Bottom Paint ST. Johns River FL

[BermWorm]

Looking for advise for what bottom paints to use for brackish water.

Research I've found is for fresh or saltwater.

Looking for advise.

Thanks

[psk125]

Best idea is to ask around in your exact location. Salinity, water temp, agrigcultural runoff, Oxygen levels... all have input on what grows on your boat, and some antifouling paints will work better than others in your specific situation. A boat in a slip may have different results from one on a mooring. Brackish water in Annapolis is not the same as brackish water in Palatka, and different paints might be “the one to use” in each place. The best antifouling in Palatka may not work as well in Jacksonville. Ask your neighbors what they use and how well it works. Online, we won’t be able to tell you much other than what works for us (or doesn’t) -- wherever WE are.

[Tayana42]

It’s been 20+ years since I kept a boat in Jacksonville on the Saint Johns River in Mandarin. Pettit Trinidad worked extremely well for me then. Good luck. Enjoy.

[BermWorm]

Thanks I understand. I plan on moving the boat to Green Cove Springs this fall.
Was hoping I might find somebody on here that was local, but with restrictions easing up I need to just go there and talk to the people there as you suggest.

[1affiah]

The marina there used to have good bottom paint for sale there at very competitive prices.

[tschanze]

We are in the Ortega River and unfortunately it has gotten saltier in the last few years resulting in lots of barnacles.

Really need to have bottom cleaned every six months depending on use.

We are currently on the hard and applying Interlux Micron Extra on hull and Petit Barnacle Barrier on running gear.

[SVHarmonie]

We move from water that is fresh enough that zebra mussels (if you think barnicals are bad, you have never dealt with these buggers!) are the problem, to cold saltwater (in Maritime Canada) to tropical saltwater, to tropical brackish water in Florida. Pretty much every critter that grows in the Western Atlantic Ocean can find us.

If you are looking for an ablative paint, We have used SeaHawk BioCop TF for the past five years and have been really happy with it. We move around a lot (obviously) and two coats of this ablative paint last from 14 to 16 months before we need to start cleaning at all. Not as long as a good hard paint, but it works with our normal maintenance schedule.

[wathey]

I've had an S2 7.9 for many years in the St Johns. We do the bottom every other year just before the Mug Race and we pressure wash it on a lift we keep a flats boat on at least annually.
For the first 3 bottom jobs we spent $$$ on Petit Trinidad Pro with the biocide. This worked well and would last the 24 months with 1 or two pressure washes in between.
The last two bottom jobs have come with life competing priorities realization that I only have so many days to race and we let Ortega River Marine do the job and they use Petit Trinidad SR I believe. We save $300 over two gallons and apply that towards the labor cost as none of us have 2 days for boat work prior to the Mug anymore. This has held up almost as well as the Pro. I don't think the Pro is worth the extra $$ in my opinion in this particular river but it is hard to tell. We are in the cove behind FYC to give you a salinity idea. I highly recommend two things though that help ours. We bought a 3" tow strap from Walmart and sewed a leatherette cover to it. We walk the boat and use it to lightly scrub the bottom prior to going sailing. Second if you measure the lifts around where you keep your boat and see if any of them are set up for inboard boats and have the V cut into them the Irwin will likely fit but measure. Using an electric lift for an hour with a pressure washer at least once a year if not twice, an additional time in Summer when majority of bottom crap grows, will easily double the life expectancy.

One fun way to tell if it is time for a cleaning, sail into the oncoming tide just off Miramar point in San Marco. You know its time when it feels more like a constant heading heave too. Alas you can pour a drink, aim for the downtown skyline into the 3kt current and just hang out but I digress.

[BermWorm]

Thanks wathey

I like your idea with the tow strap. In my younger years I wouldn't mind diving, but now I'm only comfortable in the pool. The wife said she liked the swim ladder I installed. I told her that it was a rescue ladder.

[gonesail]

pettit horizon. we have the bottom dived on once a month in the summer when the water gets hot.

[wathey]

Rescue ladder in use in Palmo Cove (Crab shack creek). Loose cotter pin on a lifeline got my friends morning started chilly style in December a few years back. Thought of this photo bc we asked him since he was already in the water if he would mind a water line scrub. He looked at us like we had asked him to dive the whole hull

[BermWorm]

Once your wet, your wet. So why not. lol

[cdy]

Kept a boat at GCS marina for years - generally south of Black Creek ( just north of Green Cove) the water is almost all fresh - never got barnacles at the marina -

[winschwab]

February 2015 I put two coats of ABC Ablative, recommended and sold by Green Cove Springs Marina. March 15-April 20 in Bahamas. April 26-June 26 moored at GSCM.

Substantial barnacles and growth on prop was so bad, we had to dive on the prop offshore to clean it (I was afraid to go in the water at GCSM).

Bottom line: not real impressed with ABC results after four months.

[cdy]

wise choice in not jumping in the water at GCS Marina - over the years have seen all sorts of chemicals being washed in, and I would guess most of the livaboards there just pump waste overboard - and who knows whats lurking in the muck from back in the day when the Navy ships were there - if the EPA ever tested the bottom sediment - the place would be probably be a superfund site.