Obviously, if you keep your boat in the water, you should apply bottom paint. Although, if you trailer your boat, you can get away without bottom paint. Although tailoring is inconvenient. If I were to trailer, I would probably camp-sail where I keep the boat in the water for 2 or 3 days at a time while I'm camping with easy access to the boat. Is there any words of wisdom as to when to apply bottom paint? Would keeping the boat in the water for 2 or 3 days at a time necessitate bottom paint? I would trailer it to both salt and fresh water. I haven't bought a boat yet. I'm just planning ahead.
when to bottom paint
- Thread starter Jeff Prideaux
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I don't use bottom paint
I use my H 260 in fresh and salt water for up to 2 weeks without using bottom paint, so far no problems. Sailed to Binima island from Fl. when I got back to NC just used a pressure washer to knock all the critters off, now hull is as clean as it was new
I use my H 260 in fresh and salt water for up to 2 weeks without using bottom paint, so far no problems. Sailed to Binima island from Fl. when I got back to NC just used a pressure washer to knock all the critters off, now hull is as clean as it was new
Not toooo bad
I leave my 260 in the water for up to five days on the West Coast of Western Australia but down here where I live the max is about 2-3 days before "critters" start attaching. Its all to do with water temp and nutrient levels in the water. Having never painted her though I can now see that the bottom is slowly turning a mild yellow colour. This will polish out but then again just how thick is the gel coat to enable me to continue doing this. Pulling her out after a days sail is dead easy and so she can be washed down and launched the next day.
I leave my 260 in the water for up to five days on the West Coast of Western Australia but down here where I live the max is about 2-3 days before "critters" start attaching. Its all to do with water temp and nutrient levels in the water. Having never painted her though I can now see that the bottom is slowly turning a mild yellow colour. This will polish out but then again just how thick is the gel coat to enable me to continue doing this. Pulling her out after a days sail is dead easy and so she can be washed down and launched the next day.
Jeff
2-3 days in the water, you are fine. You do not need to bottom paint. IF you ever go into brackish or salt water, it is always good to wash off the boat and trailer. I use to live on the Chesapeake Bay and that was a necessity.
2-3 days in the water, you are fine. You do not need to bottom paint. IF you ever go into brackish or salt water, it is always good to wash off the boat and trailer. I use to live on the Chesapeake Bay and that was a necessity.
No bottom paint
I bought my last 2 boats used so both had bottom paint when I got them. I leave my boat in the water from April until November. When I sold my previous boat the bottom paint was more than 15 years old and the worst it had ever accumulated was a little bit of slime. Of course this is in fresh water. Other areas are not necessarily as lucky. It all depends on where you are.
I bought my last 2 boats used so both had bottom paint when I got them. I leave my boat in the water from April until November. When I sold my previous boat the bottom paint was more than 15 years old and the worst it had ever accumulated was a little bit of slime. Of course this is in fresh water. Other areas are not necessarily as lucky. It all depends on where you are.
Bottom Paint
We keep our 23.5 in the water (salt) year round (it hasn't seen the trailer in a number of years), so bottom paint is a necessity for us. It ought to be hauled, cleaned and painted every two years, but we tend to stretch it out to three years. Had it done this spring and the difference in handling between the trip to the boat yard and back to the marina was like night and day.
We keep our 23.5 in the water (salt) year round (it hasn't seen the trailer in a number of years), so bottom paint is a necessity for us. It ought to be hauled, cleaned and painted every two years, but we tend to stretch it out to three years. Had it done this spring and the difference in handling between the trip to the boat yard and back to the marina was like night and day.
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