Bottom Paint This Year

[elk]

I've got good results with Super Ship Bottom out of Florida. Two coats lasts at least two years here in Buzzards Bay, and it stays in the water through the winter. Highest copper content and semi ablative at about $160gal.
Good luck.
Ed

[ramblinrod]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

Almost time to prep for spring launch. Since I'm in the Northeast I've been using single season ablative paint. But since I'm not planning to haul next fall as I'm going to be sailing south for cruising I need to decide. My choices based on what I can put over what's on the boat now are Interlux CSC or ACT (not enough weather time to strip up here). Some my choices are:

3 gal CSC multi-season paint for $720
3 gal ACT single season paint for $310

My bottom really needs to be stripped soon to get rid of the old hard paint the last owner used. So I'm considering many using 4 gal of the ACT and hoping it will last a couple of years instead of the CSC.

What would the rest of you use in this choice?

My advice to customers and friends alike, "Cheap paint is false savings."

First, do not put good paint over bad.

Regardless how good the new paint is, if the underlying paint has adhesion problems, the anti-fouling will fail.

If your current paint is flaking in many spots, it's time to get it off.

Cheap paints start failing in just a few years (with proper maintenance, sooner without) and require stripping.

Stripping is a dirty, hazardous, eco-unfriendly, miserable job that should be avoided at all cost, whether DIY or hired.

Applied and maintained properly, Interlux Micron CSC requires far less frequent stripping, if ever.

For anyone in a saltwater environment, this is what I recommend.

Use at least one coat of Interlux Interprotect E2000 (at least 3 more coats, of alternating colours to ensure coverage, if osmosis protection is desired).

Before full cure, apply an alternate colour "reveal" coat of CSC, and then 1.5 coats of desired colour over top of the reveal coat.

Then each subsequent haul out, just touch up the spots of reveal coat showing through.

The initial time and money investment is significant but ongoing maintenance costs, and total life cycle cost, are the lowest of all solutions.

Disclosure: I sell and apply marine antifouling paint professionally, specializing in Interlux brand products. This post is intended as free and friendly advise, and is not intended to solicit business.

RamblinRod
Marine Service Provider
About Sheen Marine

[sailorboy1]

Nothing like an "expert" to kill a thread (even if they didn't really read the question).

It's looking to be warm enough to be able to count on being able to do a good bottom prep (but not a bottom strip) so I decided to get the more expensive paint.