Bottom Paint Choice

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Hi all,

We have a express cruiser coming which is to be delivered this April. It will be my first boat to be kept in the water, and as such, I am a newbie regarding anti-fouling treatments.

My boat will be getting its first bottom paint prior to delivery, and the dealer typically/often uses Interlux Micron ACT ablative. However, from what I have read, I also have interest in Interlux Micron 66.

Considering I have no practical experience with either of these, could anyone comment regarding a comparison of these two ablatives? Specifically, their suitability for use in the lower Chesapeake Bay region, their protection capability and durability, ect.... FYI, I will see both salt and brackish water exposure where I plan to operate, and would expect to be underway at a minimum of once every two weeks.

Also, to avoid a predisposition towards either of these products, I am open to any and all comments regarding alternative products which have proven to be a good choice for the waters of the Norfolk/Virginia Beach, VA area.

Thanks in advance,

GW
 
Question the dealer about what they put on the running gear & strainers. A favorite trick is to not paint those parts at all on a new boat. It takes much more work to do those metal parts & growth gets on them as fast as anywhere else.

How do they determine where the waterline is? Is it set to not to interfere with the graphics? Maybe it is as per the showboat i.e. one not loaded for the real world of cruising with hundreds of extra pounds of stuff onboard. Some put it right AT the waterline not 1/2" or so above it. Result is a brown muck mark in no time.
 
I boat in the middle Chesapeake and Interlux ACT worked great for me.
Trilux 33 sucked on the outdrives.
 
Thanks for the input, guys.

From conversations with others, ACT appears to be more of the entry-level ablative from Interlux, although it appears to work pretty well. It certainly is far less expensive than Micron 66.

As for Micron 66, I have discovered that it utilizes salt water to activate its release of biocides. That said, and considering the fact that my marina location is more brackish than pure salt water, I have concerns that it would not necessarily perform its best being docked in a "brackish environment". This brings a whole new question: What salinity level is a minimum for Micron 66 to perform its best? Knowing this would certainly dictate if it is a viable choice form my application. Should I find out this information, I will share it here.

As an alternative, I will be considering Interlux's "Extra with Biolux". If I understand correctly, it too is a self polishing co-polymer, and seems suitable for my boating application. Anybody have any comments regarding this product?

Again, thanks to all.
 
After having my bottom blasted about 5 yrs ago, I interprotected and put one coat of one of Interlux's hard paints, followed by ACT which I have been using each year and the bottom has been clean as a whistle. Definitely follow VeeByes advice. You may also want to consider having Interprotect applied first, unless your hull is vinylester (sp?) to prevent blistering.
 
I had a Searay that had the sandless primer used on it instead of sanding the hull first for a good bond. The primer did not perform nearly as well in my particular case and I had some paint come off where virtually anything contacted the hull. If I had to do it again I would have paid extra for sanding.
 
Barrier coats with interprotect 2000 to start and I like Pettit Ultima Sr multiseason ablative. The Pettit has been rated # 1 by Consumer Reports. As far as Micron 66, you should speak directly with someone at Interlux who could help you decide if it's appropriate for the water you're in.
 
Gregory,

I followed your suggestion, and spoke directly with the folks at Interlux. They were most helpful. It turns out that Micron 66 is suitable for use in moderatly brackish water or saltier (.75%). My mooring and operating environment satisfy this salinity requirement, and I intend to give it a try. I am also going to start with Interprotect 2000E, as it is a brand new boat, and the barrier coat approach appeals to me, and was suggested by the folks at Interlux as well.

Again, thanks for the tips.

Gerald
 
Also note,
It is my understanding that you should never paint BRONZE HARDWARE such as strainers with a copper containing paint because of electrolysis concerns. Is this true?
 
Vinylester, shmynalester. It does not prevent blistering. I bought new thinking that would help, it does not. Biggest load of excrement ever foisted upon the boating public.

Barrier coat you hull first with Interprotect then bottom paint with a paint of your choice. My choice is Trinidad SR. Bottom paint does not prevent blistering. In fact, most ablative paints allow water permiation to the underlying finish, if that is gel coat you got blisters, sooner or later. If you got a barrier coat you don't.
 
I used Interprotect 2000 and VC underwater epoxy. Not antifouling but slippery smooth and cleans up easily.
 
Gee Bee is right on with the vinylester crapola. Probably all fiberglass boats will develop blisters if left in the water long enough unprotected. Not only is botom paint permeable to water but so is gel coat. You need a barrier coat under bottom paint for any type of water. Interprotect is great for this. For fresh water, I've been using Pettit Ultima SR, a multi-season ablative paint with anti-slime properties(SR). I don't think the big boat manufacturers go to the expense (which they pass on to us) of barrier coating and bottom painting just so the boats stay relatively clean. They hate blisters as much as we do.
 
I too am ready to sign on the dotted line for a new express cruiser. After a bunch of online investigation I found what seems to be a better for the money product in the Blue Water line of marine paints. I am going to use their 2 part barrier coat product. They suggest 4-5 coats primer to build a 10 mil thickness. I am then going to paint with their 45% copper ablative product in red. I'm going to finish with their Copper Pro scx67 in black. It is 67% copper, & was rated "excellent" & a "best buy" in the March 2005 Practical Sailor comparison of 54 different paints. Many have suggested to paint it a different color for the base coat because then you will know where & how much of your outer coat has worn. These products are copolymer which means that the molecules of paint & poison have been combined to wear like a bar of soap. I Boat in the great lakes (Michigan) where the water can get to tropical conditions, so growth can get out of control. I found the best prices at eboatworks.com
It just makes me want to cringe when I think about putting a piece of sandpaper on a brand new shiney gelcoat hull!!! Good luck with painting your new boat.
 
quote:
Originally posted by zeezer

It just makes me want to cringe when I think about putting a piece of sandpaper on a brand new shiney gelcoat hull!!! Good luck with painting your new boat.
Click to expand...

Be sure to dewax the hull before sanding.
 
You are absolutely correct BabyHuey!!!

If you do not dewax prior to sanding, you are just grindind the wax into the sanded finish! I also plan to dewax again after sanding.
 
I'm sure there are some out there that may not know that even a brand new boat has wax on it from the mold release.
I see you're also from Puddle St Clair zeezer[8D]
 
Well this thread has certainly been informative to me regarding bottom paint choices and application techniques.

To reiterate, this is my first boat to be kept in the water, and on top of that, I consider myself to be a relatively inexperienced boater compared to many of you who have responded. That said, I have two more questions related to bottom jobs, and fouling rates:

1) When a cruiser is being bottom painted for the first time, how does the applicator determine how high up onto the sides to bottom-paint the hull? I assume that the bottom job should carry to just above the water line so that there will not be a scum line. Is this SOP, and if so, how is the determination made as to where that point should be short of splashing the boat first? Along the same lines, if the boat is splashed first in order to be marked, is this done stocked with typical supplies, fuel, water, ect....? It seems like it should be.

2) How much does the fouling process decrease during winter months? I live where it typically gets down into the 30's at night in the winter, but certainly can reach into the 20's if it is really cold. I was wondering if algae growth, barnicles, and the likes decrease significantly during the cold season. Again, it seems that this would be the case, but this will be the first in-the-water season for me, and I am just curious what to expect.

Thanks again in advance, and sorry for the dumb questions.

GW
 
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