haul out and paint??

[Maynard Rupp]

I have a question for those who keep their boat in a warm salt water area. In the Great Lakes we haul our boats every winter. We also usually sand and re-coat the bottom. This is mostly due to the fact that we use VC-17 paint. This stuff has to be renewed annualy, but the job is pretty easy. So far we have been hauling our 36 Hatteras every 2 years and re-painting the bottom with Petit Trinidad Pro. After the power washing our bottom looks great. We have a diver clean the bottom monthly. The boat is in Miami so the water is pretty salty and warm. If we do it every 2 years we are due this winter. I also worry that the barnacles that grow inside our through hull external strainers, (the brass goodies under the boat), will restrict the water flow too much. Am I doing this job more often than needed???

 

[Vincentc]

Maynard,
In my experience, it depends. I believe that we are in one of the better places for barnacle growth on earth. We have warm brackish water with lots of barnacle food.

I like ablative paint, and have gone 4 years plus between painting with earlier boats. With Lilly Marie, we have hauled out on 2 year cycles due to haulout for other reasons. If we haul out, I am going to touch up the bottom paint while the bottom is accessible. Also, the water here can be thin and we touch bottom on occasion, removing bottom paint.
If the water is warm and reasonably clear, I am going to swim under the boat, check the zincs and see if the bottom paint is OK.

Regarding growth inside strainers, etc. I wonder how much effect bottom paint has. Seems to me, paint does not have that much effect. You need to check the strainers and knock out the growth, whether or not you paint, ant that can be done without hauling out.

Regards,

 

[GCSI]

Maynard:

It's like real estate; location, location, location. Living on Tampa Bay, the canal behind my house was barnacle Mecca. However, at a neighbors house 600 yards away, not so bad. Boat is now at marina 3 miles away on the bay and it seems much, much better relative to barnacles.. Brett

 

[Boatsb]

I get 4+ years from Micron 66 ablative but trinidad is a hard paint that will last 2 years MAX. It is not the best paint out there and hard paints have too many build up issues. Strip it and get the ablative on. It lasts longer and will not need to be stripped every 5-10 years

 

[J's Dream]

I'm on year 4+ with Trinidad. Only place I have growth is on running gear. Started to see slime after about year 2, but with routine cleanings or use it's never been a problem. I'll probably haul in the spring and repaint.

 

[bobk]

I'm on the third season with Trinidad (commercial version). As said above, the hull is doing great, just running gear needs regular attention. This with about 3000 miles of cruising a year.

Bobk
Chateau de Mer
1981 48MY

 

[jim rosenthal]

I am on either three or four years with SeaHawk, I think it is. This is an ablative paint. The yard has declined to repaint the bottom for three years running; they just touch up the waterline and reapply that gray barnacle buster on the running gear. With the newer paints, it seems that you paint when you need to, not on a schedule. It also seems that the running gear always attracts more fouling than the hull itself.

 

[Maynard Rupp]

I am on either three or four years with SeaHawk, I think it is. This is an ablative paint. The yard has declined to repaint the bottom for three years running; they just touch up the waterline and reapply that gray barnacle buster on the running gear. With the newer paints, it seems that you paint when you need to, not on a schedule. It also seems that the running gear always attracts more fouling than the hull itself.

Hi Jim....What is "barnacle buster"...

 

[jim rosenthal]

It is this gray zinc compound that is sprayed on the running gear to keep fouling off. It does work, better than bottom paint on that area. I think it is made by Pettit. I haven't had much trouble keeping barnacles off the fiberglass surfaces, but anything that spins or is made of metal is much harder. This has worked very well and doesn't seem to affect zinc life or anything like that. If you can't find it on line let me know and I will ask them to show me where you can get it. It doesn't cost a whole lot and works well.

 

[luckydave215]

I get three-ish years out of Trinidad SR in San Diego, this paint is considered the best here by the yards and divers.
Which "paint works best" is regional - it depends on the local water temperature and chemistry (salinity), and what critters make up the local population.