antifungal bottom paint - should I?

[cobra 3.0]

I am conssidering leaving my boat in fresh water off a dock all boating season next year. What I have noticed from people who do this is the yellow brown scum that covers the bottom of the boat.<br /><br />I have seen some boats with a black tar like looking anti fungal bottom coat. Does this slow down the boat? Is it difficult to apply on my own? I have a compressor, but will I need some kind of special spray gun?

 

[waterone1@aol.com]

Re: antifungal bottom paint - should I?

Most bottom paint is applied with a roller. Yes it will slow the boat a little. while the standard bottom paints are available in several colors, I have heard of a clear bottom paint designed for speed boats that is also supposed to have less drag. Since bottom paint is mainly used on larger cabin cruisers, I would recomend going to your local dealer that sells larger boats and talk with them about what they recomend.

 

[ED21]

Re: antifungal bottom paint - should I?

Most anti-fouling paint seems to do a fairly good job against barnacles, but the slime & hairy stuff still seems to accumulate especially around the waterline. That will be your main problem in fresh water.<br />A bit of scrubbing the bottom throughout the season helps keep it down.<br />The bottom paint won't slow you down nearly as much as a few months worth of growth on the bottom.<br />I agree that some local knowledge from a dealer about what works in your area could help.(Where is Laval?)<br />Application is usually by roller or brush. Prep bottom per instructions. Be sure to check time allowed between application & launching.<br />Their is no reason you can't do it yourself if you don't mind painting on your back or being contorted in uncomfortable positions & having paint splattered on you. Just dress for the job.

 

[Scaaty]

Re: antifungal bottom paint - should I?

Paint it higher than the waterline and you will not have that problem, and that stuff is easy to remove anyway. And right-o on the scum slowing ya down a LOT more than paint. And the reason big boats are painted is simple...too damn big to yank out every weekend. And the paint you want is ablative, you don't scrub it at all. Will need recoating down the line, but it works well for a few seasons if applied right. Stop by a marine dealer and ask for a booklet on bottom paints.

 

[cobra 3.0]

Re: antifungal bottom paint - should I?

Thanks for the advice guys. Laval is the island north of and next to Montreal,Quebec, Canada.

 

[18rabbit]

Re: antifungal bottom paint - should I?

Cobra – if you have bottom paint available in Canada called Sea Hawk Islands 44 Plus, use it. It is the best bottom coat available. Made in the USA but not allowed to sell it here anymore because it contains TBT, the stuff that keeps just about everything from growing on your bottom paint. Other than that, some boat owners in my area are known to buy a small bottle of TBT and mix it into their bottom coat before applying. Not sure it is legal to do where you are. If you were considering doing something like this, read the TBT label and follow the safety instructions. TBT is now controlled in the USA for a reason. If available in Canada, TBT will be about $15/bottle at paint stores.