Waxing Versus Paint??

[RET]

I am looking for some sage advise.I purchased a new hunter 240 -1999, it has not yet been launched.Living in Canada, on fresh water I have a season of about 5 months. I imagine there is less organism build-up than in other locales.Is painting a requirement? a boat yard quoted Can $1200. Once I begin painting am I committed to it yearly or bi-yearly?. I was told I can easily get by with a wax that has some anti-fouling properties and that 10 years down the road I could begin with an epoxy barrier and painting every couple of seasons.If I can get by with wax, which would be great due to costs and preparation what can you reccommend for the hull and does this vary significantly from deck wax?Thanks in advance - I get alot of good advice at this site.

 

[Been there]

Maybe

It depends a lot on (a) your local marine ecosystem, and (b) your sailing goals. On many freshwater bodies, unprotected surfaces will grow algae, but not the hard fouling that one sees in salt water. Algae is worst on the foot immediately below the surface, and is easily removed in the water, by just scraping it off. Much of it will wash off when you get under way. When hauled, it is easily washed off. And the wax may help. Is this acceptable to you? If you are a hardcore racer, I doubt it. If you are sailing for fun, you have to decide. Ask around and see what other sailors in your area say.Fouling has nothing to do with blisters, nor will antifouling paints prevent blisters. Boats are more prone to blister if (a) they are kept in freshwater, (b) they are kept in the water year round, (c) if water is allowed to stand in their bilges, (d) if the laminate is not well constructed, or (e) if it is made with cheaper resins.

 

[Jim]

Rip Off

I have a similar season in Wisconsin. $1200 is outrages. Get a BoatUS or West Marine catalog and order some bottom paint. A couple of hours of your time and $150 bucks or less will get the job done.

 

[Ken Palmer]

Zebra Mussels

I sail my H33 on Lake Ontario out of Rochester, NY. Most boats here use VC17 anti-fouling paint over a barrier coat. It is easy to apply and works pretty good. It does keep off the Zebra Mussels that would stick to the bottom for sure. It only does a fair job keeping the algae growth down. Those that race their boats scrub the bottom quite often to keep the growth down and increase their boat speed.My friend that sails a smaller boat on a tiny lake in Western New York tried the wax you mentioned. He was not happy with it and is using paint next year.

 

[John]

Removal of Mold Release

As a previous post said one can save by doing the bottom painting yourself assuming you have the time. Since you have a new boat it is important to ensure the mold release coating is thoroughly removed before applying paint. Even "professional" yards have trouble doing this sometimes. If it isn't removed then the paint will flake off. If it is only partially removed then the paint will flake off in spots making painting next year much more difficult (sanding all the rough edges).On the new boats, I believe, one does not sand the bottom but instead uses a chemical to strip the release agent and give the gel coat some "tooth". I believe that sanding new gel coat will void the blister warranty.Surprisingly, leaving the boat out of the water is actually somewhat harder on the bottom paint than leaving it in so if you figure the paint should last a year and the boat is in the water only five months, you will not get 2.3 years, rather, only one year. It will still have to be painted before it goes in.A previous post mentioned about talking to local boaters - that's an excellent idea!