Haul Out Interval?

[vabiker23518]

This is not an A4 issue, but as a relatively "new" owner (we've had our boat three years) how often do you have your boat pulled for bottom cleaning? We keep ours in Virginia on the York River, and when purchased had it painted with ablative paint, and cleaned by divers twice each summer. We took the boat to a marina for haul out and repainting last week, and the crew said three years is way too long....so, if that is the case, what is the right periodicity? (For info, we don't use the boat nearly enough...and never race). Thanks, Wayne MERLION, Columbia 8.7

[joe_db]

When you need cleaning monthly you have been in too long
Seriously, it depends on your tolerance for diving frequently or paying someone to do it. 3 years is doable with several coats of good ablative. I am at the twice a month stage, so I am repainting this August. I'm going for several coats of ablative and hope to do 3 years again.

This is not an A4 issue, but as a relatively "new" owner (we've had our boat three years) how often do you have your boat pulled for bottom cleaning? We keep ours in Virginia on the York River, and when purchased had it painted with ablative paint, and cleaned by divers twice each summer. We took the boat to a marina for haul out and repainting last week, and the crew said three years is way too long....so, if that is the case, what is the right periodicity? (For info, we don't use the boat nearly enough...and never race). Thanks, Wayne MERLION, Columbia 8.7

[ndutton]

Wayne,

First and foremost, periodicity? I love it!

The last guy whose advice I'd heed is the guy whose business it is to haul and paint boats. The truth is it depends on your area. For us here in Southern California we can do with 2 or 3 years but after that we're pushing it. I think the best advice would come from your diver. He sees more boat bottoms in a month than you'll see in a lifetime.

He's also an excellent reference on what type of bottom paint performs best for your area. I hauled last summer and before I did I asked my diver what paint he preferred. I figured he was cleaning it so I'd defer to his preference. For our area he recommended Pettit Trinidad red. He didn't know exactly why but the red color outperforms the rest by far. He also advised an extra coat on the leading edges and waterline to a foot down.

I followed his advice to the letter. Who would know better, the slip neighbor, the idiot dock expert, the guy selling the paint? I don't think so.

[joe_db]

Wouldn't the diver want you to use the worst possible paint?

[ndutton]

Not mine. He's a true partner in the care of my boat. We agreed that he would lay off cleaning the hull for at least 3 months after the haulout, then only on an as needed basis. Since last August I think he's cleaned the bottom maybe three times.

One of our strategies is the fewer times it's cleaned the longer the paint will last. I trust this guy and he has done right by me. [For all] If your diver relationship isn't the same, it's time for a change.

[Marian Claire]

Basically the same here on the Neuse River/Pamlico Sound area. 2 to 3 years. Two coats Pettit Trinidad with extra on the leading edge and water line. I clean the bottom myself 3 to 4 times a year. The visibility is not great on the Neuse so I often use the cleaning as an excuse to head out to Cape Lookout or Ocracoke for better water. Just brush/wipe lightly, if you make a cloud the color of the paint you are scrubbing to hard. I use a car ice scrapper for the barnacles. I also do the prep and painting so I see how things are holding up.
Dan S/V Marian Claire

[ILikeRust]

For the mid/lower Chesapeake, I've always heard the general rule of thumb is, if using a good ablative paint, clean the bottom monthly; haul to clean and paint every two years. If you let the boat sit in the slip for long periods, you'll get more growth than if you take it out and sail it every weekend.

The guy I bought my boat from hauled and painted it every year. I don't think he hired a diver monthly, but he used the boat often enough that it got moved, rather than just sitting in the slip for months on end, and he told me that he would often go over the side when they were at anchor and brush the hull himself.

My hull is extremely clean right now. Of course, it's been on the hard since January and I had it painted in March.

[joe_db]

Back In The Day, Sears bottom paint was spotless after 1 year with no cleaning. So were the pilings and the neighboring boats too. I actually think it killed any marine life within 100 yards
I have a photo of myself at age 7 or so putting some on the boat and some on me

[Administrator]

use a car ice scrapper for the barnacles

Excellent idea, Dan. I have always used a wooden paint "stirrer." Neither elegant nor especially efficient.

Bill

[wlevin]

I'm not sure I understand the cleaning the bottom idea, at least with ablative paint. My understanding is that ablative paint works by producing a sluffing surface that, if freshened adequately (we use one coat a year) sluffs growth along with paint. On the occasions when I have rubbed up against it under water, clouds of paint come off, as it was designed to do. If you "clean" it, you rub off oh, say, $60 dollars worth of paint each time, and eventually rub off the protective coating of the stuff. Hard bottom paints do not rub off like this underwater, and are advertised as being able to do for more than one season. We have not tried them.
Bill and Jeanne
T34C #453
Otter

[Marian Claire]

I am not a professional bottom cleaner, if you exclude the two kids we raised in cloth diapers. I think ablative paint relies on motion to work. If a boat sits things, weeds, barnacles, etc will attach. The slow motion of sailing will not dislodge them. Constant motion is the best, so go sailing. When the MC sits during hurricane season. I clean her. You are right about the cloud. That is why it is so important to be gentle. You can pop off a barnacle with a bump of the scraper if it is adhered to ablative paint. It takes dynamite if not. The prop that is a different story, heavy duty paint scraper. Dan S/V Marian Claire

[ndutton]

For the record, Pettit Trinidad is considered a "hard" bottom paint.

And a bit of worthless trivia, there was once a bottom paint called "Killer." I think tin was the biocide. Good stuff.

[hanleyclifford]

Neil - Last I heard Fortier was still using the tin stuff - don't know how they get away with it. I always haul once a year for pressure wash and new bottom paint. I think I've tried most of them but I keep coming back to Trinidad. I tried the ablative once and it reminded me of the cheap sloughing stuff we use on the fishing boats (single season stuff for boats worked most every day) except it's five times the price! I tried Ultra Cote some years ago and it was good. This year I'm going with black (Ultra) for the first time ever -Defender had a sale so I'm gonna give it a shot.

[ndutton]

One trick I use to do was paint multiple coats in contrasting colors. As it wore down you knew how far you were into the paint.

[Laker]

Periocity ???

SEDAGIVE ?????