Longest Lasting, Best Bottom Paint on the Market for Faster Boats

[PineyWoodsPete]

Originally Posted by MicHughV

Each to his own. I have experimented with a variety of bottom paints, with a variety of results, but finally settled on Pettit Trinidad as the best bottom paint for me. Typically put two coats on at haulout time, giving me a good two, sometimes three year service life.

Same here, with a 3rd coat for about a foot below the tape - and a gentle diver scrub every 2-3 months...

[blazing928]

Only choice is Coppercoat.

If it won’t fall off our power boat, it will survive yachts.

5 years now and still looks like new - apart from colour change.
Easy clean with a brush or microfibre after 6 months of no use.

Still performs better than fresh out drive paint.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by CaptainMarkS

I will never return to an ablative. (It's) horrible on the environment.

That’s an assumption. There is no evidence that ablative paints are more harmful to the environment than other types.

[CaptainMarkS]

Originally Posted by fstbttms

That’s an assumption. There is no evidence that ablative paints are more harmful to the environment than other types.

Allow me to provide evidence:

From Water X, article entitled "Paint particles in the marine environment: An overlooked component of microplastics": https://www.sciencedirect.com/scienc...89914721000232

"The greater mobility of hazardous chemicals in paint particles relative to plastics is evident from differences in the quantities of toxic metal ions (e.g. Cu+/Cu2+, TBT+, Pb2+, CrO42−) released from each particle type into physiological solutions that simulate the mammalian or avian stomach (Turner and Radford, 2010; Smith and Turner, 2020) and from the more stringent guidelines and regulations that deal with toxic metals in paint (Gooch, 1993). Factors that account for a greater mobility of metals in paint than in plastic include a higher additive to polymer/binder ratio in the dried formulation, the brittleness of weathered paint and its propensity to readily fragment into smaller particles of high surface area, and the more ready aging and degradation of the paint binder than the plastic polymer. More specifically, in hard, ablative and self-polishing antifouling paints, biocides are designed to leach out or the entire formulations dissolve at controlled rates into the surrounding medium."

It depends on the formulation. It stands to reason ablative paints with toxic metal ions (e.g. ABC1 mentioned) are more toxic than a solid substrate. Just the particulate matter sloughing off is toxic, according to this article.

CopperCoat, although copper based, does not directly leech copper. It emits 1/10th the amount of copper ions allowed by California's strict environmental laws. So, yes, it's a more environmentally responsible choice.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by CaptainMarkS

More specifically, in hard, ablative and self-polishing antifouling paints, biocides are designed to leach out or the entire formulations dissolve at controlled rates into the surrounding medium."

The article does not differentiate between pollution caused by various paint types. In fact (as shown above), it does just the opposite. It lumps them all together. This is not evidence that one type is more polluting than another.

Originally Posted by CaptainMarkS

It depends on the formulation. It stands to reason ablative paints with toxic metal ions (e.g. ABC1 mentioned) are more toxic than a solid substrate. Just the particulate matter sloughing off is toxic, according to this article.

Again, an assumption. You have provided no evidence that ablatives are more harmful than other types. "It stands to reason" is not evidence.

Originally Posted by CaptainMarkS

CopperCoat... (is) a more environmentally responsible choice.

Who said it wasn't? And since we're nitpicking, Coppercoat is not a paint product. It is a copper-loaded epoxy. It is a different method to achieve (in theory) the same result.

[timb7734]

Have used the British Copercoat for over fifteen years on two boats. First boat had seven coats and I never repainted in ten years. Second boat is going on five years with one touch up, because not enough coats were applied initially. It must be mixed, constantly stirred, and applied with a wet edge to perform properly. Both boats are in warm salt water year round , and get a scrub monthly.

[CaptainMarkS]

[QUOTE=fstbttms;3793373]

Again, an assumption. You have provided no evidence that ablatives are more harmful than other types. "It stands to reason" is not evidence.

So, you're saying there's no evidence ablatives produce more particulate matter (potentially laced with biocides) than epoxy counterparts!? Show the evidence they don't!

[CaptainMarkS]

Originally Posted by timb7734

Have used the British Copercoat for over fifteen years on two boats. First boat had seven coats and I never repainted in ten years. Second boat is going on five years with one touch up, because not enough coats were applied initially. It must be mixed, constantly stirred, and applied with a wet edge to perform properly. Both boats are in warm salt water year round , and get a scrub monthly.

Out of interest, for the touch up, how did you prepare the hulls for additional coats?

[Tupaia]

Originally Posted by timb7734

Have used the British Copercoat . . . . . and get a scrub monthly.

Get a scrub monthly is exercise not antifouling. Used it "professionally applied" useless. Erodes quickly on a fast boat and the stuff that doesn't erode is a devil to get off. Not bad as a base to paint over though if you do it immediately.


Best I have found is Altex No5 multilayer ablative, the more layers the longer it lasts, 3 coats 3.5 years in tropics and the most exercise it resulted in was looking at it from the bar. Also had good experience with International Pacifica Plus - available in the Caribbean, got 2.5 years with 1 year stationary due to COVID. Again just looked at it no scrubbing required.


I usually apply 5 coats to leading edges and waterline.


If there was a best long lasting anti fouling the company would be very rich short term, limited repeat business.

[s/v Jedi]

I’m very interested in the antifouling wrap…

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by CaptainMarkS

So, you're saying there's no evidence ablatives produce more particulate matter (potentially laced with biocides) than epoxy counterparts!? Show the evidence they don't!

You made a bold statement in an attempt to prove me wrong and failed miserably. Either back up your claim or don’t. It’s not my job to continue the argument now.

[DeValency]

I have an excellent experience with Sharkskin anti fouling by Sea Hawk. It is a hard paint, very durable and with the highest level of copper vs. others. It usually lasts at least two years and at that time only few areas need to be recoated.

[deblen]

https://www.amazon.com/99-9-Copper-M...7656582&sr=8-9

[michaeld]

I may have previously responded, but we got five years using Petit Trinidad SR: 2018-2023 here in south Florida. This was after soda blasting the bottom, Interlux 2000e barrier coat, followed by three coats of bottom paint. We recently had the bottom done using Petit Trinidad HD. Here, bottom cleaning in the ICW feeder canals is regularly done every three to six weeks depending on the time of year.