Re: [bolger] Digest Number 1034 - Bottom Paint
When I first decided to keep my boat in the water {Delaware River -
Philadelphia - brackish water - algae scum rather than barnacles} I
followed the accepted practice of asking the marina people what worked
best - HERE. The boat had previously been 'drysailed' and never had the
bottom painted.
They recommended the Interlux VC-17m. Thin film, Teflon-based, almost
instant drying, and able to stand up to trailering. The 'package' came
with 3/4 of a quart of 'paint' and a container of copper powder that the
user mixed in. It amounted to 14 percent CuOx; ". . . to provide some
anti-fouling protection in fresh & low-fouling saltwater areas." Comes
in Red, Blue, and Bronze.
Didn't do squat, as far as I was concerned, about the scum. Although
'they' said it wouldn't come except by heavy sanding, I figured how to
do it with lacquer thinner. I then went to 34 percent 'Hard Modified
Epoxy' product. Somewhat better, but had to sand every year before new
application. You couldn't tell how much of the biocide was left . . . it
leached out while the color remained. I had to have the bottom
sandblasted to remove it.
I'm now using the West Marine CoPolymer Plus Ablative product - CPP. 55
percent CuOx, self-polishing, re-launchable. Harder than the traditional
soft rosin sloughing coatings, it could also stand moderate trailering
('float' on and off rather than dragging across the bunk supports}.
Define what you want to do, and what you want or expect from your
coating, in YOUR AREA. Do your research, then go at it.
Regards,
Ron Magen
Backyard Boatshop
.
Philadelphia - brackish water - algae scum rather than barnacles} I
followed the accepted practice of asking the marina people what worked
best - HERE. The boat had previously been 'drysailed' and never had the
bottom painted.
They recommended the Interlux VC-17m. Thin film, Teflon-based, almost
instant drying, and able to stand up to trailering. The 'package' came
with 3/4 of a quart of 'paint' and a container of copper powder that the
user mixed in. It amounted to 14 percent CuOx; ". . . to provide some
anti-fouling protection in fresh & low-fouling saltwater areas." Comes
in Red, Blue, and Bronze.
Didn't do squat, as far as I was concerned, about the scum. Although
'they' said it wouldn't come except by heavy sanding, I figured how to
do it with lacquer thinner. I then went to 34 percent 'Hard Modified
Epoxy' product. Somewhat better, but had to sand every year before new
application. You couldn't tell how much of the biocide was left . . . it
leached out while the color remained. I had to have the bottom
sandblasted to remove it.
I'm now using the West Marine CoPolymer Plus Ablative product - CPP. 55
percent CuOx, self-polishing, re-launchable. Harder than the traditional
soft rosin sloughing coatings, it could also stand moderate trailering
('float' on and off rather than dragging across the bunk supports}.
Define what you want to do, and what you want or expect from your
coating, in YOUR AREA. Do your research, then go at it.
Regards,
Ron Magen
Backyard Boatshop
> Message: 13As for doing the the topsides with the stuff - no way! It is HEAVY! . .
> Date: Tue, 28 May 2002 22:12:38 -0000
> From: "willers32" <mwagner@...>
> Subject: Re: Bottom paint
>
> Even buying powdered copper isn't cheap these days; and how can you be
> sure of correct proportions? The stuff must have some kind of built in
> UV protection. . . .
.