Ablative versus multi year

[Mike Banks]

I have no idea what the usual consensus is, but I did what the commercial fishermen did.

Bottom paint is epoxy primer and then two-pot poly-urethane 2 coats. Next coat is chlorinated rubber barrier coat. After that two coats of hard antifouling in red. Then two more coats of softer more rapidly ablated antifoul for ten knot speed in blue.

When they see the red coming through the blue they book the slip. I did the same--and I could get two years out of the outer coats of antifouling and just replaced the blue layers each time. I could probably have gotten away with just one coat of the red, but I had bought the paint already, and it is always better on the boat than half-used in the can.

[djousset]

Thanks all for the great input!

[David B]

Originally Posted by djousset

I am planing to strip the bottom of my boat this fall/next spring. Doe sit make sense to skip the multi-year/hard bottom paint and go with a straight ablative? In other words.....is it easier to scrape one more later of paint or a bunch of barnacles.....?

If you're going to all that trouble to strip the bottom, why start the whole process again with more ablative?

We put Coppercoat on ours 8 years ago - haven't touched it since other than a pressure wash or scrub from time to time. Expecting to get 15+ years out of it at least.

[Hoodsail]

Been using ablative for 5 plus years, buying west marine’s CCP brand with highest copper content, typically $100-130/gallon. I usually only have to re-coat every other yr and then just spotting. I inspect the bottom for flaking, etc. Do a little sanding but for example this year boat went in the water with no new bottom paint. Minimal growth here in New England with season from may thru sept, maybe oct.

[djousset]

Originally Posted by David B

If you're going to all that trouble to strip the bottom, why start the whole process again with more ablative?

We put Coppercoat on ours 8 years ago - haven't touched it since other than a pressure wash or scrub from time to time. Expecting to get 15+ years out of it at least.

I am stripping this coming fall and am looking for the best solution to get me through this year only. Last year's paint didn't cut it, I'm thinking I need a beefier ablative but something that won't add hours to the fall stripping.