Bottom Paint. It’s getting a little desperate

[Chotu]

I’m looking at about a three month wait to get bottom paint done. And mine is completely gone.

This means I won’t be able to use the boat this winter. That’s not acceptable. I need to get bottom paint on this boat.

So, I am left with maybe drying out and doing bottom paint.

My usual bottom paint, Petit Ultima 60, has a minimum four hour drying time assuming it’s 90° out. It’s not. So we are looking at more like eight hours.

That obviously won’t work between the tides.

Does anyone know of a bottom paint that will allow me to re-splash quickly? Something ablative? Something cheap also because it probably won’t come out very well. I’ll be rushing. The conditions will not be ideal.

Then I can do a proper bottom job when I get somewhere that is not Florida.

[Benz]

Best cheap ablative bottom paint I've used is....dear me, I've talked about this company a lot lately, haven't I? Kirby's of New Bedford. About $115/gal last time I bought it, and he ships free for orders over $100.
It's the same formula they used to use when all you could get was a dry-out between tides. Still, I'd call and ask about dry times first.

[Chotu]

Perfect! I will give them a call after the holiday weekend. Maybe they are open between the holidays.

it’s going to be a bit of a mess to do this with the tide. But, there is really no other choice here in Florida. Three month wait for a haul out. And I've called 5 different places that can handle my boat. Insanity.

Even if it doesn’t come out well, as long as it gets me through to spring or early summer when I can do a short haul and do it right... It'll be good enough.

[rslifkin]

I remember you mentioning a yard that could do it, but only with their house paint. If that's an option, what about having them throw a coat or 2 of cheap hard paint on it, then you can use that as an indicator coat under your chosen ablative later when you get a chance to haul and apply your chosen paint.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by rslifkin

I remember you mentioning a yard that could do it, but only with their house paint. If that's an option, what about having them throw a coat or 2 of cheap hard paint on it, then you can use that as an indicator coat under your chosen ablative later when you get a chance to haul and apply your chosen paint.

that’s three months away.

that’s the problem. There are no openings for three months in Florida. At least in this part of Florida. And right now my boat is sitting for a week growing a bunch of crap on it. Because no one is working this week. And it’ll have to sit another week also because it will take them time. And then probably another week after that to do the running rigging.

in the middle of the standing and running rigging I have to install a bunch of stuff through the deck. That will take a week. So I’m looking at almost a month of growth here just waiting around for the rigging stuff.

then two more months to wait for any appointment that I book now.

Florida has become somewhat untenable for boating stuff where you have to rely on Shoreside facilities.


So I have very little choice if I want to use the boat, then to do this at low tide. Otherwise the boat will have no performance and it’s not going to be a good time.

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by Chotu

that’s three months away.

that’s the problem. There are no openings for three months in Florida. At least in this part of Florida. And right now my boat is sitting for a week growing a bunch of crap on it. Because no one is working this week. And it’ll have to sit another week also because it will take them time. And then probably another week after that to do the running rigging.

in the middle of the standing and running rigging I have to install a bunch of stuff through the deck. That will take a week. So I’m looking at almost a month of growth here just waiting around for the rigging stuff.

then two more months to wait for any appointment that I book now.

Florida has become somewhat untenable for boating stuff where you have to rely on Shoreside facilities.


So I have very little choice if I want to use the boat, then to do this at low tide. Otherwise the boat will have no performance and it’s not going to be a good time.

Have you checked anywhere outside of Florida within reasonable travel distance? I'm thinking maybe beach it for a good scrub this week, do the same again once the rig is up, the beeline it for anywhere that can haul you (either for DIY or them painting).

[Avionics_Joe]

You might try the boat yards in Tarpon Springs, they pull out the shrimp boats and I heard from my surveyor they can do cats.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by rslifkin

Have you checked anywhere outside of Florida within reasonable travel distance? I'm thinking maybe beach it for a good scrub this week, do the same again once the rig is up, the beeline it for anywhere that can haul you (either for DIY or them painting).

I am 361 miles away from the Florida border. I don’t think that’s a reasonable travel distance. Ha ha. Much faster to just do it at the tide change.

although Havana is closer than that. Ha ha.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by Avionics_Joe

You might try the boat yards in Tarpon Springs, they pull out the shrimp boats and I heard from my surveyor they can do cats.

Hey, now that’s not a bad idea. I will try some of the industrial yards up there for the shrimp boats. Good thinking.

i’m sure they can handle a 25 foot beam. There are shrimp boats with that kind of beam.

[thinwater]

The tidal range is only about 1.5 feet (2 feet on a spring tide, 7 inches on a neap tide). Subtract from that waves and room to get under to prep, drop clothes, and time spent waiting for the hull to dry and I doubt you have more than a foot to work with. Obviously you will need cribbing under the hulls to prevent it from sinking in, and the cribbing will have to allow for the slope of the beach. Much farther north you have real tides.



Obviously this will take a number of days (prep and painting). Power sanding on wet sand sounds sketchy. I imagine getting help will be difficult, because this is probably illegal on public property (the beach is state property). I would also be prepared for a visit from local law enforcement. Someone will call them (just being realistic).



If the based coat is not well adhered you may get big areas of pealing. As many things as you have struggled to get just right, this sounds like a poor deal.


You can't either scrub or hire a cleaner?

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by Chotu

I’m looking at about a three month wait to get bottom paint done. And mine is completely gone.

Maybe you shouldn't have waited so long to paint.

If I was in Florida and saw you on a public beach, prepping and painting your hulls, I'd be on the horn to the Coast Guard and Dept. of Environmental Protection so fast it would make your head spin.

[deblen]

Solvent ablative https://shop.hamiltonmarine.com/prod...int-48992.html


Water based ablative https://shop.hamiltonmarine.com/prod...int-43725.html


Both work fine for about a year up here & ablate enough that you can repaint after just brush scrubbing next year. They both are "one tide " paints.


Suggest slapping a second coat on the upper 2ft,below the boot stripe,where the light reaches-on same tide.


Cheers & Happy Holidays/ Len

[Madehn]

All of you need to learn how to
1) use the “ignore” button on the forum
2) get both thicker skins and be less combative
3) remember some basic etiquette and civility

JMHO. Feel free to ignore or feel triggered at your discretion.

[cherylchecheryl]

I'm confused. I thought he was sitting on the hard somewhere.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by fstbttms

Maybe you shouldn't have waited so long to paint.

If I was in Florida and saw you on a public beach, prepping and painting your hulls, I'd be on the horn to the Coast Guard and Dept. of Environmental Protection so fast it would make your head spin.

I wish. But there were no facilities to paint where I was storing my boat for the last three years. So that did not happen. No haul out. 25 foot beam is quite limiting.

I don’t know where people get the idea that someone would pull up onto a public beach to apply bottom paint. That’s insanity.