South Florida boats - How often are you cleaning your bottom / painting?

[Enyar]

Long story short, my Dad passed away in 2021 and I am taking care of the boat now. Between 2010-2021 we always painted the bottom every 2 years. The boat definitely got more use when he was around and I'm sure that helped keep the bottom clean.

Fast forward to 2022, I had the boat bottom painted with 2 coats of Interlux MICRON CSC HS. New diver started probably just before that and comes every 4 weeks for most of the year. In the summer they want to come every 2 weeks because of the additional growth. Now, one year after painting they said the bottom is showing through and it's time for a repaint.

Do I need a different diver? We're on a budget and its troublesome to me that we went every 2 years for paint for 12 years and now with the new diver its going to be annually? Is it possible they are too aggressive with the scrubbing or is it the lack of use that's killing my bottom?

[S/V Illusion]

Cleaning the bottom causes abrasion of the paint regardless of what some bottom cleaner tells you about how gentle he is. If it wasn’t abrasive, it wouldn’t remove anything. Scrubbing twice as often as you describe = twice the wear on the bottom. Divers are ubiquitous in Florida - get another one if only to get another opinion.

[cr180]

Our boat is in New Smyrna Beach. We paint the bottom every two years, sometimes stretch to three. Two coats on hull and keel, three at water line and rudder. Diver cleans monthly. And yes, there are areas of the boat that the paint gets scrubbed off, particularly at the water line and rudder. But we do not change bottom paint interval. Think perhaps your twice monthly in summer is causing part of the paint removal problem.

[Enyar]

Originally Posted by cr180

Our boat is in New Smyrna Beach. We paint the bottom every two years, sometimes stretch to three. Two coats on hull and keel, three at water line and rudder. Diver cleans monthly. And yes, there are areas of the boat that the paint gets scrubbed off, particularly at the water line and rudder. But we do not change bottom paint interval. Think perhaps your twice monthly in summer is causing part of the paint removal problem.

Thanks. The divers are the ones really pushing for 2 weeks and I always try to push back. We did 2 coats as well. Feels like there are two trains of thought where if you keep it clean it lasts longer vs any time you scrub you lose paint.

[cr180]

Originally Posted by Enyar

Thanks. The divers are the ones really pushing for 2 weeks and I always try to push back. We did 2 coats as well. Feels like there are two trains of thought where if you keep it clean it lasts longer vs any time you scrub you lose paint.

Agree and definitely some diver skill to keep it clean and not destroy the paint at least early in the two year recoat interval.

[team karst]

I admire the discipline of any owner/diver (unpaid) that can maintain a 2 week interval year round. Our boat is at the house, i have every bit of dive gear including compressor, long hoses, dry suit, wetsuit and even my own putty knife [emoji41]

But, when i do it, i never brush. And i only use ablatives. Yes, trinidad works better, but i hate boatyard sanding even more. And if hull starts peeling paint, its some $8000 adder for tented sandblasting and acid wash.

[Chotu]

Reminds me of my teenage lawn mowing business.

I had a saying for my employees:

"Mow high and mow often". Lol

Makes more money and the lawns actually looked better too as a side benefit

[landsend]

You don't need to clean it twice a month. Monthly is adequate.
You are on a budget and don't use the boat as much.
Get a new diver.

[Shanachie]

CSC is an ablative paint -- soft, designed to wear away. It's easy for an aggressive diver to scrub away a thousand dollars worth of paint if he/she doesn't know what they're doing.


I used soft ablative paint in South Florida 20 years ago. I never used a diver, sailed several times a month and only occasionally had to dive overboard to give the bottom a soft scrub.


I repainted every two years, back in the day when there were DIY yards where you could do it at a reasonable cost.



After I bought the boat on the hard, I hired a diver when it become apparent on a trip that the old paint was not working. I didn't realize what ablative bottom paint was.



The diver emerged cussing. He was covered in blue from scrubbing the soft paint, charged me about 50 percent more and warned me against hiring a diver to clean worn-out ablative paint.


After that boat, I used Trinidad hard paint on other boats. With monthly cleanings, it would last four years.



The last time I hauled, a genius at the boatyard used Seahawk Biocop, a "hard ablative," instead of the Trinidad I paid for. After a year and a half, it has done well in western Florida, but I have a great diver who knows not to scrub it hard.


Soft ablative generally doesn't do well in South Florida. I never could have raced my old boat because there was always a small amount of growth that slowed me down.


On the other hand, you have to have all of the ablative removed before you apply hard paint. That would cost $$$. Try Playboy Marine in Fort Lauderdale. They're the best of the lot.

[Enyar]

Anyone have a diver they recommend in North Palm Beach?

[Bill O]

With an ablative paint you shouldn't need to clean the hull if you take the boat out.
Should find a diver for cleaning only the prop/other running gear and take the boat out more often.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by Bill O

With an ablative paint you shouldn't need to clean the hull if you take the boat out.

Ridiculous.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by Enyar

Anyone have a diver they recommend in North Palm Beach?

Go here:

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

[michaeld]

We are in Pompano Beach FL. We use Petit Trinidad HD. Three coats with a fourth at the waterline. We get five years with bottom cleaning every three to six weeks year round. We do our own bottom cleaning. I second on recommending Playboy Marine.

[Enyar]

Originally Posted by michaeld

We are in Pompano Beach FL. We use Petit Trinidad HD. Three coats with a fourth at the waterline. We get five years with bottom cleaning every three to six weeks year round. We do our own bottom cleaning. I second on recommending Playboy Marine.

Wow 5 years between hauls sounds amazing.