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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

fresh water bottom paint

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frants
1st Mate

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USA
55 Posts

Initially Posted - 08/28/2007 : 18:04:41

Does anyone have a good suggestion for a C25 that is only going to be in fresh water? We are in Lake Chelan WA - a very clean lake and I'd like a bottom paint that is as clean a possible. The algae on the ruttter and at the water line is minimal and I am wondering if I can simply wash the excisting (red) paint off. Thank you for your input.
Frants

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ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 08/28/2007 : 18:19:17

A couple standard freshwater choices are VC17 or Baltoplate (Burnished for racing)

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Chris Z
Captain

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452 Posts

Response Posted - 08/28/2007 : 21:38:25

You have to either strip off the existing bottom paint or sand it off. I would go for the stripping. Then follow the Interlux paint guide for VC 17. I have it on mine. Keep in mind you have to do a coat every year. The other key is to put on the VC Tar which is a epoxy barrier coat. This will prevent blistering of the gelcoat. Also, keep in mind that you might find some work needs to be done for minor blisters before doing the VC Tar. I was lucky enough that the PO had done a great job on the bottom of mine. Had to do the one coat and that was it.

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DanM
Captain

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USA
256 Posts

Response Posted - 08/29/2007 : 07:17:15

I'll vouch for VC17. Easy to prep and apply each spring. Really does the job.
A few days ago I swam around the stern with a light brush to clean slime from the waterline stripe, but NO slime at all below the line, where painted with VC17 (15 weeks in the water).

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delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 08/29/2007 : 09:05:28

I'll vouch for VC-17 as well. Make sure you get the freshwater version, it dries to a very dark blue. The saltwater version dries to a gun metal grey. They have different characteristics as far as salt content, but I don't know what they are. The nice thing (maybe the best thing) is no sanding. The only place I've noticed slime growing on VC-17 is on my rudder for some reason. As far as I can see, there is no growth on my hull. I'm in brackish water at the mouth of a river for my mooring, so maybe it's a bit confused. I've got saltwater VC-17 on the rudder & sort of a half-half of salt & fresh on the rest of the boat.

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stampeder
Master Marine Consultant

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1608 Posts

Response Posted - 08/29/2007 : 15:20:13

When I did my bottom job a year and a half ago, I called Interlux directly,after reading their excellent website.
They make several different versions of their paints based on Geography and climate as well as salt vs fresh water.
I stripped my bottom then applied two coats of a silver colored primer, then two coats of hard paint. I am very happy with the results. Two seasons and my bottom is clean and shows little sign of wear.My boat has been on and off the trailer half a dozen times and unlike ablative paint, sticks to the boat not the trailer.
Because of the fresh water, I don't need to worry about bottom growth.
I had a good look at the bottom last week, and it looks like I will not have to paint next spring.

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GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4304 Posts

Response Posted - 08/29/2007 : 19:23:52

Do most of you do your own bottom jobs or do you hire it out? I know there are alot of variables that affect the price of a bottom job but is there a rough average of what a good bottom job will cost? Do your marina's let you use there yards to do the work?

Thanks,
GaryB

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dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 08/30/2007 : 08:06:02

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by GaryB
 Do most of you do your own bottom jobs or do you hire it out?<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Virtually everyone I know does there own bottom jobs, including me.

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delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 08/30/2007 : 09:16:57

I'd have to agree, my friends own a 43' Polaris, used to own my San Juan 21, and have always done their own bottom paint. Rita & I just did SL's bottom before putting her in a marina, although it was more of a patch job than a full bottom job. We had spots where the paint had worn through, so we made sure the whole hull had paint below the waterline. We'll do a proper job when we pull it this winter.

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GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4304 Posts

Response Posted - 08/30/2007 : 10:25:36

Do your marina's let you do the work on their property or do you have traielrs and move them to the house?

GaryB

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dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 08/30/2007 : 10:39:35

The marina where I haulout lets owners do anything they want to their own boats, but does not allow outside contractors to do work that can be done by the marina.

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dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 08/30/2007 : 11:37:43

Check out Interlux Ultra-kote. gives a good hard finish. got it on my now-trailered C-22, and the C-25 I purchased last fall.

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stampeder
Master Marine Consultant

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1608 Posts

Response Posted - 08/30/2007 : 11:41:54

My marina has a sling lift that can be used by its customers. They had a few common sense rules. Tarp your work area, leave your work area clean when finished.
I did all the work by myself and quite enjoyed the process. I spent about 8 hours sanding and scraping, and about 30 hours yakking with passersby.
Actual painting time was about 3 hours. As with any other painting endeavour, preparation takes more time than the actual painting.
If you can take your time, you can do a good job. I learned alot by taking my time and sometimes doing things two or three times till I got it right. Generally, the materials used are forgiving.
I saw several examples of bottom jobs done by people in a hurry. Not a pretty sight.

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OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3466 Posts

Response Posted - 08/30/2007 : 12:00:06

I keep my boat in a marina in the upper Potomac River area near Wash, DC. Previous owner used an ablative paint and it lasted for over 4 years.

My marina has no haul-out facilities but nearby (across the river), the marina there does have a travel lift and works primarily on sailboats. Since I keep my boat in the water year-round, it is not like I haul it out each year and then can take my time, pick my week and paint away. Last fall, I made an appointment to have my boat hauled out and placed in their maintenance yard. Then I had the choice to do the work myself or have them do it. Either way, they charge a weekly fee for keeping the boat in their mtn yard. I elected to have them do the paint work while I performed maintenance on my engine and then added a polyglow coat to the hull.

I used Micron Extra which is a copolymer, similar to an ablative and also can go multi-seasons without repainting. We shall see. West marine sells some ablatives and I was going to go that route until some guy I bumped into in the store recommended the Micron extra...so i figured I would give it a shot.

The marina has a Tuesday racing special where they haul out your boat and pressure wash it for $75. I will be doing that probably in September and will get a better idea then as to how the paint is holding up and warding off slime, etc.

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 08/30/2007 : 12:27:25

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by delliottg
 We'll do a proper job when we pull it this winter.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
I kept saying that--year after year.

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