Bottom paint alternative???

Grady252 · 04-12-2007, 05:12 PM

OK My last three boats had bottom paint and I had the up keep of doing re-paint, or hiring it done. Last year I hired it done..... this year I was going to have my boat painted, but then I decided I would go get all the stuff for the best bottom paint job ever........ you have to start out right o ryou could have problems ya know.....

I moore my boat from about May through Sept. or Oct.

My current boat has never had bottom paint, so it needs and epoxy barier coat before the bottom paint. It should have 5 or 6 coats. The materials are about $400.00 for this step. Then you are ready to paint the bottom for another $300. This doesn't include all the time it takes to complete this task.

I bought the stuff and had it in my truck

, and I decided to go visit one of my boat captian friends while I was in the neighborhood. He told me to take everything back??

He said I should not create this problem of maintenance for myself. He told me to get good marine grade wax preferrably Carnuba, and put three or four heavy coats of wax on the bottom of my boat letting it dry between coats. He claims that he and his friends have done this with success on their sport boats without a problem. The wax helps the boat go faster than with ablative bottom paint, and although some stuff may grow on the bottom of the boat as soon as you go for a ride it sliffs off just like with ablative paint.

I took all the stuff back and got my monay back.... I bought 3M wax and I am going to give it a try this season, but I was curious if any of you have heard or tried this?

It seems to simple and if it is this easy why do people bottom paint

Reelentless · 04-12-2007, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grady252

It seems to simple and if it is this easy why do people bottom paint

I bet you will have a big mess on your hands when you haul it out in September. 6 months in the water and you will have some pretty serious growth without bottom paint.

Unless you like laying on your back with a scraper, reconsider.

Beer Waggin · 04-13-2007, 10:33 AM

You can do the wax routine. Just pull your boat every couple of weeks and and give it a good scrubbing. The bottom paint obviously eliminates the need to pull your boat.

I did the wax routine the first summer I moored. Everything was fine until I left the boat sit for three weeks. Power washer, bleach and a couple hours of time took care of the growth.

Chesapeake · 04-13-2007, 10:46 AM

We have always done the wax on our boats, right on top of the bottom paint!!!!

Your friend is right, it will add a little to your top end for the first trip or two. After that the water has pretty much cleaned it off.

The wax will help but it isnt a cure all by any means.

CATCH AND EAT · 04-13-2007, 12:50 PM

Bottom paint is a must if you are going to moor your boat for a period more than 3 weeks. I waxed my new Glacier Bay last year and it was fine until I washed it for the first time. The growth came back faster than before and I had three inches of crap hanging from it by the end of season. Wax on, wax off. Bottom paint on.........still on......still on.....

You get the picture. I had my GB bottom painted this winter. Hated to think of that nice perty bottom having bottom paint but I went with blue to match the rest of the boat. Does'nt look half bad either. Kinda made the boat look a little smaller matter of fact.

I had bottom paint on my previous boat and boy did I love that stuff. Kept that old trohpy nice all summer long.

BTW, Pacific Power Boats did my Glacier Bay and John and the boys did a very nice job on her for a very reasonable price.

Professional job, saved me time trying to debunk the cat. In the long run I think it saved me money too.

Hoghunter · 04-13-2007, 06:05 PM

John, there's no way I would leave my Grady moored for over a few weeks without a bottom paint. You were on the right track to start with putting an epoxy barrier coat and then a good bottom paint. If it's done right it will last for several years or more.

I had my Marlin barrier coated and bottom painted n April of 04. It's now April of 07 and all I've done the last two years when I pull it from moorage in April is spray wash and a little touch up where needed. The folks that bottom painted it just looked at it and said go home it looks fine.

I moor the boat about 8 months of the year and trailer it the rest. Your best bet would be a hard shell bottom paint for trailering. I went with Petit Uni-poxy plus for the bottom paint and Interprotect 2000 for the sealer.

Hard bottom paint is the only way to go if your going to trailer at all. It loads great and doesn't scuff off when loading and unloading.

The summer months produce the worst algae growth so remember that.

Grady252 · 04-13-2007, 06:42 PM

Jeff, I may be receiving bad info, but they told me I had to use and ablative for a few reasons:

The sealer/barrier was the interlux 2000, was on sale for $89.00 per gallon, but you need four gallons to get the mil. thickness required.

#1) The epoxy bottom paints are for boats that are moored year around... they said it only has a life of 60-90 days out of the water...... Trinidad for $200 per gallon has the best results for multi season.

#2) The ablative was supposedely for faster moving boats and boats that are removed from the water and trailered part of the year..

They had the handy little Interlux guide to bottom paints????

I guess I need to make some calls and get it done quick!!! It is almost time for fishing......

namu mac · 04-13-2007, 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CATCH AND EAT

Bottom paint is a must if you are going to moor your boat for a period more than 3 weeks. I waxed my new Glacier Bay last year and it was fine until I washed it for the first time. The growth came back faster than before and I had three inches of crap hanging from it by the end of season. Wax on, wax off. Bottom paint on.........still on......still on.....

You get the picture. I had my GB bottom painted this winter. Hated to think of that nice perty bottom having bottom paint but I went with blue to match the rest of the boat. Does'nt look half bad either. Kinda made the boat look a little smaller matter of fact.

I had bottom paint on my previous boat and boy did I love that stuff. Kept that old trohpy nice all summer long.

BTW, Pacific Power Boats did my Glacier Bay and John and the boys did a very nice job on her for a very reasonable price.

Professional job, saved me time trying to debunk the cat. In the long run I think it saved me money too.

Pacific Power Boats ROCKS!!!. John repainted my NR this spring for FREE! There was a problem after 1 1/2 years. They took care of it and it looks great. Thanks John.

Nalu · 04-13-2007, 09:17 PM

My research turned up a few things, many of which are very subjective and personal preference.

I didn't want an epoxy coating because after the useful life is finished you have to either add another layer, or scrape off the old. To remove the old is a major ordeal, and to add another layer makes it thicker and adds resistance in the water.

I chose an ablative, and going on my 4th season I only have touch up to do before I dump the boat back in again for another 6 months. Micron CSC is what I have been using.

The issue with out of water oxidation of the metals that ****** growth in bottom paint was also a big concern. As mentioned above, some paints have a limited life span out of water.

spooner · 04-15-2007, 05:53 PM

any one ever tryed cayenne pepper in there paint?my dad been doing it on his commercal fishing boat and he only has to pull the boat about every three too five years. its not the hard shell paint though and he puts about a cup to a gallon.

Hoghunter · 04-16-2007, 07:22 AM

Hope you get it figured out John. I had Micron CSC on my last boat and it worked fine for me.

However, when I bought the Grady, the dealership strongly recommended that I have a sealer put on the boat if it was ever going to be moored. They also recommended the Petit Uni-poxy because of the fact that it would be moored 6 months of the year and then trailered extensively the other six months. Both they and the shop that did the bottom painting said the hard finish would hold up more to trailering and also not wear off as easily being loaded and unloaded.

At this point I'm going into my fourth year and it show's no signs of wear so I'm very happy with it.