Epoxy and Bottom Paint?

[rsahlender]

I am curious what others that keep their boat in the water all season are doing.

My new to me 16/3 is in a local boat yard having the remains of several bottom coats removed after much of it flaked off with barnacles when the previous owners power washed it before the sale. I plan to keep the boat in the water all season on a fresh water lake in PA.

The guy at the boatyard seems to be suggesting a good epoxy bottom coat of Interlux 3000 and nothing else. He says this should prevent blistering and last for 5+ years. He showed me several other boats in the yard that he had done this to and it is a nice clear and thick to the touch coating that I rather like as you can't tell it is on the boat until you get up close. However others are telling me that it might be more difficult to clean any growth and critters off an epoxy coat when pulling the boat out at the end of the season than it would be if a good coat of bottom paint was applied over the epoxy before putting the boat in the water.

I am understanding that the bottom paint is meant to flake off with gunk and critters when cleaned at the end of a season which implies another bottom coat before putting in the next season. Would not a power wash of only an epoxy coat on the bottom remove gunk and critters too or would this require some hand scrubbing?

Rich

[curtisv]

Rich,

In New England "all season" isn't very long and the water is cold so no barrier coat is needed.  Just bottom paint here.  Mine lasted three years, but now its really gone.

I have Nauset Marine do the work.  The price is good if you are not fussy about when they do it.  Some time over the winter they will paint my boat's bottom (indoors of course) but there is no telling when that will be.  When they are not busy with other work.  At some point they tell me its done (or they don't tell me and put it in their lot and forget about it until spring when they need room or until I ask about it).

OTOH - I know a couple who sailed their Tartan 34 south for the winter and got a bad case of blisters.  They took off in November and returned in April and started grinding blisters off.  I forget how old the Tartan was, I think about 15 years, maybe more.  It just shows that what works here won't work in warmer water.

Blisters are much more common in warmer water than colder water and are somewhat more common in fresh water than salt water.  An epoxy barrier coat it for blisters.  Bottom paint is to keep critters from growing.  Those too grow much better in warm water.

Curtis

[Salty19]

Hi Rich,

Since no one else as responded, I'll reiterate my personal message.

As Curtis said, epoxy coat is to protect from blisters (osmosis) and bottom paint protect from critter buildup (ie plant and animal growth).  You want both layers ideally for protection.  The epoxy will last a LONG time whereas the bottom paint is ablative, which means it does and should slowly strip itself away over time requiring new applications every couple of years.

While it's true that cold water will enjoy less growth than warm, if you leave the boat in for the season in cold water it will accumulate growth as well.
My paint was fresh in May and had to be powerblasted to get it clean this fall.  Where I sail the water is deep and cold (Ohio) all year. The water temp high was 62 degrees (much colder than most other waters nearby). 

I personally would not leave the boat in the water without both layers unless you're planning to haul it out every few weeks to clean it up (and trailer elsewhere).
For trailer sailing, no epoxy or paint is needed, just wash it down.

[rsahlender]

Thanks for the replies. I recently joined the local Compac Fleet at the fresh water lake where I intend to keep my new 16/3 in season. While I may pull it out occasionally to trailer it somewhere I expect to keep it in the water at the lake most of the time. I asked the fleet members this same question and have similar responses. They all say that there is enough plant and critter growth during a single season even on an inland lake here in PA that a good coat of paint is recommended. Even with the chemicals in the paint intended to keep these growths at minimum they all say they end up having to power wash lots of "stuff" off after hauling out at the end of the season. So I guess at least this first time I will have the boat yard bottom paint over the new epoxy barrier coat.

I suppose I can try applying another coat myself if needed next year after my first season in the water. Which reminds me of another question. How does one cover the parts of the bottom that are resting on the trailer pads? I am not brave enough to try some of the things I have read elsewhere about getting a boat from a trailer to a stand without some sort of crane or lift...

[brackish]

How does one cover the parts of the bottom that are resting on the trailer pads?

Disclaimer:  I have never done this with my 23 or any other boat for that matter, but saw this method described maybe in another post on this site.

1. Park trailer on a relatively level, stable surface.

2. Guy off one side of the boat from the cleats and winches to the trailer frame.

3. drop the bunk on the other side and paint the area.

4. reposition and lock the bunk and repeat for the other side.

Painting under the keel depends on what you have there, rollers or a board.  With rollers, theoretically, I can paint all but an inch or so that is the keel contact point under each roller.  I would imagine that I could jack the boat back on the trailer a couple of inches and paint that portion.  If you have a solid board, then my guess is it would have to be jacked up and supported.

At any rate, I plan to try this next Spring.  However, in addition to guying off, I plan to put a couple of solid supports to the ground when I drop the bunk.

[bmiller]

Painting under the keel depends on what you have there,

An occasional foray into shallow would serve as well!!

[rsahlender]

At any rate, I plan to try this next Spring.  However, in addition to guying off, I plan to put a couple of solid supports to the ground when I drop the bunk.

Thanks brackish. This seems like a reasonable plan especially the part about adding a couple of supports before dropping the bunk.

[Shawn]

"However, in addition to guying off, I plan to put a couple of solid supports to the ground when I drop the bunk."

I bought two sailboat stands and use them on one side chained to the trailer. I raised the height of the stands just enough so I could slide a piece of paper between the bunk and the hull and then dropped the bunk to paint.

My bunk boards and attaching hardware needs to be replaced and I'm thinking of taking the same approach.

Shawn

[Salty19]

To get under the keel rollers, you have to jack up the boat.  Use the same tie off method as above (straps and a pole support).
You'll have to move the jack to paint under that area as well.

Tip:  If you're using a scissors jack, an electric drill can be used to spin the jacking pole (the one that turns the screw).  makes quick work of it.

[curtisv]

The jack should be rated for nearly the weight of the boat.  Put a wide thick board such as a short length 2x8 or 2x10 under the keel to avoid crushing fiberglass when jacking.  Maybe even round the corners with a router if you have one handy so there are no hard pressure points.

I use a 1.5 ton rolling floor jack to put the trailer on blocks each year and take the load off the tires (no flat spot next spring).  These jacks are really easy to use and they are quite safe.  I used to work on cars a lot so I happen to have one.

Curtis