Bottom Paint Color?

[Mist Approach]

Its about time for some new bottom paint. There are a quite a few different colors out there. SO, why would one person choose one color or another?

Mine is currently dark blue, I guess to match the hull color, not sure.

I have searched but I can't find a legitimate answer..

Your thoughts?

Sam

[offline]

We selected a complimentary but contrasting color so that we could easily determine when the paint was thinning to the point of needing to be redone.

[HappyMdRSailor]

Haven't put a TON of thought into this.... Dark blue one boat/aqua under it... 2 others black... (like the look)

Have thought about painting "H E L P" in giant contrasting letters for fun and bottom scrubber amusement...

Only major consideration is to contrast with a new color if painting over old so ya know when your paint is past its useful life....

[Blue Crab]

Originally Posted by Mist Approach

Its about time for some new bottom paint. There are a quite a few different colors out there. SO, why would one person choose one color or another?

Mine is currently dark blue, I guess to match the hull color, not sure.

I have searched but I can't find a legitimate answer..

Your thoughts?

Sam

I thought I caught you fibbing there Sam, but then I realized you'd asked for a legitimate answer. That leaves out the whale and shark stuff, I guess. Welcome aboard. I use blue paint because ... well ...

[pstadt]

"Offline" hit the most important point, to me anyway, that the latest paint coats contrast the original so you'll easily be able to tell when the anti-fouling is going or gone.
We also prefer a brighter color that will show marine growth easily - makes it easier to clean if you aren't scrubbing black paint while thinking you are scrubbing black slime - and makes it easier to inspect on a quick dive or from the dock after you have paid a diver/cleaner to do a "good job".
Whatever you choose, ensure that the surface prep is done correctly and that the environmental conditions are met (temp and humidity) before you apply the expensive paint, otherwise you will be facing some fast and unwanted "ablating"...possibly in sheets.

Good luck!

Pat

[Mist Approach]

Originally Posted by HappyMdRSailor

Haven't put a TON of thought into this.... Dark blue one boat/aqua under it... 2 others black... (like the look)

Have thought about painting "H E L P" in giant contrasting letters for fun and bottom scrubber amusement...

Only major consideration is to contrast with a new color if painting over old so ya know when your paint is past its useful life....

I like the humor, I was actually thinking about putting a Shark Tooth pattern on the bow..

[HappyMdRSailor]

Originally Posted by Mist Approach

I like the humor, I was actually thinking about putting a Shark Tooth pattern on the bow..

I've seen it before... Looks great!!!

Also thinking about an old fishing trick..... My buddy has a commercial boat with squid painted all over the bottom in white....

[Lancerbye]

I originally had Pacific blue and then thought I would go to black because someone told me it didn't promote growth as well as blue. It looked good until an enthusiastic cleaning diver tried to get the black slime off and reached the barrier coat. I have now gone back to Pacific blue.

[roverhi]

Thought red was the only color for a real cruiser.

[wanderer1]

Sky blue pink.And get rid of the foolish answers.

[HopCar]

There is actually a reason to choose red, some times. If you are using Pettit Trinidad, red has more copper in it than the other colors. This might be true in other paints as well.

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by HopCar

There is actually a reason to choose red, some times. If you are using Pettit Trinidad, red has more copper in it than the other colors. This might be true in other paints as well.

I had not heard this, but I know it's happened before. Back in the '70's & '80's Sears sold a copper oxide paint with all colors at the same price, but the "copper/bronze" color had far more copper oxide content.

[Stu Jackson]

A friend of mine sailed to Mexico with black bottom paint. He was "harassed" by whales, and he thought perhaps his boat looked like a "friendly whale" to them. Said he'd use a lighter color next time.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by HopCar

There is actually a reason to choose red, some times. If you are using Pettit Trinidad, red has more copper in it than the other colors. This might be true in other paints as well.

Darker colors tend to have higher copper amounts because the copper tints the paint. This why you will never see a high-copper white paint.

That being said, I have never seen any difference in anti fouling performance between colors of a given product line. Pettit Trinidad green works just as well as red, blue or black.

[SkiprJohn]

I think there are so many different colors so that folks who dry sail (haulout) between sailing dates look their best in the yard.