Bottom Paint....Trailer sailer style?

[HeaveToo]

What do you guys use for bottom paint on your boats?

I am in brackish water that is high fouling. I intend to splash the boat in May and pull it at the end of September. Previously I was using West Marine paint that was on the higher end...but that was for a boat that stayed in the water for 2-3 years straight.

5-6 months in and that is all for my trailer sailor. I am thinking that I can get away with a cheaper paint and I don't need the slime buster on it.

Any economical suggestions?

[doug]

Here on the chesapeake bay, I had good luck with hydrocoat. I'd put in in April pull in November. Found it paid to scrape the bottom in shallow water around July/August otherwise a good power when pulling the craft and touch up paint in the spring and the boat was good to go. 

[HeaveToo]

Were you getting more than one season out of your paint?  How many coats?

I try to clean about once a month when I am in the water.  It is nice to do this when it is hot and the water feels good.

[Bob23]

Heave:
   When I first used Hydrocoat (Pettit) I got 3 seasons out of one coat here in salt water NJ. All I did was touch up in the spring. Before the 4th season, I was starting to feel guilty so applied another coat and upon haulout that fall, I had a lot of growth. Apparently, there is much inconsistency with Pettit products, as I've learned here and elsewhere.
   I've since switched to Interlux Aqua and just pulled the boat a few weeks ago to find hardly any growth, just a  few barnacles within 8" of the waterline. This was an odd year for me, as she sat pretty idle for the last 2 months in a slip. I do admit to not cleaning the bottom this summer like I should have. In general, I'll continue with Aqua.
Bob23

[nies]

Skip had some good info on bottom paint.................where has Skip been? Have not seen a posting for some time..................nies

[Tim Gardner]

Skip reports he hasn't had much to say of late, but has been frequenting more opinion sites to assuage his fervor.  He's fine and lurks here, and will speak up when the urge hits him.

TG

[HeaveToo]

Are you getting about 2 coats per gallon?  Maybe 1 coat is a half gallon?

How much do you buy at a time?

[brackish]

I use Blue Water Marine Copper Shield SCX 45% boosted ablative with slime control.  Started using it after Practical Sailor gave it their top rating.  I'm in the water (fresh) year round and go to the salt for two or three weeks a year.  Easily get two seasons from it and I'm on my third because I never got the time to recoat at the end of two.  The only thing I've noticed about the third season is that the slime seems to grow faster between in water cleanings, but I still haven't worn through to the old (purposely a different color) coating.  Plan to recoat in the spring.

If I recall I was about a quart shy of two coats with one gallon and called it a job, emphasizing the area from the waterline down. 

[HeaveToo]

Practical Sailor is such a good magazine.  I wish West Marine sold the brand that Brackish mentioned because that is what I have a gift card for, currently.

I usually build up the area at the water line a bit more because I tend to clean that area the most.  It also gets the most fouling in my area by the waterline. 

It does make me feel better knowing that if I get the right paint I won't have to re-do the bottom job the next year.  I may only need a touch up.  Thank you all for that information.

I already have an okay base of black ablative bottom paint on the boat.  I am thinking of staying with black and doing one coat for this season....doubling up at the water line and other higher fouling areas.

One strange thing I noticed at my dock was that I got more fouling on one side of the boat versus the other.  My waterline on my port side from the middle of the boat back to the stern always fouled worse than any other spot.  I wonder if it has something to do with that side got less sun exposure or something else.  The starboard side of my boat always got considerably less fouling.  This was over the course I had my last boat, 8 years. 

We get a lot of slime in Monore Bay.  I used the West Marine PCA Gold with the Irgarol and got three seasons out of two coats when that boat was kept in the water all of the time.  Reading the description it said that it is okay for a trailer boat and it can last on land without issues (thus what you all were talking about with Multiple seasons). 

I never really considered it.....but if you wanted to do a quick and thorough clean of your bottom you could go to the boat ramp with the trailer on a day when not too many people were using the ramp and pull the boat for a little time to clean it, then place it back in the water. 

[MacGyver]

Bob23, and everyone here,

At my marina the hydrocoat got a big fat NOPE from me this year, 3 guys did it (All said it was the best paint ever!) and all 3 boats came out with more growth than any of our guys thought should even be on them....... One guy, who due to Trinidad by Pettit, said that it surprised him to see it fail so miserably..........

I will continue to stick to my recommendation of Micron by Interlux for trailer sailors. Even when staying in for long periods it is a great paint. It is ablative, so expect to see it wash off some possibly, but it would be best to spray it lightly to clean, and not scrub!

Just my 2 cents, fresh water, muddy lake.

Mac