Skipping bottom paint this year?

[Peregrine1983]

Hi all,

We are in NYC and haul our boat from November to April/May every year.

I have had the bottom sanded and Interlux Micron CSC paint reapplied every spring since 2017. Every fall the paint has looked basically like this (see photo) after haul out and power wash - fully covered with the exception of a couple small bare spots that flaked off during power wash.

I had this paint applied in May 2019. I'm debating just touching up the bare spots and not fully sanding and repainting this year as it seems the yearly re-do of this job might be overkill. Would also be nice to save the cash if it's not necessary.

On the other hand, I'll be very unhappy if my bottom is a mess halfway through July. We get tons of growth without paint where we are.

What does the forum think?

[NYSail]

I am in Mt Sinai Long Island Sound. I skipped last season and bottom was fine. I will skip seasons from now on. Yard uses hydrocoat interlux. I don’t want the build-up and like to save the $500+ for the to do the job..regardless I have a diver clean the bottom mid season.

[Peregrine1983]

Thanks NY Sail. I've been able to get away with a mid-season swim with a scrub brush the past few seasons. If I don't paint I may have to hire a diver. Something to consider. A few photos from our Nov 2019 haul out.


EDIT: You can see the growth on the prop shaft. This was after a 4 week cruise up to Downeast Maine.

[Chotu]

You’re fine in the north east to skip the season. Permanently in the water, my boats typically are done every other year. That last year it gets a little more growth starting, but still not much if you use a good quality bottom paint.

Worst case, you hire a diver. Way cheaper than a haul out.

Also, if you care about the environment at all, it’s better on the environment to put less paint in the water.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by Peregrine1983

On the other hand, I'll be very unhappy if my bottom is a mess halfway through July. We get tons of growth without paint where we are.

One of the few benefits of ablative paint is that it can withstand prolonged exposure to air, which is why it's a good choice for boats that don't live in the water year 'round. What I don't understand is why you would annually remove a perfectly good paint that probably has at least another season or two of anti fouling performance left in it. Assuming the manufacturer's application recommendations were followed, there is absolutely no reason to repaint every single year. And if mid season fouling is bothering you, try hiring a hull cleaner. They are in business for this very reason.

[Peregrine1983]

Originally Posted by fstbttms

One of the few benefits of ablative paint is that it can withstand prolonged exposure to air, which is why it's a good choice for boats that don't live in the water year 'round. What I don't understand is why you would annually remove a perfectly good paint that probably has at least another season or two of anti fouling performance left in it. Assuming the manufacturer's application recommendations were followed, there is absolutely no reason to repaint every single year. And if mid season fouling is bothering you, try hiring a hull cleaner. They are in business for this very reason.

Thanks fstbttms. Your response gets to the heart of my question - which is whether this paint will last another year here. If it really can, then that's great.

Marine services - like bottom scrubbing - can be extremely hard to come by in NYC. We have had to leave the city for bottom jobs, rigging inspections, sail work, canvas work, etc in the past. There's even only one dock where you can buy fuel in NYC. So depending on being able to get a bottom cleaner to drive in from Long Island or New Jersey during peak season isn't as easy as it sounds. This said, we'll likely be in New England in July and services are easier to come by up there.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by Peregrine1983

Marine services - like bottom scrubbing - can be extremely hard to come by in NYC.

You just gotta know where to look:



https://www.facebook.com/groups/1152289711611226/

[wizoc]

We are in Mystic and had the same question. After speaking with the local experts decided to touch up the few bare spots this year.

[Ardbeg]

The last time I did a full professional job of bottom paint was 2017. Each year since I just touch up. Pettit ablative paint is so expensive ( what I use) so touch up works. I find by sailing a lot the guk does not really build up in marina. Apart from water line that is, and it is easy to clean from dock with pressure washer. I get marina to pressure wash hull on take out each year. So the bulk of my paint has withstood pressure wash ( gentle) for 3 seasons. My bottom paint is white by the way.

[Boatyarddog]

Originally Posted by NYSail

I am in Mt Sinai Long Island Sound. I skipped last season and bottom was fine. I will skip seasons from now on. Yard uses hydrocoat interlux. I don’t want the build-up and like to save the $500+ for the to do the job..regardless I have a diver clean the bottom mid season.

I only scrape and sail, my diver comes in spring, and I scrape during the summer if needed prior to the season.
I have 1 Prop Zinc I change as well.
SV Cloud Duster

[waterman46]

Racing folks will usually haul and paint every year but for others, normally a bottom job lasts 3 years with scheduled cleaning in the marina slip depending on local conditions and your use of the boat.

One huge difference this year is that we may not want to have folks in the water, in marina's, cleaning boat bottoms. All water contact may be totally prohibited in many places.

[billdre]

My boat is in New Bedford, MA so haul out each year too. Over the last 8 years I've changed my approach to bottom painting. I use Petite Hydrocoat. After completely scraping the bottom of all paint 8 years ago and then applying one coat of black and one coat of blue I have only repainted the entire bottom two other times. I am about the get my third season from the last complete job. The yard always does a power wash at haul out in the fall. In Spring, I wash the bottom with a stiff brush, scrape those areas where paint has chipped off and then only touch up chips, where black is showing through and the waterline. I've come to realize that how good the hull looks at haul out is more dependent on how often I sailed that season than whether I repainted or not. After two seasons my hull had least hard growth it's ever had. Less than 10 small spots to be scraped off.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by waterman46

Racing folks will usually haul and paint every year but for others, normally a bottom job lasts 3 years with scheduled cleaning in the marina slip depending on local conditions and your use of the boat.

One huge difference this year is that we may not want to have folks in the water, in marina's, cleaning boat bottoms. All water contact may be totally prohibited in many places.

Well, two of the three points you made are completely false. But thanks for playing.

[thomm225]

I do my bottom once every 4 years whether it needs it or not.

The boat stays in the water year round except on the years I repaint the bottom then it's on the hard for 4 months

[n5ama]

What is the diver using to clean the hull? I’ve got scuba gear and can get under my boat for extended time if getting the cleaning gear isn’t prohibitive.

The boat works near my boat is quoting $550 to short haul and pressure wash. I find that expensive. I’m taking my boat to another area (5 day sail) and would like a clean bottom before I leave in late May?

Any DIY cleaners out there?