West Marine Anti-Fouling Paint over Coal Tar Epoxy??

[Bob Pullen HC-33 1981]

I am currently on a CT-38 which had a coal tar epoxy bottom job done around 6 years ago, with anti-fouling paint over the coal-tar epoxy. The bottom growth reflects 6 years of no cleaning- we are going to haul the boat and scrape all the growth off, to the coal tar epoxy layer. Does anyone have any experience using West Marine CPP ablative cuprous oxide paint over coal tar epoxy? Any suggestions, advice, would be greatly appreciated.
Many Thanks
Bob Pullen
S/V Seanorita
Mexico

 

[RON20406]

Bob, go to yachtpaint.com. It is an Interlux site and you can ask technical questions regarding their paints. I used coal tar epoxy for years in combination with VC17 bottom paint which was a fairly standard combination for racing bottoms. Good Luck, Ron

 

[saildog]

I had a boat with VC Tar barrier coat that I used to put VC 17 bottom paint on. I moved to SW Florida removed the VC 17 and put ablative cuprous oxide paint on and it worked great. I put 4 full coats on and in the tropical salt water it lasted for 5+ years before it needed repainting.
Happy Sailing..

 

[CalebD]

While I don't have any experience with coal tar epoxy I do have experience using the WM CPP ablative (red) bottom paint for the last 5+ years up here in NY (salt to brackish waters of the Hudson River). I have been applying it on bare fiberglass and older paint each season and it works pretty well as an anti-fouling paint. I would not call it a multi-season paint by any means as I re-apply it every spring. It is cheaper then most of the other ablatives and mostly does what it is supposed to do for the most part. It is allegedly made by Petit paints and marketed under the WM brand.
I'm not so sure how the CPP will hold up in the Mexican waters you sail in. I'd check with other boaters in your area and go with the flow. You can always try CPP as a bottom coating but I doubt you would get more then 2 years out of it.

I'm more curious about the coal tar epoxy coating you mentioned having done 6 years ago. My limited research makes me suspect that it is an alternative to epoxy barrier coating (and is pretty cheap at that) that will protect a hull from osmosis/water intrusion and is perhaps even recommended for metal hulls. Is your boats hull metal?
How well has the coal tar epoxy coating held up after six years of neglect?

 

[Steve Dion]

"Generally" you are going to get what you pay for with bottom paint. The WM CPP has about 1/2 the amount of copper that you get with a quality paint like Pettit Trinidad. The cost is about 1/2 (go figure).

Some sailors have said they have done well with the WM products, others believe that it is crap. The only way you are going to find out is to try it.