Antifouling bottom

jaubry

I thinking of painting my bottom with antifouling paint. The area I boat in is polluted and high algie. 
Pros? Cons?
one con is the dealer wants $4000! So I'd be doing it myself if I go ahead.

Handymans342

Has it ever been painted? If not it really has to be done correctly. 4 grand is about right

frenchship

I did mine two years ago with VC -17 same stuff I used on my sailboat for over 20 years, really good product. This year only a few touch up will be needed cause by the trailer. Really easy clean up come Fall. You need to make sure you leave a one inch gap around the sterndrives with no antifouling. Being neighbours let me know if you need more Infos. Or go to Interlux boat paint for details. Preparation of the fiberglass is important
Paul

jaubry

It's never been done. Fresh bottom

raybo3

$4000 sounds way too much. Clean bottom add barrier cote apply bottom paint. Should be about half or less than half that

Handymans342

Ok, bare bottom needs sanding and cleaning thoroughly. Then two coats of epoxy barrier coats. Then two coats of bottom paint. Lots of labor, Ray.

raybo3

$4000......... really? No way. My boat gets sanded down to the gel coat and bottom painted every spring for $12 per foot. $408 no way is barrier cote $3500

Black_Diamond

If they blast the bottom to prep it (probably the best way) then pay for 2-4 coats of barrier coat and another 2 of antifoul I can see $4k.

Do it yourself and botch it and you'll 2x spend.  My dealer botched my original antifoul by not prepping it right and I had to pay do strip and do it all over again.  Long story..but just one of the dealer disasters I had, I think they went out of business..good riddence.  lol

MarkB

I paid $3600 for my 260EC. If they use quality undercoat and do it right, that is the going rate. There is a procedure and if you don't follow it religiously then your antifoulant will just chip off. I used interlux interprotect barrier paint and micron csc anti fouling. 3rd season and it looks new.

Handymans342

Ray, I have never heard of anyone sanding off all the bottom paint down to the gelcoat every spring. That would be removing 4 coats of paint of which 2 are epoxy. I just get my bottom lightly sanded and another barrier coat applied and the out drives painted for about $1200.

raybo3

My guy sands down to just about the gel cote (or barrier coat..) I do not have 4 coats of paint on my boat. I (we) keep it pretty thin so it does not build up. He hits one coat pretty hard and last all season with no problems.  Me and my son did this job once and only once on this boat and it is a really su(k job to say the least. Back when I had my Carver it was not painted till I bought it. I sanded the gel coat down applied barrier cote and 2 coats of bottom paint. Took me a weekend to do it. Total cost was about $500. 28 foot boat with an 11.2 beam. Never a problem with that boat either. I just think $4000 sounds very steep......

Handymans342

Get a price to do 4 coats on your bottom and see what he says. 

raybo3

Why in Gods name would you need 4 coats??????? Do you boat 13 months a year????? LOL

Handymans342

Thats the proper method of applying bottom paint on a new gelcoat surface. Where is MT when I need him!!!

[Deleted User]

Bottom paint in So. Cal. coastal areas runs from $1,000 to $1,500 for a 25' boat. For four grand I'd want my house painted too.

Handymans342

Andy, is that for a boat that has been painted before or never been painted??

Black_Diamond

It's the prep and barrier coats that are the most $$.  The antifoul is easy at that point.  I've sanded and repainted mine before (Micron CSC) and to say is was a miserable job is passing on way too much credit.  The sanding dust goes everywhere, it's like talcum powder or worse and then wiping it off with the chemicals..ugg.  I just hit the smile/waterline yearly with a fresh coat.  No build-up problems that I have noticed.  I would do the VC-17 if I had to redo it all again.

Handymans342

I will always pay to sand. 

[Deleted User]

@Handymans342‌... Yes. My first bottom paint job (2011) was $1200. Now probably $1300 or $1400. Four coats sounds like two too many.

Dream_Inn

I agree with BD.  It's the initial prep and barrier that cost.  My boat came with bottom paint, but I keep it on a lift.  One of these years I'll probably need to just touch up a few spots.  Didn't have bottom paint on my 310, but had it on my 240.  I painted it every other year and really hated doing it.  Always did on a roller trailer and what a pain that was!!  I couldn't imagine if I had to do my 400 now every year!! The lift is worth every penny I paid!

MarkB

You should clean the mould release agent off, as well as any wax. Then sand blast to scour the bottom, then clean with acetone to ensure its clean. At least 2 coats of barrier paint (4 recommended). Then at least 2 coats of anti fouling paint. If you use good paint, the materials alone will be expensive. For a $1000 to $1500 job, I doubt they are preparing right, or using a good quality paint. 

LaRea

My usual advice:  before choosing your anti-fouling paint, talk to boaters and mechanics in YOUR boating area and ask whether their bottom paint works for them.  If they pull the boat for winter lay-up, does it have a 1-inch layer of moss, or barnacles?  Do they start losing top speed half-way through the season?  If so, find a different brand of paint!

Paint formulations can be very location-specific.  If you pick the wrong paint, it might do little or nothing for you.  Don't just walk into the store and grab the first can you see.

Capt Ron

I had my old 25 foot boat completed  by power-blasting the gelcoat off and then a couple coats of epoxy paint, then the antifouling. it cost me $3,500 and that was some time ago. Just sanding the hull will just spread the release wax around and you will be forever repainting your bottom. Get it done right the first time.. I didn't, tried to save and it cost me more in time and effort repainting it every year.

[Deleted User]

"Power-blasting the gelcoat off" Really? In these parts people just take off the release agent and dewax with solvent, sand the gelcoat with 80 grit paper, and apply two coats of paint.

[Deleted User]

Even with the Canadian dollar worth 83 U.S. cents, these prices being mentioned are high.

Handymans342

If you power blast off the Gelcoat that is asking for trouble. Never heard of that

MarkB

I was told outright by the paint manufacturer to NOT remove the gelcoat. You want to remove the mould release agent, and scour the bottom so the paint grips, but not remove the gelcoat. Why would you need to do that? 

I didn't remove my gelcoat and my bottom paint still looks like new after 3 years, in water for all of summer season. I've hardly had to touch up and usually only where the lift crane and trailer damages it. 

JoeStang

2 years with a bare bottom (and its in the water May 1st to end of October). It gets stained throughout the summer, but I will scrub the bottom with a hand brush and goggles maybe once a month or so. If I didnt it would get very fuzzy unless I use the boat every 2-3 days.

I am probably going to go one more season with a bare bottom, and then maybe have it pulled a couple weeks early to get it painted. It is a PITA to keep it clean, and I end up worrying about blisters and have to use very strong chemicals to get it back to pure white in the fall.

raybo3

Looks great after its cleaned but sounds like way too much work.....

Cableguy Greg

One chemical that the boaters in Pittsburgh have started using is a combo of a big bottle of Lysol toilet bowl cleaner (the blue kind) mixed with a big bottle of peroxide. It works as good, if not better than the acid wash. I used acid for years and always had to scrub pretty hard to get it perfect. When I used the combo above, all I needed to do was spray it on, agitate it with a brush and hose it off. It was much, much easier than the acid.

Handymans342

Yeah and if you can get the stronger peroxide from a beauty supply store, thats even stronger and will work faster.