Changing The Bottom Color - Easy Job?

[campuscab]

I am slow but isn't bottom paint toxic? I was told not to run your hand down it, not to get it on you qhen painting, and wear a respirator when sanding. Is that correct?

[roverhi]

If it was seriously toxic I'd have been dead in the previous millenium. Not a good idea to breath in dust of any kind so a particle mask is a good idea. Touching it won't kill you and getting it on you while painting is less of a hazard than the paint thinner or whatever you use to get it off. Wear gloves and long sleeves when painting. A hat is also a good idea as it's a bitch to get out of your hair. Copper is one of those things that keep the old nuerons in the brain firing. Take sensible precautions and you'll survive a bottom job and probably 50 more.

[campuscab]

So painting taxi cabs I have exposed myself to worse. I want to redo.mine but I am having too much fun sailing to haul it out so.I guess in the fall. The guys at the club make it.sound like you bump into s bottom paint job you will drop dead.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by Guy

Newt; you may have been duped by the bottom cleaners; dark paint has more copper than light paint.

If you believe there is an appreciable difference in anti fouling performance between different colors of the same brand of paint, I have a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you.

[model 10]

If you don't believe red paint has more solids than light blue you missed something.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by Guy

If you don't believe red paint has more solids than light blue you missed something.

You're correct of course, but that's not what I said. I said that red Ultima SR40 performs exactly the same as blue Ultima SR40 (or insert product of your choice.) The difference in copper content between colors is not enough to make an appreciable difference in anti fouling performance. The poster's hull cleaners are simply trying to provide him with better service. They're not trying to get over on him, as you blatantly inferred.

[s/v Beth]

Ok guys, it ain't that big a deal. I used Trinidad and it should have a good life, no matter what color. And it is more dark blue, so hopefully the whales won't think I am one of them. Finishing the second coat today, moving the plates, two quick coats under the plates, dry overnight and splashing it back on tuesday. And I am waiting 4 hours between coats, per manufactures recs. New zincs, and through hulls greased. Good for another 2 years! (with a diver in between)

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by s/v Beth

Ok guys, it ain't that big a deal. I used Trinidad and it should have a good life, no matter what color. And it is more dark blue, so hopefully the whales won't think I am one of them. Finishing the second coat today, moving the plates, two quick coats under the plates, dry overnight and splashing it back on tuesday. And I am waiting 4 hours between coats, per manufactures recs. New zincs, and through hulls greased. Good for another 2 years! (with a diver in between)

FYI- with 2 coats on the hull, 3 at the waterline and leading/trailing edges of the appendages and 6 cleanings per year, here in the Bay Area we expect (and get) 3+ years out of a Trinidad bottom. That means saving thousands in haulout costs over the long run, when compared to a 2-year regimen.

[s/v Beth]

I will take that to heart. Thanx fstbttms.

[Blue Stocking]

I use hardpaint on Bluestocking and wet sand it with a hand held tool , using the hard screen wire type of mesh used by dry-wall sanding folks. Lasts a long time and fairs out the roller stiple from the last coat.

[Sandero]

I change from red to blue every few years.. No problem. You need compatible paint and prep. The deal with bottom paints is that they build up and it's a good idea to strip it all off after X number of years. Imagine applying 20 coats of paint... how much that would weigh alone! It's a good idea to more than rough up the surface because it removes useless paint which is doing nothing... or worse. When I finally had the bottom soda blasted about 1,000 pounds of old paint came off! YIKES. I don't use ablative paints... they don't seem to work as advertised.