Which bottom paint for San Francisco Bay?

[Fog Bank]

Can anyone point me towards the ideal bottom paint for the bay? After speaking with several individuals around our marina, I have come to the conclusion that any discussion of bottom paint is akin to bringing up religion or politics. As this is our first bottom job, we just want to make a well informed choice. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

[MarkSF]

I can tell you for sure that the best hard paint in SF Bay is Pettit Trinidad SR. For my use, which is regular day sails and weekend trips, it requires diving to remove the slime every 3 months. It could go for longer, but I start to see some drop off in speed in light airs and under power.

Some people don't like the fact that hard paint builds up, and has to be stripped every 20 to 30 years. If you don't like this, you need an ablative and I think Micron 66 and Pettit Ultima have the best reputations.

[sailorchic34]

I've been very happy with Pettit UltimaSR, no growth for first two years, no diver cleaning, (but I don't race) now only soft growth after 5.5 years. YMMV

[MarkSF]

I don't believe that you had no growth for 2 years, and hardly any for 5.5.

[Fog Bank]

Originally Posted by MarkSF

I can tell you for sure that the best hard paint in SF Bay is Pettit Trinidad SR. For my use, which is regular day sails and weekend trips, it requires diving to remove the slime every 3 months. It could go for longer, but I start to see some drop off in speed in light airs and under power.

Some people don't like the fact that hard paint builds up, and has to be stripped every 20 to 30 years. If you don't like this, you need an ablative and I think Micron 66 and Pettit Ultima have the best reputations.

Trinidad SR has been mentioned to us several times, so that one was on our radar. As our sailing schedules are roughly similar, this sounds like a good fit. Thanks!

Originally Posted by sailorchic34

I've been very happy with Pettit UltimaSR, no growth for first two years, no diver cleaning, (but I don't race) now only soft growth after 5.5 years. YMMV

SR 40 or 60? I ask due to 60 not being permitted for sale in CA.

[gjordan]

fastbottoms should reply, since he does SF Bay bottoms everyday. People argue with him, but he has a vast experience. Just my opinion. _____Grant.

[fstbttms]

I have been cleaning boat bottoms for over twenty years here in the Bay Area and there are only two anti fouling paint products I ever recommend- Pettit Trinidad (hard) and Interlux Micron 66 (hybrid ablative.) Any other paint runs a distant second (at best) by comparison, IMHO.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by sailorchic34

I've been very happy with Pettit UltimaSR, no growth for first two years, no diver cleaning, (but I don't race) now only soft growth after 5.5 years. YMMV

I don't know where your boat lives, but your claims are completely outside my experience. I have performed over 20,000 hull cleanings here and have yet to see any anti fouling product that performs anywhere as well as you claim yours does.

[sailorchic34]

Originally Posted by fstbttms

I don't know where your boat lives, but your claims are completely outside my experience. I have performed over 20,000 hull cleanings here and have yet to see any anti fouling product that performs anywhere as well as you claim yours does.

well from 2009 to 2011, my boat was in marina bay, Since then I moved up stream a bit, so yes, perhaps more in brackish then straight salt water.

I have not had a diver scrub my boat since 2009. I did not clean it for the first two years after the 2009 haulout. I wiped my hand along the water line and nothing was there. Mind you, I actually use and move my boat through the water. A lot. So it does not sit long.

I do clean the water line and as much of the hull as I can reach, now a days, about once a month or two.. Plus I do spend a bit of time in the delta. I do get soft growth now and have a few hard things here or there, but not many and mainly where the stands sat, even though I did two/three coats there.

It's possible that the multiple coats that the boat has on it from 43 years being in the water give it a bit more protection.

I was laid off in 2010 and am still working on saving my pennies for another haulout. But then I hit 7 knots today, ok with the tide, but my old boat is a slow pig even with a clean bottom. It has a slime coat now, but it has been 5.5 years since my last haul out, and I've no money for a diver anyway.

[gamayun]

Timely post. Thanks.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by sailorchic34

I did not clean it for the first two years after the 2009 haulout. I wiped my hand along the water line and nothing was there.

If true, this would make your boat the one-in-twenty-thousand exception.

Here is a pic of a 2-month old bottom in the Richmond Yacht Club:




Here is a 3-month old bottom in Grand Marina in Alameda:




Both these bottoms are wearing high quality, high-copper anti fouling paints and the growth depicted is typical for the time periods involved.

[MarkSF]

As it looks like the re-formulated Trinidad SR is going to retail for $450/gallon, it looks like I'm going to have to find an alternative. What is second best? Micron 66?

[fstbttms]

Where are you getting this information about the "reformulated" Trinidad?

And Micron 66 is the only other paint I'd recommend. It is not a hard paint, however.

[MarkSF]

Look here :

With Irgarol, $290/gallon. Without, $450!

Pettit Trinidad SR Antifouling Bottom Paint

[jamestholtzinge]

fstbttms: I have ablative or flaking off with growth on my boat now. Which is the type you would recommend. I want the longest lasting paint as the first 21 years of the boats life was spent on Lake Michigan and I painted it every year except for the 3 years I bubbled it during the winter. The paint on it now is the soft type that flakes off with growth. I am now in Key West and it's time to paint it again. I'm assuming it's going to be either Pettit Ultima SR or Pettit Trinidad SR. What do you recommend for the longest lasting paint.