.... I read that some of the paints "dry Out" and loose their protection so which one would work best????:huh:

This would indicate that every boat is getting fresh bottom paint after a long term storage. It's not the case in the real world. I know that a lot of people get multiple years out of bottom paint. I do as well and do the touch ups where needed.

Which works the best depends on location. In our area we have good success with Interlux Micron CSC and Micron Extra. Extra is a step up from CSC to help with the slime. I would call Interlux and ask what's recommended for your area. You can also ask your marina what their recommendation is, since they do the paint jobs all the time.

 

RW,

here is everything you need to know. As I trailer my boat the InterLux reps at the Miami boat show recommended what I did in this thread. It has all the links etc in it, along with my project.

http://clubsearay.com/showthread.php/24963-300DB-Restoration-Continues-Bottom-Paint

 

Sea Ray uses Petit Hydrocoat on all of their boats. I use it too and have had great results.

I put new paint on the bottom of my boat before the 2010 season and when the boat came out last fall I could see that the paint is holding up remarkably well and I'll easily get another season out of the paint. This year, like last year, I will just touch up around the waterline.

The life we are getting out of the paint is largely due to where and how we boat. It's fresh water, our boating season is about 5.5-6 months long, and the water doesn't usually reach 70 degrees until mid-june. Crap doesn't grow very well in cold water. We also run the boat most every weekend, with probably the longest it will ever sit in a season being three weeks.

One other thing contributing to a long life of the bottom paint is surface prep.

 

I just saw in the Sea Ray Living magazine that they have switched to Interlux Aqua. I dont know if it applies to all models or not ?

 

Bottom paint is a lot like ice cream.......there's chocolate and vanilla, but for others with different tastes, there are other less popular flavors.

Your choices boil down to hard paint or an ablative paint. Hard paint is just what it says....hard. Ablative paint on the other hand is softer and the outer surface ablates, or wears off as the boat passes thru the water. That action continually renews the antifouling properties since the outer layer is continually being worn away. Hard paint won't wear off and can stand some abrasion without affecting its appearance or antifouling properties. Where hard paint has problems is when the boat stays in the water for a period of time without being used. Slime or algae grows on the bottom and insulates the antifouling paint so marine growth thrives.

In your case, a good hard paint would be the perfect choice. Forklift forks and the rack bunks will rub and skuff the bottom as the boat is lifted and launched or when it is put in the racks. Hard paint stands a lot of abuse before it gets scraped away. Since you don't anticipate leaving the boat in the water without using it for extended periods, it will keep the bottom clear of growth. In your circumstances, you should not consider any ablative or soft paint like Micron CSC or CSC, no matter how well they may work for others who have boats that stay in the water all the time.

Also, it is my opinion that Sea Ray is using water based paints because of environmental consideration and their chosen method of application at the factory.......not because it is any better than conventional solvent based paints.

 

Slightly off topic but I think CSR readers will find this a bit interesting if not ironic. The main complaint against bottom paints is the copper they contain and the possible environmental ramifications to its continued use. The Calif. ban on copper paints is being pushed hard by environmental activists. Most of these folks favor organic foods too. Here is where the irony come in, one of the mainstays of organic production agriculture is elemental fungicides to prevent molds and rots. The two most effective and most used organic fungicides are sulfur and COPPER! Yes COPPER, the same copper as used in boat bottom paints. And you will also be surprised at just how much and how often it is used during a growing season. Conventional agriculture uses copper usually only a few times per season due to its tendency to damage green tissue. Oraginc relies heavily on using it season long on both the soil and the plant to supress rot causing pathogens.
The copper can take many forms from copper sulfate to hydroxlated coppers to finely ground metallic copper. Most formulations are 40%+ elemental copper, roughly on par with bottom paint.
Isn't it funny how that same copper in our bottom paint is BAD but applied to orgainc spinach it is HEALTHFUL?
BTW, I am in the food business and am very well acquainted with the organic vs conventional arguments and all the spin that goes on. I just hate hearing how I should switch to 'green' bottom paint sans copper and in the next breath hear how much healthier I'll be if I just eat only organic foods.
If you have time do some research on "organic" food production. I could go on for pages but I won't bore you all. I will say that the common perception that organic= no sprays/chemicals is BS. There are quite a few organic approved chemicals that are used and some (unlike copper) aren't all that simple and "organic".
I now return you to you regularly scheduled boating thread.

 

I painted with Petit Vivid last year. It's a modified epoxy with antifouling capabilities. I noticed an increase in performance over the ablative paint that had been put on by the dealer. Little or no growth.

 

My mistake. I thought my thread had links in it.

Here is the InterLux link:

http://www.yachtpaint.com/usa/diy/default.aspx

I used the "InterProtect 2000E" for the sealant and then "Micron Extra" for the bottom paint.

 

Has anyone used the West Marine Ablative paint? I just bought two gallons on the recommendation of the sales rep, and at $100 less and with an upcoming $20 mail-in rebate, I figured I'd give it a try. If it's not going to last though, I'll return it and pay the extra money. It has to take me through to the end of the year, and I don't want to have to repaint.

 

West Marine contracts with one of the major paint companies for private label paints, varnish, thinners, etc. that they sell under the West Marine name. West will tell you our paint is made by Interlux, or whomever they are using this year, it is the same paint, but we sell it cheaper than the brand names do.

If you believe that Interlux or any major company is going to package the same products for private label then let the private label company under cut their prices by $100 a can, then I've got a bridge in NY I'll sell you.

The company that private labels West paints just has to leave something out.....like active antifouling ingredients.......in order to sell the paint for 30% less money.

 

Thanks for the info. The rep didn't get into that, and I didn't bother asking who makes it for them. He did point out that the % anti-fouling agent is lower (23%) than the more expensive brands. Since I have some bare spots, and need two coats, I thought I'd go with the WM brand. If it doesn't pay in the long run though, I'll return it and pickup Interlux or Pettit.

Sorry to be hijacking the rwappleton's thread. Any suggestions on where to get a good price on better bottom paint?

 

Thanks for that advice. I went on Defender.com and got a good price on Pettit Ultima SR40. I checked other sites, but they had the best price I could find. Unfortunately, the shows I went to earlier this year didn't have a Pettit booth. Returned my paint to WM and even with shipping, will only be paying about 30 or 40 more.