before. Just my opinion

Wrong! Ablative is effective over period of years. We use Micron extra on our 423 in fresh water (Lake Erie and Lake Huron) and haul the boat out for the winter. I've gotten as much as three years out of it with only minor touch ups on the leading edges of the keel and rudder. At the current price of bottom price it's far more cost effective than painting vc 17 every year (which we used on our previous boat) . FYI the key to ablative is not to put heavy or successive coats on that way you don't get a build up.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Kermit;

I am surprised you did not field that question to me. Since I know the lake and have put a couple of boats in there over the years, you will get a bad stain plus some small like barnacles that are hard to get off. I would suggest an anti fouling paint that you can use on the bottom. The closest place that can do it reasonalble or has a do it yourself yard is All Seasons at Lake Norman and the person whom to talk with is Tim McRorie and tell him big brother Crazy Dave sent you to him. He can better advise on the type of ablative to use and he use to sell Hunters for a former dealer as well as me some time back. I trust this fellow and forget VC 17 in your lake.

Crazy Dave