bottom paint

[honest mark]

my bottom paint isnt that bad, just gonna touch it up, on the sides that shows above water and on the front of boat that shows when your running, any good brands of paint you recommend?? and how many coats normally do you use?? thanks in advance.....

[ReelMagic]

Your in fresh water so what I use may not be appropriate as I'm in salt water... In any case I've been using Pettit Ultma Sr 40 for more years than I want to think.. At east 20+ years and it has never failed me... For the last 11 years I stay in the water 12 months a year and haul the boat (38 Open) every 2 years... Bottom is in great shape when hauled with NO growth. Only needs pressure washing and minor sanding prior to painting.... I put 1 coat on the entire boat requiring slightly less than 2 gallons.... M2C...

[Misdirection]

I boat on Lake Erie and use Micron CSC. Usually apply a single coat to touch it up. Dock neighbor uses the West Marine brand ablative (sp) paint. Can't really tell the difference between the two.

If I going to do it from scratch, I'd be using VC17.

Sent from my SM-A505U using Tapatalk

[Maxwell]

Unless you're planning on going down to bare gel coat and starting over, I would see if you can figure out what paint is currently on the boat as if you use a different type (hard paint over ablative etc) it may not adhere properly.

Max

[honest mark]

thanks for the help.......greatly appreciated, do you guys remember how long you had to wait before you apply second coat??/ like to put 2 coats on, thanks...

[Maxwell]

thanks for the help.......greatly appreciated, do you guys remember how long you had to wait before you apply second coat??/ like to put 2 coats on, thanks...

I generally started the 2nd coat within a couple hours of finishing the first (if needed).  You don't want to build up too much paint on the boat if its not needed.  I start by going around the boat with a putty knife to clean up any areas that are chipped etc, then wipe the whole bottom down with Acetone, let it dry then paint a single coat.  I only maybe apply a second coat to the areas that I had scraped down to the barrier coat or gel to avoid building too much up over the years... 

On my 2008 Sovran, theyre was Awlgrip Awl Star paint from the factory.  Our current 03 42 Open just has regular black "hard paint" (Interlux I believe)

Max

[ReelMagic]

The paint manufacturer most likely has a recommend time between coats listed on the paint can  itself....  Also I'm not sure why you want to use 2 coats as I use only one and stay in the water for 2 years between hauls. The bottom is in great shape after 2 years and NO growth. I agree with others that posted in that you don't want a build up. To much of a build up would then require the bottom to be stripped.. One of the primary reasons they deveoped ablative bottom paints is to minimize paint build-up.  M2C

[Sans Peur]

Reelmagic, where do you keep your boat? I am in Ft Pierce, FL and have a diver scrape my boat about every 45 to 60 days. My marina is at the end of a freshwater creek so it is very brackish. I don't get many barnacles but a lot of growth.

[ReelMagic]

I'm in the northeast, Long Island Sound to be specific. Our water never reaches the warmth you experience in FL. Summer temps get to mid 70's and winters down in the 30's......More than understand your problems..