What type of bottom paint?

[Levin]

Hello all...

So just for the record... thanks for the info about boat yards where you can do your own work, but I neither have the time nor the inclination to do so on my boat. As it is I'm going to have to take time off work just to be at the boat yard to get my boat back when they are done (being that boat yards seem to only be open from 7am to 4pm) and trying to find any more time than this in my busy schedule seems well beyond my capabilities. Hopefully there will be a point in my life when I do have the time to do such work… but it’s just not now.

Anyway I think I might talk to a few more boat yards to get some more prices and perhaps I'll even talk to them about the Blue Water paint and see what they have to say about that. Sounds like that is a combination ablative/hard paint as they advertise it as a "hard" paint but say it also fights bottom growth (which as I understand it only ablative paints do). I was thinking of going with ablative because on the whole I do use my boat a fair bit and it doesn't just languish in a slip... but perhaps some combo paint would be the best of both worlds.

Thanks again for all the feedback...

-Levin

 

[Joe]

Levin..... here is an important article for you to read. http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wc...11151&catalogId=10001&page=Anti-fouling-Paint

If you leave your boat in the water year round here in the San Diego area you'll find most yards will recommend the hard shell paints.... the article explains everything.

Other than that.... just get a lot of estimates and ask plenty of questions from the yard master. I am not aware of any yards contracting for labor only and allowing the boatowner to bring his own paint.. but I've never had discussions with any south bay yards... only shelter island and mission bay.

Nor will a yard allow you to haul your boat and contract outside labor to work on it without special approval. Usually, the labor must be contracted through the yard.

Environmental regs, workman's comp insurance, labor contracts and many other considerations have resulted in boatyards scrambling to find a workable operation plan.

Although you're not interested... I'll also mention that a number of yards will allow DIY work, as long as you don't hire outside labor to help. Driscoll in Mission Bay, for example, also requires that you purchase all paint through them... their standard hard shell bottom paint is $175 /gal.

Read the advisor.

 

[Levin]

Joe,

Thanks for the link... that was really helpful to figure out the difference between ablatives and hard paints. Although now I'm a bit more confused because they put the Trinidad in the "hard" paint category and I thought it was an ablative. But then I guess it doesn't matter. Sounds like I just need to shop around a bit and find a boat yard that has a reasonable price on a fairly good paint.

Take care,
-Levin

 

[Joe]

Joe,

Thanks for the link... that was really helpful to figure out the difference between ablatives and hard paints. Although now I'm a bit more confused because they put the Trinidad in the "hard" paint category and I thought it was an ablative. But then I guess it doesn't matter. Sounds like I just need to shop around a bit and find a boat yard that has a reasonable price on a fairly good paint.

Take care,
-Levin

I think that's the best way to go.