General Info: Factory Bottom Paint/Primer

[jimglasair3]

Last year I ordered a Saona 47. As I approach my build date, I noted my USA dealer, listed in my standard contract a "Primary application International Inter Protect x 1 coat Antifouling application International ULTRA EU x 2 coats." I have since received confirmation that the specific primer product used is InterProtect 2000E. This is applied at the staging location and is applied by Uchimata in La Rochelle. If you refer to the International/Interlux InterProtect product guide (searchable on the web), it specifically states there is a minimum thickness of 10 mils, that normally takes 4 to 5 coats. Again, this is the primer, and as stated in the guide, is your primary protection from osmotic blistering. Fountaine Pajot has had osmotic blistering problems years ago, with a number of references available with a basic web search. Since then, FP has introduced the present system of injected vinylester resin, which I do believe helps protect against blistering problems. There haven't been any recent claims in the public search domain. That being said, who knows how these hulls will stand up after another 10, 20 or 30 years on the water? As the product guide states, the primary purpose of the bottom primer, is to protect against water infusion that leads to blistering. And it takes an average of 4 to 5 coats of primer. By contract, we typically get only ONE coat. It has taken three months of meetings with my dealer, Fountaine Pajot, and Uchimata to get my contract upgraded to get extra coats of primer. What I finally got was the alternative product, International InterProtect HS, which is a "High Solid" primer, and is listed on the same product guide. And I got a third coat for a nominal upcharge.
I thought all of you should know this. In an ideal world, Fountaine Pajot would recognize the risk to their warranty, and include these extra coats and/or High Solids primer as "Standard." But this is not the case. For those of you that still can, I suggest starting a conversation with your dealer, and if enough of us insist, perhaps management will reconsider? I am sure this is an issue with all models of catamarans that receive bottom paint in France.
Further, even though I now have this in my contract, it will be near impossible to verify that I actually received the High Solids product, and how many coats. I am strongly considering another trip back to La Rochelle as my boat approaches the ex-factory date. I am hoping Uchimata will permit me to witness the application?

[pstadt]

jimglasair3, congrats on the new boat! We faced a similar "dilemma" when getting ready to commission our 44 FP in 2011, but our focus was on anti-fouling. The broker (same subcontractor at La Rochelle, I believe) offered an upgraded AF (to an International product) over the factory coating (don't recall the brand, but we were familiar with International and not the factory product)....cost us about $400 US more but figured we were getting better quality.

After delivery (sailed across), that paint only lasted the rest of the summer/fall Chesapeake sailing season - OK, lots of sailing miles and we didn't witness the original application(s). Michelle and I hauled the boat in late fall and in the spring we (not a yard worker) sanded what was left of the original AF and applied several coats of new International AF (Micron Extra), which lasted two more (in-water year round) seasons before needing a refresh (yes, we used a lot, but it was worth it).

I give all the details to make a point - if you are able to watch a vendor apply your coatings and ensure your mil film thickness is as you paid for, applied under the atmospheric conditions required by the product's manufacturer, do it; otherwise, you are at the mercy of the vendor to "assure" you that it was done to your specs.

I realize your focus is on the barrier coat and have a concern with osmosis - rightly so for any FRP hull - I could be wrong, but I don't think FP has had any real complaints since correcting their resin problem (which was causing a problem from inside, rather than water through the barrier coat).

Anyway, hope this rambling helps a bit. And again, congrats on the new boat, I know you must be pretty excited at this point and it sounds like you are making some careful Preventive Maintenance considerations. Best of luck!

Pat