Speakin of Bottom Paint - Chesapeake Bay

[Jim Seamans]

Even though the temperature finally made it up to 25 degs, my thoughts are beginning to think about bottom paint. For us who sail on the Potomac River, Chesapeake Bay areas what paint does the best job year around. I'm not trying to start a religious war just figuring out which product. I'll be doing it myself.What kind/brand of paint holds up and provides good protection for our area?Come on warmer weather - My wife is getting real tried of my hollering in my sleep "coming about". ;DJimS/V Java

 

[Jim Quibell]

761 Postings in Archives on Bottom Paint

Hey Jim,That should keep you busy for a while. Use the exact phrase - bottom paint when you do your search.Cheers,

 

[Don]

Micron CSC

you'll get 2 years out of it without any effot. I've been using it for 6 years now.And Jim, what is it with your positings that always incites/invites the archives comments? I don't get it, unless someone can point you to s specific article on a specific issue, what's the merit in the "see the archives" posting.

 

[Warren M.]

Bottom Paint

As a long time sailor on the Chesapeake, I've tried a lot of bottom paints. Most all of the modified epoxies (i.e., Petit Trinidad, et al)work very well, but the remaining matrix left on the boat after the paint leaches out can be difficult to sand off. And sand you must. A couple of years ago, I swtiched to ablative copolymer paints, like Interlux ACT, and have found them to be wonderful. Easy to apply and very little, or no, sanding nneded to prep the boat for painting in the spring. While Micron CSC is supposed to ba a multi-year paint, I was never able to really get much more than one season from that product. Products like ACT are billed as, and priced as, single season paints and that's all I ezpect of them. Never had a barnacle using ACT.... Like you, I'm already thinking of spring maintenance and can't wait to get back on the water.I also agree that telling someone to look in the archives is not a helpful input. I like adding to the dialogue here and have found it useful a number of times.

 

[Bill O'Donovan]

Micron CSC too

Because it's abalative, it washes off over time. My diver cleans the boat every month and the two coats still last all season -- but only one season. I would resist "hard" paints because of the drudgery of scraping or peeling multiple layers over time. In fact, after six years I'm still slowly removing the first owner's buildup, a little at a time. Soon it will be spring.

 

[Brooke Willson]

Trinidad SR

My Catalina 25 has always used hard paint, and there's really not that much build-up after 19 years. I've found that Trinidad will easily go two years between paintings and the last coat lasted three with no barnacles. Last time I switched to Trinidad SR to reduce the slime, and it really, really works. If a little slime builds up because of sitting at the dock, one good sail cleans the bottom well.

 

[Tom]

Ablative have worked well for me

Ablative paint has worked well for me...two seasons and no build up. The bottom still looks good but I don't think I'll push for a third season. I'll paint this spring as well.Tom

 

[Jim Quibell]

Well Don - here is why -

You suggest a different wording than what is used when we try to get people to look in the archives first. We are more polite.We are blessed on this site with the archives. Not many forums keep them as long as SailboatOwners. They are an incredible resource of information and should be used. Amazing what newcomers especially can pick up when they research the archives. Better to look up a variety of opinions and sort them out rather than accept the statement of one individual.Cheers,

 

[Bob]

A further question

What is the speed advantage of a small sloop, say 25' to 30', with a hard painted, clean bottom vs the same boat with an ablative coated, clean bottom? In other words, is it worth the extra work for a boat that is raced occasionally?

 

[Jim Seamans]

Going with Micron CSC

Archives 761 posting *pop - takes a couple of weeks to get through that pile and majority have nothing to do with my question. I look at the archives a lot but sometimes you just don't quite get the answer you're looing for.Found out the dealer had put Trinidad on for commissioning and I'm not happy with the results I saw when I pulled the boat. Boat was in the water for 10 months, lots of slime and barnacles. Slime power washed off fine but the barnacles required alittle elbow grease.From what I've read here and other sites I will place Micron CSC on the bottom and see how that works.

 

[Alan]

Bob, to answer your question..

If both surfaces are clean and smooth there is no advantage. Problem is most guys don't clean their bottom regularly and don't do a very good job of painting in the first place. I race at least twice a week during the season. I spray CSC white on and wet sand it out with 400. We dive the boat every week and it wipes down with a natural sponge in under 45 minutes. In the light stuff (where bottom prep really shows) we can sail past guys with professionally done bottoms. Very clean and very smooth is the key.