Yearly bottom paint......

[NYSail]

so it’s getting to be that time of the year and contemplating having the bottom painted. However was wondering why every year? I read about boats that stay in the water year round don’t get every year and do just fine. If there is still sufficient paint on the bottom why keep adding more?

Greg

 

[JamesG161]

I just had the bottom cleaned and the diver said, no need to paint this year.
But by error the bottom was painted RED 5 years ago.
The Admiral said NO Way.
So...
The painter had to paint the bottom BLUE, his error, over the base coat RED.
Now we only have the RED showing on the shoal keel and where the prop washes the rudder.
____
Nice way to check, if you bottom needs painting.
Jim...

PS: I felt badly about the 2nd coat and split the paint cost...$140

 

[Davidasailor26]

Depends on what kind of paint you have. Multi-season ablative paints should be OK as long as there's still enough thickness to slough off as the year progresses. Some paints, usually hard ones, are single season and will no longer provide any antifouling properties once they're exposed to the air, so if you have one of those you need a new layer.

 

[shemandr]

I've gone multiple seasons with hard and soft bottom paints. The hard was on a 26' boat and I scrubbed the bottom about every two weeks. Same for the 29. The 36 was ablative and I scrubbed it too. I didn't want too much paint to build up. Sometimes I would have the yard just spot paint it. We are not allowed to apply bottom paint here - the yard has to do it. Most local racers clean their bottoms before races or pay someone to.

 

[Scott NIelsen]

Like David Sailor26 says, it depends on what kind of bottom paint you use. My boat is kept in the water year round. I always use a hard paint, Pettit Trinidad SR, and usually get three years between haul outs. I Hauled my boat last October, 2018, as I am retiring in two weeks and wanted to get all those expensive things done while I still had a nice paycheck. I did not need to haul the boat to paint it as the bottom paint over all was still anti-fouling. No barnacles except on the running gear. The interesting thing is, it was on the 5th year of the bottom paint and it was still going strong and didn't need to be painted. Now I scuba dive so do the bottom about once every month and a half in the warm months or right before one of the three races I enter every year. I keep my boat in Norfolk, Virginia. I use two coats when I paint the bottom. I did put two coats on as well as replaced all my through hulls, added a KIWI- Three blade feathering propeller and line cutter, polished the hull, etc. I hope I am good for another five years before a haul out.

 

[dlochner]

As everyone has said, depends on the bottom paint and use.

Second Star has a multi-season ablative paint. Since it takes a little less than a gallon of paint, I paint the whole bottom every other year and use the remaining paint to cover just below the waterline and the high wear areas, bow, leading edge of the keel and the rudder in alternate years.

 

[seadaddler]

Been using Biocop for a few years and haul out every 3 years and this last year a started using a new diver who comes every month and is under for 45 to 60 minutes and my bottom looks like new.
I pretty sure this paint is a semi hard ablative so it wear off and not like a hard bottom
that will build up every time it painted.
You could email the paint company and ask for info about taking out every year,I contacted
sea hawk about changing to different paint and they help me with info.
Nick

 

[Gunni]

If you paint your boat bottom every year ‘just because’, you could end up with too much build up and the paint will lose adhesion with the hull. Then you either sand off the entire bottom, or chase missing patches of bottom paint until you decide to just sand the entire bottom. Most high end paints are mult-year, however you have to be sure they stay active if hauled and dried out.

Since I began hauling every year I paint the entire hull maybe every 4 years with a thinned ablative. The rest of the time I simply touch up the missing paint, leading edge of the rudder, keel, and bow locations, plus 4” at the water line to dress it up.

 

[Brian D]

I just had mine painted on 3/12. Last time I painted was in October of 2009. So I guess 10 years isn't too bad. LOL

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

As you can see, there is no -one answer fits all - here. The efficacy and lifespan of bottom paint depends on
1. How often you use the boat, and
2. Local conditions.

You would be best served by asking others in your area when they do and what type paint lasts the longest.

 

[nat55]

I had multiple seasons of ablative paint on my boat, at least 4 seasons of my painting and an unknown # from the previous owner. I made decision to do the right thing and blast the bottom, fill all the blisters with epoxy and then barrier coat. The results are pretty spectacular. After hauling last fall it was apparent that it was way past time for this. Paint was coming off in sheets. I knew it was time to do the full job. Hopefully going forward I will only have to do touch up paint at least for the next couple of seasons.

 

[smokey73]

I had used several different ablative paints here in Beaufort SC trying to find the right paint to use. I had terrible results with the Micron 66 for some reason, especially at the waterline. I am told that the Micron 66 doesn't do to well in some environments where there may be some "fresher" water at the surface as is sometimes the case here (but don't take that as gospel). I am on my third spring with Seahawk Biocop TF which has done well. I leave the boat in the water all year long. I have the bottom cleaned about every month by a diver from about March until the beginning of November. I don't know how the third summer will hold up for baracles since that seas hasn't started quite yet. I imagine I'll have the bottom repainted this summer when it gets so hot and humid here in Beaufort or in January if it holds up this summer. I am seeing some wear at the bow where the boat "cuts through" the water. The fall and spring are the best sailing here and I don't want to take it out. Some people have pretty good results with Trinidad Pro hard paint but like me they leave the boat in the water all year. The "best" bottom paint for you depends on whether you plan to remove the boat from the water frequently (like a trailerable) or to leave it in the water all year long or something in between. It also seems to be highly dependent on the local bio-growth environment. The best bet is to check with local sailors and see what they use but you'll probably get a lot of opinions.

Nothing works here well for the "soft mat" buildup that occurs over a few weeks if you don't sail your boat regularly. Only frequent fast sailing or cleaning will take care of that! One more reason to tell the Admiral "I have to go out today for a sail!

I'd be interested to hear Fastbtms thoughts on the Seahawk Biocop tf. I know he doesn't recommend any Seahawk tin based paints.

 

[NYSail]

When I bought boat P.O. had a blue micron on the boat. I covered with black petit. Not great adhesion as the first application was done in early aperil when temp was not perfect and it rained shoeryly after....... we were scrambling to get boat ready to sail home. Anyway I think this year I will have yard just paint waterline and next year attack bottom with excellent prep. Let a little more of the black come off. I also use the boat weekly, have a diver clean a couple of times.... also I am going to start diving on boat so I think I will be ok.

Thanks for the input

Greg

 

[BarryL]

Hi Greg,

I alternate - one year in the water, the next year haul out, sand, paint, etc/. I have been doing this since 2010 with excellent results. I have been using Pettit paint - Ultima SR 40 or SR 60 depending on price and availability. I clean the bottom about once a month and have just a little slime build up that wipes right off. The only exception is the bottom of the keel - that gets barnacles because I can never get paint on that part of the boat. After two years most of the paint has worn off. I sand any remaining paint off so I don't get any build up. I put two coats on the bottom and an extra coat at the waterline and leading edge of the keel and rudder.

For me it so much cheaper. Winter storage in the water is $500. Haul out is over $2000. Bottom paint and painting supplies are another $500.

Barry

 

[Head Sail]

Hi Greg,
For me it so much cheaper. Winter storage in the water is $500. Haul out is over $2000. Bottom paint and painting supplies are another $500.
Barry

Wow, $2000 for a haul out sounds ridiculous unless your boat is 110' long. Here, haul out is about $375. I've been hauling out for the last 3 years. The first year I painted the whole bottom but there were areas where the paint was starting to build up so last year I just power washed when hauled, this year I'll spot paint the rudder and keel leading edges.

 

[fstbttms]

I just had mine painted on 3/12. Last time I painted was in October of 2009. So I guess 10 years isn't too bad. LOL

How is it that you get many years more than the manufacturers (and every other poster in this thread) claim their anti fouling paint performs well for?

 

[Brian D]

How is it that you get many years more than the manufacturers (and every other poster in this thread) claim their anti fouling paint performs well for?

By ignorance. LOL or better yet, by ignoring the problem away in my mind. The boat is cleaned every 30 days but the growth became overwhelming. So it was time. LOL

 

[fstbttms]

The boat is cleaned every 30 days but the growth became overwhelming.

I can imagine...

 

[NYSail]

Wow, $2000 for a haul out sounds ridiculous unless your boat is 110' long. Here, haul out is about $375. I've been hauling out for the last 3 years. The first year I painted the whole bottom but there were areas where the paint was starting to build up so last year I just power washed when hauled, this year I'll spot paint the rudder and keel leading edges.[/QUOTE


Barry is referring to complete winter storage for his boat. Drop and store mast, boat winter storage, put mast back up and launch boat. For me (same yard) is 2800.

Greg

 

[BarryL]

Hey,

Let me clarify. The sailing season here (Long Island Sound) is roughly May - October. At the end of October you either need to have the boat hauled and stored, or stored in-water. The local yard will haul and store at the marina or haul, take the rig down, and move to storage facility). At the marina you are not allowed to do any work on the boat yourself. At the storage facility you can do anything you want. So the $2000 includes haul and power wash, mast down and stored, transport to storage yard, placed on stands, and the reverse in the spring.

Barry

Wow, $2000 for a haul out sounds ridiculous unless your boat is 110' long. Here, haul out is about $375. I've been hauling out for the last 3 years. The first year I painted the whole bottom but there were areas where the paint was starting to build up so last year I just power washed when hauled, this year I'll spot paint the rudder and keel leading edges.