What bottom PAINT for a trailer sailor?

Jun 8, 2004
10,024
-na -NA Anywhere USA
@David T/ODay23
May I suggest that you edit your last post removing your phone number. Go to bottom and click on report and scroll thru till you find edit.

I spoke at length and felt bottom painting was not necessary as he trailering only but suggested washing off afree sailing in salt water and brackish only. Suggested to check and possibly repacking centerboard line and checking CB attachments. I forgot to make sure he has a chain on winch stand as a backup. Enjoyed talking with this fellow from my old stomping ground in North Kakalacky.
 
Sep 15, 2016
790
Catalina 22 Minnesota
I too am taking on this project in the future and currently with my rudder. I am on the trailer 98% of the time and race. I am tired of getting blue antifouling paint on my hands every time i remove the rudder so I sanded it off to gel coat and was going to use VC 17. However i stumbled upon what i think is a better solution. It will basically act as a hardened gel coat type paint. If it works well on the rudder the while boat is next as I think with a faired bottom I may gain a bit of performance as well. I just thought i would pass this along for others in the future. If you have used this product please give me your feedback


note: this has no antifouling properties at all! (which is why i like it)
 
May 6, 2019
9
ODay 23 New Bern
So I looked at the IP2000e and this was one of the comments/advice on the West Marine support page about the product.

“It has a matte gray or white color. Typically used under antifouling paint. No gloss like you would see with gelcoat.”

Not that I want a gloss finish necessarily below the waterline but is this really how I should keep the bottom, with just the IP2000e, as the final coat ? Or should I look at some sort of gloss paint as the final coat on top of the IP2000e ?

i would also like to hear opinions about the VC Performance Epoxy. Should I use it over top of the IP2000e or instead of ?
 
Sep 15, 2016
790
Catalina 22 Minnesota
So I looked at the IP2000e and this was one of the comments/advice on the West Marine support page about the product.

“It has a matte gray or white color. Typically used under antifouling paint. No gloss like you would see with gelcoat.”

Not that I want a gloss finish necessarily below the waterline but is this really how I should keep the bottom, with just the IP2000e, as the final coat ? Or should I look at some sort of gloss paint as the final coat on top of the IP2000e ?

i would also like to hear opinions about the VC Performance Epoxy. Should I use it over top of the IP2000e or instead of ?
The IP2000e is intended to be a primer. I have heard of people just leaving it primed (trailered boat) but its not necessarily the look i would want. The VC performance Epoxy is meant to be a gelcoat substitute leaving a very hard and glossy finish that can be waxed and polished like gelcoat. I contacted Interlux the other day regarding IP2000e and VC Performance epoxy and they said the following.

"If painting over gelcoat the the VC performance epoxy needs no primer. Simply rough to 80 grit and paint making sure you obey the recoat windows. If you miss the recoating windows then you must again sand the VC Performance Epoxy with 80 grit to give it something to bite into.
Any repaired areas must be properly repaired with something that is meant for underwater use and those repaired areas should be primed with IP2000e as a good choice however make sure you again follow the recoat time for the IP2000e when you apply the VC performance epoxy"

Keep in mind that with either of these products are not paint or varnish. They are a 2 part epoxy with paint like properties.

My plan is to prime a few areas of repairs and then apply 4-5 coats of VC Performance epoxy in one shot waiting the 5-24 hours between coats. Once it has fully cured for a week or so I will sand to 1000 grit and polish the bottom to a high gloss. I race so I would like the cleanest smoothest surface I can get. If your already going to paint a trailered boat that did not require repair then I would simply apply the Performance epoxy as you don't need antifouling unless your going to leave the boat in the water. If you plan to leave it in the water then I would not go with IP2000e alone but would apply an antifouling over top.
 
Sep 15, 2016
790
Catalina 22 Minnesota
One last note is that for your trailering why deal with the bottom at all? If your going at this for a performance perspective then you would want the glossy finish. If your simply going at this for a aesthetics perspective then you likely won't be happy with a barrier coat alone. If you don't care about aesthetics or race then spend your money elsewhere and deal with the bottom in the future once all the paint has finally broken down and come off on its own.

IP2000e is a barrier coat to prevent blistering on gel coated boats that remain in the water
Antifouling paint is there to slow down the marine growth that likes to attach to the hull
VC Performance epoxy is there to give a renewed slick surface like gelcoat but not as porous and is intended for boats that spend only a week or two in a slip or are kept on a lift / trailer.

In your shoes if I had to pay someone for this very labor intensive job it would be at the bottom of my list.
 

RussC

.
Sep 11, 2015
1,578
Merit 22- Oregon lakes
@LakeShark But is a slick surface REALLY the best surface for a race boat? I'd say no, but then I don't do "sanctioned" racing so.... :)
 
Sep 15, 2016
790
Catalina 22 Minnesota
well in the words of my kids favorite penguins of madagascar... Smile and wave boys , Smile and wave. As we glide on by:waycool:

Truth be told I would use gel coat if it was not cost probative. Gotta love a clean shinny bottom...
 

RussC

.
Sep 11, 2015
1,578
Merit 22- Oregon lakes
well in the words of my kids favorite penguins of madagascar... Smile and wave boys , Smile and wave. As we glide on by:waycool:

Truth be told I would use gel coat if it was not cost probative. Gotta love a clean shinny bottom...
:laugh:. Truth be told I prefer a clean shiny bottom myself :laugh:

but........ because its a rainy day and I'm still stuck in covid jail :( ........... have you ever water skied on a mirror smooth lake? or played golf with a smooth shiny ball? or watched Myth Busters when they had a cars entire sheetmetal covered in dimples to ck milage before and after? :p. sometimes shiny isn't fast.
 
May 6, 2019
9
ODay 23 New Bern
One last note is that for your trailering why deal with the bottom at all? If your going at this for a performance perspective then you would want the glossy finish. If your simply going at this for a aesthetics perspective then you likely won't be happy with a barrier coat alone. If you don't care about aesthetics or race then spend your money elsewhere and deal with the bottom in the future once all the paint has finally broken down and come off on its own.

IP2000e is a barrier coat to prevent blistering on gel coated boats that remain in the water
Antifouling paint is there to slow down the marine growth that likes to attach to the hull
VC Performance epoxy is there to give a renewed slick surface like gelcoat but not as porous and is intended for boats that spend only a week or two in a slip or are kept on a lift / trailer.

In your shoes if I had to pay someone for this very labor intensive job it would be at the bottom of my list.
Good advice, thanks!