Do I need to bottom paint (again)?

[traderdavel]

Forgive the novice question. I thought I read somewhere that the bottom paint will last two years? I did it in the spring last year. When it was pulled at the end of last year there was absolutley no growth on it. (It is in salt water for the season, south shore of LI).

I don't recall the paint name, (I'll try and post it later), but I do know it was an ablative.

 

[bowman316]

Re: Do I need to bottom paint (again)?

so the boat never leaves the water, over the sumer?
or is it trailered?

bottom paint wears itself away over time, so nothing grows on it, it basically sheds off of the boat over time. So eventually you will just have bare fiberglass.

Just paint it by the time you have no paint left.

 

[traderdavel]

Re: Do I need to bottom paint (again)?

Correct - boat is in the water for the season, and the paint looked good last year doesn't seem to be any spots were there is no paint.

 

[bowman316]

Re: Do I need to bottom paint (again)?

your fine then, just check every so often throughout the season. but i don't know what would happen if you had the bare fiberglass exposed to the water.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Do I need to bottom paint (again)?

Dave, What kind of antifouling paint did you use? Your choices are single season or ablative.

The ablative paint will wear off slowly, and most are multi season.

If you cannot remember what kind of paint you used, brush up the paint, and launch the boat. if the barnacles start to adhere, pull the boat, scrub the paint with a brush to get 'em off and repaint.