Bottom paint

Sep 3, 2017
88
Boat Info
1987 Sea Ray Sundancer 340
Engines
Dual 454 Mercruisers
Good dear lord! I will be painting the bottom of my 1987 Sea Ray 340 Sundancer soon (if we can maintain above freezing here in Ct for 5 minutes). My question is, what does the masses recommend for bottom paint on a boat that age? The options are head spinning. I have already scrapped anything loose off. Will power wash this week to make sure I got everything. Then plan on giving it a quick sand so everything adheres properly. Thanks in advance. Bring on the spring!
 
Modified ablative like biocop tf, cukote, ultima sr60, Hydrocoat sr, etc.
Ask a boat neighbor with a clean bottom what he uses.
 
Age of the boat means nothing. You want to use an ablative paint, for sure, as opposed to a hard paint. Lot's of options. But the best course of action is do like Paul suggested and talk to a few neighbors that are happy with their bottom paint copy them. Sometimes you'll find that a paint that works well in one area, doesn't work as well in another. Stop googling and searching... nothing replaces actually talking to people/marinas and getting local experience! :)
 
I just did a lot of research on the same subject and I have landed on PPG ABC-3 ablative paint. It's highly recommended on quite a few forums. This is a freshwater-stored boat, but sees salt in the summers occasionally. If you're saltwater stored, then it might be a different situation. I'm looking at the boatyard schedule to figure out a weekend to work on it.
 
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Thank you for all the input and info. After talking to some neighbors at the boat yard, I went with the West Marine CPP bottom paint. The prep, sanding and painting were a lot of work, but the results are rewarding.
 
View attachment 56167 Thank you for all the input and info. After talking to some neighbors at the boat yard, I went with the West Marine CPP bottom paint. The prep, sanding and painting were a lot of work, but the results are rewarding.

I like that you went with a color other then black. Personally my OCD would kick in quick seeing a scum line all the time from oil and crap around the docks so black is more my color.
 
Typically I would go with black, but I have to say that looks very good on that boat - very nice!
 

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