What bottom PAINT for a trailer sailor?

[RussC]

Considering purchase of a 22' trailer sailor that has had some type of bottom coat in the past, but has been (mostly) sanded off and never recoated. I would want to paint strictly for esthetic reasons, but after looking online at various coatings I'm more confused than I was to begin with. I sail freshwater only and it's only in the water for 3-4 days at a time max. I don't see any need to pay for fancy bug and snail darter repellents. all I want is something that would look good, survive being submerged for a few days at a time, priced within reason, and not need re-coating every year or two. any suggestions or products to avoid appreciated.
BTW: I would prefer to spray, as I have equipment and knowledge spraying automotive products and feel a better result is achieved over rolling or brushing, but I'm still open to all options.

 

[RussC]

This is the bottom in question:

 

[LakeShark]

My opinion. Wet sand it and buff out the bottom with no paint. Any paint you use will eventually come off or wear down and will require maintenance. Since its on the trailer 90% of the time I would just wash it when you get home and go with it. If you truly want a good bottom paint for freshwater VC-17 is what most use.

 

[RussC]

My opinion. Wet sand it and buff out the bottom with no paint. Any paint you use will eventually come off or wear down and will require maintenance. Since its on the trailer 90% of the time I would just wash it when you get home and go with it. If you truly want a good bottom paint for freshwater VC-17 is what most use.

Agreed. I generally won't even buy a boat that has been painted top or bottom, but I've been looking for this specific boat for a wile and may make an exception this time. I'm getting too old to wait for another one to come along
Thanks

 

[LakeShark]

Are you going to race it? Either way I would follow Main Sail's instructions for a perfect Boat Wax with the wet sanding and do that just to the bottom. It should remove all remaining paint and look clean. Either way even if your going to repaint it youll have to sand and prep the bottom properly for your paint.

 

[RussC]

Are you going to race it? Either way I would follow Main Sail's instructions for a perfect Boat Wax with the wet sanding and do that just to the bottom. It should remove all remaining paint and look clean. Either way even if your going to repaint it youll have to sand and prep the bottom properly for your paint.

No sanctioned racing . I've done my share of buff and wax jobs, but there's a few blisters that need attention so it may need some cover up there.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Russ
Feel free to send mr a PM next eek

 

[David T/ODay23]

I purchased this boat over a year ago and due to a neck injury have only sailed on her once. The previous owner kept her in the water during the season in Lake Erie most of the time and routinely kept her bottom painted with an ablative. Here in North Carolina she will be mostly in freshwater lakes for no more than a day and when at the coast only in brackish to salt water for no more than three days at a time. As I have planned many projects around this boat as I heal up I couldn’t help but think that I really dont need a bottom paint on her. From the posts here it sounds like I am correct. When I asked a painter at the boatyard about it, she said I did need the bottom paint but couldn’t give me a reasonable answer as to why. My question is this. What should I have done to this bottom to make it right for my expected sailing conditions ? Recognize , I can’t do the work but I would get it professionally taken care of. Sand all the ablative off and wax the gel coat bottom ? Or do I need to invest in a hard bottom type paint over the gel coat ? Here is what she looks like at present.

 

[David T/ODay23]

Here is the pics of some of the bottom. Looks like there may be some tiny areas of damage that would need to be repaired.

 

[RussC]

First off @David T/ODay23 . Welcome aboard the SBO forum. lots of good stuf available here. normally you will want to start a new post in order to get an answer to your question, but I'm done re-painting my project, so no harm there as far as I'm concerned.


I did end up buying the Merit last fall and spent many hours getting it ready for this season. but then....... here we sit ...................... the bottom on mine was in similar condition to yours and was too far gone to just clean up and wax, so prep and painting was the only option to make it look decent. I do my own work, so I did have more options than you, but I ended up using a swimming pool paint on mine and have been very happy with the results. it's quite a bit less expensive than your typical boat paints and sprayed well with my airless sprayer (could just as easily roll or brush if desired). depending on who you have re-do yours, you may have to use whatever they typically use however, and most boat yards will want to use the VC-17 recommended to me above.
All that being said...... If I were you I'd get that boat ready to sail, minus the bottom paint, and prepare to get on the water in a month or so. you've already lost over a year, and a bottom job won't be quick to get done with all that's going on. just a thought.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

@RussC
Thanks for helping. Sent pvt message to the fellow as my dealership was in Zebulon NC with other locations around the state. Retired dealer willing to help

 

[David T/ODay23]

First off @David T/ODay23 . Welcome aboard the SBO forum. lots of good stuf available here. normally you will want to start a new post in order to get an answer to your question, but I'm done re-painting my project, so no harm there as far as I'm concerned.
View attachment 177549

I did end up buying the Merit last fall and spent many hours getting it ready for this season. but then....... here we sit ...................... the bottom on mine was in similar condition to yours and was too far gone to just clean up and wax, so prep and painting was the only option to make it look decent. I do my own work, so I did have more options than you, but I ended up using a swimming pool paint on mine and have been very happy with the results. it's quite a bit less expensive than your typical boat paints and sprayed well with my airless sprayer (could just as easily roll or brush if desired). depending on who you have re-do yours, you may have to use whatever they typically use however, and most boat yards will want to use the VC-17 recommended to me above.
All that being said...... If I were you I'd get that boat ready to sail, minus the bottom paint, and prepare to get on the water in a month or so. you've already lost over a year, and a bottom job won't be quick to get done with all that's going on. just a thought.

Sorry about my lack of forum etiquette. I have never been on one of these things before. I will take on pointers on this as well. Ha Ha !
Your boat looks great RussC !
Thanks for the advice. The best part being ”get that boat ready to sail” . I’m working on some of the little things now as I can. Hopefully we can get out at least on the lake here soon.

 

[Meriachee]

Go after it with a handheld orbital sander and 80 grit. Right down to gelcoat. Blow the budget on 2 gallons of IP000e and be done with it.
That is not a workaround, rather a solution. The IP2000e will provide a nice barrier coat, look good for years and survive a regular pressure washing.

 

[David T/ODay23]

Any thoughts on this advice from Meriachee about IP20000e Crazy Dave Condon ?

 

[Jim26m]

@David T/ODay23,

If you want to alert another participant, put the "@" before their name and you should see it appear in a little pop up box. This will alert them the next time they log on.

@Crazy Dave Condon will be happy to answer your question, I'm sure.

 

[David T/ODay23]

@Jim26m
Thanks, I need a tutorial on how all this works . Ha Ha !

 

[Jim26m]

@Jim26m
Thanks, I need a tutorial on how all this works . Ha Ha !

We all had to learn.

Did you PM @Crazy Dave Condon ? If so, has he responded?

If you haven't figured it out, tap on his name in blue in this post. It will bring up a dialog box with a choice to send a private message.

 

[David T/ODay23]

We all had to learn.

Did you PM @Crazy Dave Condon ? If so, has he responded?

If you haven't figured it out, tap on his name in blue in this post. It will bring up a dialog box with a choice to send a private message.

Oh ok. No I had not done this. I will try it now

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

He responded but there is a lot to talk about. My dealership was in North Carolina too. I have asked to speak with him on phone but appears to be cautious

 

[David T/ODay23]

Ha Ha ! I’m not really that cautious. I just didn’t understand from your message if you wanted to talk on the phone or not. I’ll give you my number but its hard to say when a good time to call would be. I work variable shifts at night. I guess the best time to catch me awake (ha ha ) is probably about 3pm EST.