From Fresh Water to Salt Water

[_m_miles]

I am moving my Beneteau 331 from the Great Lakes to NYC next month, and have a question about bottom paint.

Ikaros currently has VC17 on the bottom of the hull, which has performed nicely in fresh water. I planned to have it removed and an epoxy barrier coat applied with three layers of anti-fouling. However, the pandemic has caused such a work backlog that she might not get painted for several months.

My question is: if I put three fresh coats of VC17 on her before launch, will she be okay in the brackish/salt water of the Upper Bay for the summer? Interlux tells me that I will get a lot of growth (even though they claim it performs in salt water.) I'm more concerned about damage to the hull.

When she's hauled out in October the boat yard will have the bandwidth to repaint her.

Many thanks.

[tkeithlu]

It's not really designed for salt water, but there are specialists hereon who can pontificate on bottom paints better than I. Overall, it's difficult to see that you are going to have a problem with a few months in northern brackish water. You're not going into southern waters, where the marine life eats copper to improve its hemoglobin. I don't see how you could damage your hull in the process.

[Kalinka1]

Originally Posted by _m_miles

I am moving my Beneteau 331 from the Great Lakes to NYC next month, and have a question about bottom paint.

Ikaros currently has VC17 on the bottom of the hull, which has performed nicely in fresh water. I planned to have it removed and an epoxy barrier coat applied with three layers of anti-fouling. However, the pandemic has caused such a work backlog that she might not get painted for several months.

My question is: if I put three fresh coats of VC17 on her before launch, will she be okay in the brackish/salt water of the Upper Bay for the summer? Interlux tells me that I will get a lot of growth (even though they claim it performs in salt water.) I'm more concerned about damage to the hull.

When she's hauled out in October the boat yard will have the bandwidth to repaint her.

Many thanks.

Greetings. I was told by the Interlux dealer in Ireland that any of the Micron products could be used over another. just need to sand before first new coat. Seems to work Have used micron cfc for years and last year put on whatever was left over in the yard from painting all the fishing boats . Think they also make a saltwater version VC18? The worst that can happen as that all the paint will flake off but then that saves you sanding it in the fall! it won't hurt the bottom of your boat! have fun

[_m_miles]

Originally Posted by tkeithlu

It's not really designed for salt water, but there are specialists hereon who can pontificate on bottom paints better than I. Overall, it's difficult to see that you are going to have a problem with a few months in northern brackish water. You're not going into southern waters, where the marine life eats copper to improve its hemoglobin. I don't see how you could damage your hull in the process.

Thanks for the remarks. I'm told the biggest problem up here is slime. Hopefully I can enjoy the boat for a few months and then have it soda-blasted and updated properly.

Enjoy the summer!

[SVHarmonie]

Use VC17, and have the bottom cleaned by a diver once a month. Applying other types of paint over VC17 is a fools errand and money down the drain.

Even the heaviest bottom growth will not hurt a fiberglass hull. That seems to be a new concern to appear on the forums recently, and I don't know the source of it, but it's not an issue. Bottom pain is not there to "protect" the hull it is there to keep the critters off. A barrier coat is you're hull protection.

[s/v michaela]

Harmonie has it right.... Bottom paint is not about protecting fiberglass, steel ,aluminum or wood hulls. That's the job of barrier coatings and zincs. It's strictly about reducing the growth ---which in turn SLOWS you down and/or wastes your fuel!!!

[wfetter]

We recently brought our Beneteau 423 from Lake Michigan to Florida. This is what I learned before the move...

VC17 is a vinyl based paint so you can't put 'regular' bottom paints over it. It has to be removed. It comes off ridiculously easy either using denatured alcohol (very messy) or simple sanding. The sanding works since they will sand the boat before the new bottom paint so, two birds. I used my orbital with 120 grit disks. Took me about a week and now I have arms like Conan hehe.

From many yards here I was told that, while the VC17 will work, since it comes off so easily the water here will basically 'sand' the stuff off in no time. Where you are going it'll probably last longer but I think it's a matter of how much you sail her. Like it was said before, nothing is going to hurt the fiberglass hull provided it is clean with no holes or cracks.

[KadeyKrogen38]

Salt water is more dense than fresh water. If you do not have blisters now a few months in salt water probably is not going to affect your hull. If you were going from salt to fresh and had a few blisters before moving, you will get many more blisters in a very short time frame.

[dw1979]

You might want to make sure that you have the proper annodes to protect your under water metal. Easy to change while you are on the hard now but can always get a diver to do it later if needed.

[RFurbush]

You might be checking the status of the NY State Canal openings......dates for various sections have just been announced, but like any work schedule subject to weather, water levels,etc things could be quite different for a passage from Lake Ontario to Waterford NY and the Hudson River.....Good Luck and stay safe.

[TheLuckyone]

Don’t hold your breath in anticipation of the full length of the canal opening up: http://www.canals.ny.gov/wwwapps/tas...m.aspx?id=1460

Some sections opening up by July 4th; one by August 10th; others “TBD”.

My Centaur is on the hard at a yard on the canal. Not sure I’ll be able to even put in this year. Gives me no excuse to not spend the summer working on her, though...

[Wood]

Just a thought on anodes. My Great Lakes boat had zincs from previous owner. They were passivated and inoperable in salt water. AgCl half cell showed ~ -200mv. I went ot mil spec aluminum and everything is fine.

[nortonscove]

When we picked up our boat in Nova Scotia seven years ago I was informed that she was painted with VC17 by the previous owner. I called Interlux and was given several compatible paints as I wished to do some touch ups the following year. My boat is in salt water and it has held up great for the past seven seasons and is getting splashed in the near future requiring no bottom work at all. Our mooring is in a cove with lots of fresh water running into it and all I've had to contend with is a minimal amount of slime. I leave it and dust it off when dry before launching.

[Xavierp]

Originally Posted by wfetter

We recently brought our Beneteau 423 from Lake Michigan to Florida.

I am planning to do the dans move.
Can we talk about your experience?