Bottom Paint: Fresh or Salt?
 

Is there a different type of antifoulant bottom paint used for fresh water as opposed to salt water? A different prep?

Thanks!

Salt and fresh??Yes there is a major difference.
Prep??not really

There are a couple of dual purpose paints.

Interlux (www.yachtpaints.com) has a downloadale guide book that is pretty comprehensive as far as prep and comparison charts.

It also matters whether the boat will be on a lift or trailered versus stay in the water (most of the good paints will go bad the moment you let the hull dry - takes a recoat - just a single coat - to reactivate it).

Book spells tht out too.

Interesting.......

A lift would be nice but not in the cards right now. Do you even need to paint the bottom if it is on a lift? I wouldn't think so.....

For your Formula N ?

I'm sure you know bottom paint is not re-sell friendly I think on rigs like yours.

No....not for the Formula......for my Apache. :D

If it's on a lift, you don't paint it.
If it sits in the water for over a month at a time, you need to seriously consider paint.

Yes, paint slows you down.
But not as much as the carpet that grows there without it.

Can you say Chia Boat:D :D

What is the alternative? Pictures I see on the internet of some boats on plane don't have it.....and others do?

Nothing:
http://www.sunseeker.com/images/rang...5/running2.jpg

Nothing:
http://www.sunseeker.com/images/rang...t/running1.jpg


This does:
http://www.marquisyachts.com/models/59hardtop.jpg

This does:
http://www.nuvariyachts.com/models/run5-09.jpg

Do you have divers clean the bottom once a month?

There called muff divers

all depends on the time of the year.. once a month would keep them clean.. most poeple re-paint once a year and clean drives as needed.. summer time with the warmer water you have to clean more..

Re: Bottom Paint: Fresh or Salt?
 

I think Nort is planning a secret move to LOTO! :D

Are you saying that you don't need to clean the bottom if there is bottom paint, and you do need to clean the bottom if there is not bottom paint? I suppose it also depends upon how much you use the boat too?

Nort what happens is the top layer of the paint actually falls off as you drive. This releases any crap that you may have built up. I can not remember what they call that but I am sure some one does. If you leave your boat in the water for a week in Florida you can have one hell of beared. If you leave your boat in the water up in Maine all year you will barely have anything.

Jon

Jon

That doesn't make sense! You paint it on, and the paint falls off as you use the boat?

Yup that is how it works. I will try and find a link for you.

Jon

ABLATIVE ANTIFOULINGS – Ablative Antifoulings wear away with use, which reduces paint build-up. This reduces the maintenance and preparation needed when it’s time to apply more antifouling paint and ends the annual ritual of sanding. Ablative Antifoulings, such as Fiberglass Bottomkote ACT not only provide excellent antifouling properties but also can be applied over most other antifouling paints.

Man I am glad I did not guess on the name because I was not even close :D:D

Also you would be suprised. Those boats that you do not think have anti fouling paint probably do. You can get all kinds of stuff.

SELF-POLISHING COPOLYMERS – SPC technology antifoulings work because the film contains a patented resin called an ‘SPC Copolymer’. This copolymer reacts with saltwater in a controlled way. As a result, the chemical reactions controls and sustains the release of biocides throughout the lifetime of the antifouling without decline. This chemical reaction will take place at the same rate whether you boat is underway or sitting at the dock. This type of technology has previously only been available in tin-based copolymer coatings, which are restricted in their use to boats over 82 feet in length. This new, patented Interlux technology is available for professional application to boats of all sizes. It is not recommended for use in fresh water.
For Self-Polishing Copolymers ask for Micron® 66

CONTROLLED SOLUBILITY COPOLYMERS – These types of antifoulings are partially soluble which means that as water passes across the surface of the coating, it wears down much like a bar of soap would wear away. The physical action of the water over the surface steadily reduces the thickness of the paint at a controlled rate, which results in always having fresh biocide at the surface of the paint throughout the season. For this reason these types of antifoulings have the capability to perform in the areas of highest fouling challenge. Since the biocides are chemically bound to Controlled Solubility Copolymers they can be hauled and relaunched without repainting as the longevity these coatings are related to the thickness of the paint.
For Controlled Solubility Copolymer Antifoulings ask for Micron® Extra with Biolux®, Micron® CSC or Micron® Optima.

ABLATIVE ANTIFOULINGS – Ablative Antifoulings wear away with use, which reduces paint build-up. This reduces the maintenance and preparation needed when it’s time to apply more antifouling paint and ends the annual ritual of sanding. Ablative Antifoulings, such as Fiberglass Bottomkote ACT not only provide excellent antifouling properties but also can be applied over most other antifouling paints.
For Ablative Antifoulings ask for Fiberglass Bottomkote® ACT.

HARD ANTIFOULINGS – The technical term for these types of antifouling paints is ‘contact leaching’. The paint dries to a porous film that is packed with biocides, which leach out on contact with water to prevent fouling growth. This leaching is chemically designed to release biocide throughout the season, but the amount will steadily decrease until there is not enough biocide coming out of the paint film to maintain fouling protection. Once the biocide is exhausted, the hard paint film remains on the boat. Hard antifoulings do not retain their antifouling ability out of the water and cannot be hauled and relaunched without repainting. One of the main benefits of this type of antifouling is its resistance to abrasion and rubbing. This makes it ideal for fast powerboats, racing sailboats or boats where the owners have the bottoms scrubbed regularly. Most hard antifouling paints can be wet sanded and burnished prior to launch to reduce drag and improve hull speed.
For Hard Antifoulings ask for UltraTM with Biolux®, Ultra-Kote®, Fiberglass Bottomkote® or Fiberglass Bottomkote® Aqua. For Hard Racing Finishes ask for VC®, Offshore with Teflon®, Baltoplate, VC® 17m Extra or VC® 17m.

Ablative is used on most stuff these days. It makes it easy to see when it is getting thin. If it has color, it's still working. If it is getting thin, it is time to paint.

In very warm salt water, you need to clean once a month WITH paint. In cold salt, every couple of months WITH paint. Repaint every year. Can't even IMAGINE what you'd get with NO paint in warm salt.

Those ad pics are just that. I bet they've never sold a Sunseeker (cruiser like the Predator you showed) to an end user with no bottom paint. I would further bet that if somebody requested it that way, that some hull warranty waiver would need to be signed.

There are a few white (offwhite, more like it) antifouling paints available. They are ALL for continuous duty (can't let them dry out without recoating). And they are self burnishing and/or hardpaints, not ablatives.

In cooler freshwaters, bottom baint becomes "more" optional. The warmer the waters, the more attractive bottom paint becomes.

m

I'm using Interlux Micron CSC in Shark White. I have to leave my boat on a mooring so I have no choice. The paint works quite well. I only had to clean it a little bit around the water line when the boat sat for three weeks. Two coats gave me three seasons of protection. At the start of the season, wet the bottom with a hose and brush it with a stiff bristle brush. This gets the dead layer of paint off. When it comes time to repaint, I just scuff the bottom and paint. I was going to try Micron Extra with Biolux, but after checking with Interlux, they said not to use it on a fast boat. That little blurb is buried somewhere on their web site, but not on the can. You think that might be important???? What about their Teflon offshore paint???

That's the stuff.......thanks for all the info!!! Very educational!!

Nort,

My Fathers boat is bottom painted, but he still has a cleaning service that scrubs the bottom once a month.It slows down the growth process but does not eliminate it.

You can lift just about anything. Hi-tide has lifts to 120,000#s. The largest I installed when I was in business was 40,000#s for a Bertram.

http://www.hi-tideboatlifts.com/images/YachLifts01.jpg


http://www.hi-tideboatlifts.com/images/YachLifts03.jpg

Holly cow, those are travel lifts in the water!! I can't believe they can lift something that big.:eek:

repaint once a year (full haul out, dried and fresh paint).. there are services that will clean the bottom of the boat in the water cheap.. have a freind with a 41 fly bridge and i think it cost him 25usd (plus tip)(at that cost??) last time he had it cleaned.. they use a small air marker on the dock and just have a feed tube for air.. if you not have power at the dock.. like a mooring they use tanks and the price goes up to 40usd.. it's cheap.. but like you said if you can get out and run the boat once a week.. you can keep it pretty clean..

Not to mention that fact that Gel coat is very porous and allows a lot of water to be soaked up in the hull if it isnt sealed by a good epoxy primer. Between the carpet and the extra weight from the water, a boat slows down in a hurry without a properly treated hull. The prep (primer-sealer) is more improtant than what you use as an antifouling. In fresh water, I dont think anything beats VC. Easy to apply, no sanding scrapping, put a coat on every spring and off you go. I even doubt it slows a boat down much. I know my formula would lose 5 mph with a week in the water (no antifouling) My present tank has VC-18 on it and like was said, a quick blast at wot and its clean.

CSC is easily burnished (smoothed) with 320 on a DA sander. That's what I put on the 13' Whaler Missile.

We use Extra around here for cruisers (freshwater).
When the hull color starts peeking thru on the keel and leading edge of the chines, its time to repaint (right over the old stuff with only a scuff sand and a solvent wipe).

Some use Ultra, which is good for an extra knot, but it has to be sanded off for repaint.

Ohhhhh Man DONT Paint the bottom of an Apacheeeee

Nort, the most Bottom paint will slow you down on your particular boat is arount 4-5mph. (So says the rumor mill). Even with the paint you'll need a diver 1-2 times per month (depending on conditions of water and boat use) Grass and barnicles will grow not only on the bottom, but on the drives and props. Basically if you feel a vibration during udle out...turn around and go swimmin. Barnicles can wreck the drive. Both bottom paint, zincs and divers are part of the deal when keeping the boat in the water. While the boat is getting painted, have them install zincs all around. Drives, tabs, transom, more is better. this will protect the hangey down parts from electrolosis. Whatever the guys at the shipyard say to put on...add two or three more.
Another tip for the pacific. Run the boat during "Red Tide". Diver usually will not dive in to clean and growth can multiply during these conditions. So get past the stink and run the boat through its paces.
Buy the way, congratulations, and No I didnt sink on Sunday.

Matt