Salt water bottom paint

volvomia

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Aug 4, 2009
Messages
32
Hello,

I am getting my boat painted this year again as my boat stays in salt water all year long. Last year was painted by a Marina near by my place. Paint lasted only 6-7 months before i start getting barnacles. I take the boat out almost every week. I am not sure what paint they used but i am not 100% happy with it. They also used the same paint on the out drive. I am looking for paint that can last at least 2 years. I have 21' four winns with SX outdrive. How much paint and what type do you think i need to get 2 years out of it? It is fine if i have to pay a bit more but get the performance out of the paint.

Thank you
 

Texasmark

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Dec 20, 2005
Messages
14,786
Re: Salt water bottom paint

Interlux has been supplying the marine industry with paint for 50 years that I know of. Must know what they are doing. There are bottom paints especially made for salt water that resist the growth of fungi which includes slime and barnacles. I have seen them in green and copper colors to name a couple. Give them a call or www.

Mark
 

volvomia

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Aug 4, 2009
Messages
32
Re: Salt water bottom paint

Interlux has been supplying the marine industry with paint for 50 years that I know of. Must know what they are doing. There are bottom paints especially made for salt water that resist the growth of fungi which includes slime and barnacles. I have seen them in green and copper colors to name a couple. Give them a call or www.

Mark

Thanks Mark,

I am looking at Interlux Super KL with Slime Fighter, Interlux VC offshore and Pettit Trinidad SR Hard Antifouling . Looks like the most expensive paints from Interlux and Pettit have the most anti-fouling agents. I have no problem spending $250 per gallon as long as it last me 2 years. Now i have been reading and need to choose between Ablative or Hard paint. I scrub my boat every 2 months as much as i can. Now i have ablative paint so i might try the Hard one.
 

rbh

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Mar 21, 2009
Messages
7,939
Re: Salt water bottom paint

Ablative paint, I am wondering if thats whats on ours, its so soft it can be scratched of with your fingernail, and wears off with the miles.
 

volvomia

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Aug 4, 2009
Messages
32
Re: Salt water bottom paint

Ablative paint, I am wondering if thats whats on ours, its so soft it can be scratched of with your fingernail, and wears off with the miles.

It is like a soup. Actually mine gets on my hands only by touching it not even scratching it
 

Texasmark

Supreme Mariner
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Dec 20, 2005
Messages
14,786
Re: Salt water bottom paint

I guess a email to the mfgr with the concerns stated is in order to clarify things.

Mark
 

tkrfxr

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Nov 10, 2009
Messages
313
Re: Salt water bottom paint

I'd be careful with the outdrive paint, if it is not meant to be used on aluminum...Treat the hull and the drive differently, as the aluminum can react with copper based paints.
 

slasmith1

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Dec 2, 2008
Messages
1,028
Re: Salt water bottom paint

If you leave the boat in the water year round use a high quality ablative paint it is designed to sluff off in layers as growth builds up but this only happens if the boat is used regularly. if it spends any length of time on a trailer or out of the water use a hard paint but you will need to clean it at regular intervals.

If you have used an ablative and want to switch to a hard paint it will cost extra at the boat yard as you will need to strip off ALL of the old paint before the new paint will adhere correctly. The amount of sunlight your slip is exposed to will also have an effect on how much growth your boat gets.
 

slasmith1

Lieutenant Junior Grade
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Dec 2, 2008
Messages
1,028
Re: Salt water bottom paint

Here is an example.
Ablative paint 3 years old and 9 months since last haul out and cleaning.
DSCF3808.jpg

New paint.
DSCF3983.jpg
 

volvomia

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Aug 4, 2009
Messages
32
Re: Salt water bottom paint

Slasmith1, what paint did you use? I wish my paint look that good. Most of the bottom is fine but around 1 foot wide around the edges has a lot of barnacles. Also the Marina painted the outdrive with the same paint they did the bottom so i guess they did not use the right paint foir the outdrive. I can rent a trailer and do it my self but i need to find the place to store the boat while working on it. I live in a Condo so...
 

Home Cookin'

Fleet Admiral
Joined
May 26, 2009
Messages
9,715
Re: Salt water bottom paint

There's a new paint, I think called Sea Hawk but I'm not sure, that says it has a lifetime warranty. Read the requirements. As a practical matter, it's worthless (like you have to scrub your bottom regularly, has to be applied by licensed painter/dealer, etc.) Might be good paint anyway but avoid that bait unless your understand the hook.
 

traderdavel

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Oct 8, 2007
Messages
99
Re: Salt water bottom paint

(Forgive the question) - for a salt water boat that stays in the water does the bottom paint offer any other kind of protection or is it only useful against barnacles, slime, etc.?
 

Chris1956

Supreme Mariner
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Mar 25, 2004
Messages
28,131
Re: Salt water bottom paint

As a general rule, warm water has more growth than colder water. You therefore need more biocide in warm water. For the hull I would choose a quality ablative multiseason paint(store brand is made by pettit or Interlux and is OK). The cost difference of good AF Paint is minor in comparison to the labor required to paint the bottom, IMHO.

Sometimes marinas use the cheapest paint available, and sometimes dilute it with a solvent. This obviously gives poor results. I normally have a barnacle-free or low numbers of 'em at the end of the season. The ones that stick, fall off easily, still gripping the paint.

The outdrive AF paint is another animal. The best is probably Tri-Lux, however, it requires a specific barrior coat of paint to protect the aluminum. Slasmith1 has an unbeliveably clean OD. I have never had that much luck with any AF paint on the OD. I would really like to know what he uses, and where he keeps the boat in the water.
 

Texasmark

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Dec 20, 2005
Messages
14,786
Re: Salt water bottom paint

On the outdrives, I think the answer there is to tilt them up out of the water.

My 2c

Mark
 

volvomia

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Aug 4, 2009
Messages
32
Re: Salt water bottom paint

On the outdrives, I think the answer there is to tilt them up out of the water.

My 2c

Mark

I do not think they can come out completely. They look like freshly painted. I want to know what paint is this as well
 

slasmith1

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Dec 2, 2008
Messages
1,028
Re: Salt water bottom paint

I will look for the recipts from the last paint. I had the work done at CSR marine in Des Moines, WA and I keep the boat in the Thea Foss waterway in Tacoma, WA. The only place i still get issues with barnacles is the exhaust ports in the center of my stainless props.
 

slasmith1

Lieutenant Junior Grade
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Dec 2, 2008
Messages
1,028
Re: Salt water bottom paint

I do not think they can come out completely. They look like freshly painted. I want to know what paint is this as well

The picture of the drives is after last paint.
 

volvomia

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Aug 4, 2009
Messages
32
Re: Salt water bottom paint

I took the boat to the Marina and i am getting the bottom painted. They use Micron 66 and aluminum type of paint for the outdrive. I told them i was not happy with last year paint job so they promise and extra coat so let's see.
 

volvomia

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Aug 4, 2009
Messages
32
Re: Salt water bottom paint

Boat is ready. 2 coats of Micron CSC and special Aluminum Paint for the outdrive. The guy said adding more coats to the boat might slow the boat down a bit. I am not sure this is correct. If the paint don't last at least a year i might rent a trailer and do it my self next time
 
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