Leaving Interspeed 2000E “naked” on your bottom?

[CaptainPete222]

I am considering going with VC Performance Epoxy on top of my existing Interprotect 2000E barrier coat. I was wondering whether an overcoat of the Performance Epoxy is even necessary or beneficial. Neither have UV protection. Both are incredibly hard. I’m not concerned about discoloration as it’s going on my cruising catamaran and no one will ever see it (hopefully). (I’m also planning on putting 6” stripe 3” above and 3” below the waterline using a hard black antifouling.)

Has anyone tried just leaving “naked” 2000E on their boat’s bottom? If so, how did that work out.

[SailingHarmonie]

Are you suggesting that you just skip any kind of antifouling on the bottom of your hulls?

Why do you think you will not be dragging around an entire ecosystem in 2 months?

[CaptainPete222]

Yes, the bottom will not have antifouling biocides, except around the waterline and a couple hard to clean spots around the saildrives and through-hull fittings. The Micron CSC that I put on there is pretty much gone and it’s down to the barrier coat, requiring me to clean it weekly. It occurred to me I could save a lot of money just continuing to do this. It only takes me 30 min tops to do the whole boat. I live aboard in a warm area with clear, unpolluted water, so hopping in with my fins and mask to do quick scrub with a soft pad isn’t a big deal. While saving money is my primary objective, keeping the water unpolluted is also a goal.

[kapnd]

That’s a pretty novel approach to anti fouling, ecologically correct, if a bit labor intensive!
Scrubbing a boat bottom that’s been coated with ablative anti fouling paint is definitely a high pollution exercise. A lot of paint is released into the water with uncharted results, but obviously not great for the environment.
I think I’d be more comfortable with a coat of good epoxy paint over the 2000, though.

[SailFastTri]

If you need to leave the boat anywhere for more then a week or two you would likely return to a cleaning nightmare. Do you ever travel? What if you have a health issue? Also, might you ever stay in harbors that would be unhealthy or unpleasant to dive in?

[CaptainPete222]

Originally Posted by kapnd

That’s a pretty novel approach to anti fouling, ecologically correct, if a bit labor intensive!
Scrubbing a boat bottom that’s been coated with ablative anti fouling paint is definitely a high pollution exercise. A lot of paint is released into the water with uncharted results, but obviously not great for the environment.
I think I’d be more comfortable with a coat of good epoxy paint over the 2000, though.

I’m pretty sure we’re headed toward the elimination of biocides, so I expect that everyone will either doing what I’m doing or hiring someone to do it for them. Having a diver clean your boat’s bottom every two weeks isn’t more costly than hauling and painting your boat every year based on present pricing. If everyone was required to have their boats professionally cleaned, there would be economies of scale that could result in cleanings costing less. For example, if a marina or anchorage hired one person to do all the boats, a diver would save tons of time, as compared to cleaning just one or two boats at the marina/anchorage.

[CaptainPete222]

Originally Posted by SailFastTri

If you need to leave the boat anywhere for more then a week or two you would likely return to a cleaning nightmare. Do you ever travel? What if you have a health issue? Also, might you ever stay in harbors that would be unhealthy or unpleasant to dive in?

If I can’t (or won’t) do it, I can just hire someone to do it and still save money compared to having a boatyard haul, pressure wash, sand, and apply a fresh coat. There are boat bottom cleaners everywhere and, if you’re on a regular cleaning schedule, the price is reasonable. And, because I want a super smooth bottom, it saves me the hassle of sanding a new coat or two of paint to the smoothness I want.

[rslifkin]

Requiring cleaning and no biocides would be an issue in some cold water areas. Around here, the water is darn cold for the first few months of the season, but boats still get slimy even with paint (although not at bad as when the water warms up). And because of that and limited growth in fresh water if the bottom is painted, divers are nearly non-existent. So it would be a whole new industry to start up around here.

[CaptainPete222]

Originally Posted by rslifkin

Requiring cleaning and no biocides would be an issue in some cold water areas. Around here, the water is darn cold for the first few months of the season, but boats still get slimy even with paint (although not at bad as when the water warms up). And because of that and limited growth in fresh water if the bottom is painted, divers are nearly non-existent. So it would be a whole new industry to start up around here.

I’m from Maine and there are plenty of divers who go after scallops who wouldn’t mind some equally lucrative work cleaning boat bottoms. I’m fairly certain that if biocides were eliminated, the need for boat bottom cleaning would be met in the blink of an eye. Easy access, minimal start up cost. Personally, I’m just doing this because it’s less costly and less hassle. Everything associated with antifouling paint sucks, especially when it comes time to strip that stuff off. I’ve done that a few times and wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by CaptainPete222

Yes, the bottom will not have antifouling biocides, except around the waterline and a couple hard to clean spots around the saildrives and through-hull fittings.

This is a bad idea

Originally Posted by CaptainPete222

I’m pretty sure we’re headed toward the elimination of biocides...

I keep my finger on the pulse of the anti fouling regulation situation in the U.S. and honestly, I don't see copper in anti fouling paint going anywhere in my lifetime. No lesser biocide (or non-toxic paint product) has been proven to provide decent results and even the reported negative effects of copper from bottom paint in the marine environment are being walked back in recent years.

[CaptainPete222]

Originally Posted by fstbttms

This is a bad idea



I keep my finger on the pulse of the anti fouling regulation situation in the U.S. and honestly, I don't see copper in anti fouling paint going anywhere in my lifetime. No lesser biocide (or non-toxic paint product) has been proven to provide decent results and even the reported negative effects of copper from bottom paint in the marine environment are being walked back in recent years.

You may be right, but my sense is that the rate of change is increasing exponentially now that the smarter and more conscientious youngsters are taking over the reigns. It probably won’t happen in my lifetime, but only because I’m fairly certain that my lifetime will be shortened due to all the bottom paint dust and solvent fumes I’ve breathed in and highly toxic bottom paint remover I’ve come into contact with in the course of 50 years of maintaining boats….

But, now that you’re in on this discussion and given that you are one of the more knowledgeable people I’ve come across on this subject, I’d appreciate hearing your thoughts on why you think this would be a bad idea.

[rslifkin]

I expect we'll start seeing more alternatives at some point, rather than just "no more bottom paint". In other words, paints with biocides that are less harmful beyond the intended use, possibly no more ablative paints. More paints that are meant to be slippery to reduce things sticking to them as well as being easier to clean, stuff like that.

[CaptainPete222]

Originally Posted by rslifkin

I expect we'll start seeing more alternatives at some point, rather than just "no more bottom paint". In other words, paints with biocides that are less harmful beyond the intended use, possibly no more ablative paints. More paints that are meant to be slippery to reduce things sticking to them as well as being easier to clean, stuff like that.

I don’t doubt that there will be an increasing number of purportedly more “green” biocides, but I’d be very surprised if any of them are significantly less toxic to the environment. Maybe slightly less toxic, but still toxic. I mean, it’s meant to kill anything that comes near it, right? More slippery is a possibility, but it’s extremely expensive to have applied and not particularly DIY-friendly. And, unless you’re keeping on the move, you still need to clean your bottom on a fairly regular basis with even the most slippery paints. Personally I wouldn’t let silicone anywhere near the bottom of my boat bc it’s a nightmare to get off should you become disenchanted with it and either want to go back to biocides or try a new product. It’s slippery to everything, including paint you want to stay on there. One other issue with slippery paint that I read about is the reluctance of boatyard to haul boats on a travel lift with slippery paint because, well, it might slip out. It’s certainly possible to do safely, but with added precautions. And with added precautions comes added $$$.

[Scrimshaw4]

I would remove the 2000E completely and let the hull dry (less than 5% with a meter). Check for blisters. Then apply a good barrier coat, ie Sherwin Williams 2 part. Follow that with 3 coats of antifouling with the first coat a different color to act as a marker for when the top 2 coats need recoating. JMHO

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by CaptainPete222

I’d appreciate hearing your thoughts on why you think this (not painting the hull) would be a bad idea.

I have some experience cleaning unpainted bottoms and in my neck of the woods (SF Bay Area) we enjoy what I would call "moderate" fouling conditions. And in these conditions I've found that cleaning an unpainted hull even twice a week is inadequate to keep the fouling growth at bay. Would I find large fouling organisms attached? No. But neither is the hull going to stay immaculately clean. Small shelled animals and difficult-to-remove algae would colonize the hull within days and some of it did not want to come off. I think you said you are in the Bahamas and I find it difficult to imagine that your fouling conditions are not significantly more robust than mine. But maybe I'm wrong.

In any event, my belief is that you will come to regret not painting the bottom, should you choose that path.