How important is bottom paint?

[Sailorman Ed]

Tucamonday - half of the cost of painting the bottom is already solved by being on the hard. Even if you only put on 1 coat of the cheap bottom paint, will be worthwhile for you. Jobs that are put off for a short while turn to be put off for a long while. Put one coat on now!!

[tucamonday]

I think I have what I need on this subject... Thanks for all the help.

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

Having said that... I'm not convinced bottom paint does a lot. I've had to spend most of a day scraping a reef off the bottom with recent Trinidad bottom paint.... in the carribean...

Really? We once left our dinghy in the water for only two weeks and had barnacles growing on it. And we were using it every day.

We go two years between antifouls..

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by tucamonday

I think I have what I need on this subject... Thanks for all the help.

You've received advice in this thread that is good, bad and ugly. Which are you going to take?

[monte]

Btw fast bottoms. A couple of weeks in st maartin lagoon really fouled our anti foul. Lots of little shellfish stuck to it. Usually I just use a rag to wipe the slime off but it's beyond that now. I was scraping the props clean with a paint scraper and tried it on the hulls and it seemed to scrape off the critters without removing the anti foul. Is this ok to give it a light scrape all over with a 4" paint scraper? The water is much less cloudy than if I use a rag. The paint is EU international ablative. I used the scraper in a forward motion at about 30 degrees angle to the hull to flick off the critters...

[jkindredpdx]

Originally Posted by Jim Walsh

A thousand miles is not a short trip

Especially if you're going to sale the hole way...

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by monte

Btw fast bottoms. A couple of weeks in st maartin lagoon really fouled our anti foul. Lots of little shellfish stuck to it. Usually I just use a rag to wipe the slime off but it's beyond that now. I was scraping the props clean with a paint scraper and tried it on the hulls and it seemed to scrape off the critters without removing the anti foul. Is this ok to give it a light scrape all over with a 4" paint scraper? The water is much less cloudy than if I use a rag. The paint is EU international ablative. I used the scraper in a forward motion at about 30 degrees angle to the hull to flick off the critters...

A scraper is never an appropriate tool for cleaning anti fouling paint in good condition. If one is required it is because the paint is not being cleaned frequently enough or it is not an effective paint for the conditions in which it is being used.

[gah964]

Originally Posted by fstbttms

A scraper is never an appropriate tool for cleaning anti fouling paint in good condition. If one is required it is because the paint is not being cleaned frequently enough or it is not an effective paint for the conditions in which it is being used.

most bottom scrapers are scared of a little build up ,that's the problem most I met a lazy aholes. now I dive my own and cant see what all the fuss was about its kinda fun. plus I get to use my new dive gear.aslo heard the fish scare them.Also going to start working local here in Tampa Sarasota its not like I have any competition lol

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by gah964

most bottom scrapers are scared of a little build up ,that's the problem most I met a lazy aholes. now I dive my own and cant see what all the fuss was about its kinda fun. plus I get to use my new dive gear.aslo heard the fish scare them.Also going to start working local here in Tampa Sarasota its not like I have any competition lol

With an attitude like that, don't be surprised when the "lazy aholes" who will be your competition tear down your business cards and bad mouth you to boat owners and harbor staff at every opportunity.

Yeah, I'm sure you'll be a big success.

[JPA Cate]

However, guys, if the boat in question is a timber boat, he really must anti-foul it to protect it from the dreaded teredo worms.

A.

[gah964]

Originally Posted by fstbttms

With an attitude like that, don't be surprised when the "lazy aholes" who will be your competition tear down your business cards and bad mouth you to boat owners and harbor staff at every opportunity.

Yeah, I'm sure you'll be a big success.

I have about 5 friends in the mooring im not lazy or hungry lol

[gah964]

Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate

However, guys, if the boat in question is a timber boat, he really must anti-foul it to protect it from the dreaded teredo worms.

A.

depends where his boat is.

[Seasiq]

I don't believe in anti-foul. Every few weeks, I find a nice sandy beach and drive it right up onto shore.

It seems to work really well, but it's hell on the rudder.

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by fstbttms

You've received advice in this thread that is good, bad and ugly. Which are you going to take?

Which is which?

Oh - And posters "always" take the advice that concurs with -

a) Whatever they wanted to do in the first place
b) Whatever is easiest
c) Whatever is cheapest

Not necessarily in that order.

[Island Time O25]

When at night I hear fish munching on my barnicles I know it's time to dive and scrape. I found a really big difference in bottom paint quality as far as keeping the growth off. And strangely enough the difference did not correlate to the price of the paint. The cheapest one which I picked up on c-list for $50/gal (originally I think it was $100-120/gal) was the best one, lasting 2 full seasons (May to Nov). Also, I noticed differences from year to year probably due to different water temperatures overall and how it affects the growth of the critters.