Petit Trinidad - should it be scrubbed monthly in FL?

[iansan5653]

I have a diver scrubbing my boat once a month, which I figured was a necessary evil in warm Florida waters. But I'm about to haul out and while doing some research I came across the Petit Trinidad Pro instructions, which say:

"Boats and vessels should not be scrubbed or cleaned for the first six months in the water, and at intervals of not less than three months thereafter."

In your experience, is this true? I wouldn't mind saving the money, but it seems unlikely given my experience. But I haven't used Trinidad before - maybe it's just that good?

[iansan5653]

It also says "Burnishing of the surface to create a slicker finish should be done with 400-600 grit wet-or-dry sandpaper after the coating has dried for seven (7) days." How much difference does it make if I skip this step? I do race sometimes but I'm no professional racer. Is it worth it?

[HopCar]

With a high end bottom paint like Trinidad you shouldn’t need to clean the bottom for at least six months. If you need to scrub it every month, why bother with paint. Yes I’ve kept boats in Florida for close to sixty years.

[fstbttms]

When your hull begins to become foul, clean it, regardless of how long it took to reach that state. And the manufacturer's recommendation that Trinidad shouldn't be cleaned more than four times a year is patently ridiculous in a place like Florida.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by iansan5653

It also says "Burnishing of the surface to create a slicker finish should be done with 400-600 grit wet-or-dry sandpaper after the coating has dried for seven (7) days." How much difference does it make if I skip this step? I do race sometimes but I'm no professional racer. Is it worth it?

Nope.

Edit: I initially thought you were asking if burnishing your bottom was worth it in terms of retarding anti fouling. But obviously you are asking if doing it will make you faster. The answer is yes, but with so many variables affecting boat speed, for the casual racer it may not be worth the expense. I'd say simply spray the paint on and call it good.

[MicHughV]

I've used Pettit Trinidad almost exclusively for as far back as I can remember, must be going on 30 years or more. I typically apply two coats at haulout time with a roller.

Thereafter, I do little to it, except a light brush off around the waterline, maybe 6-12 months later. I've never had to clean it otherwise. I go two, sometimes three years between haulouts.

I have a diver replace the prop zinc at least twice a year and have been informed by him that time, the hull bottom looks good, it might have some slime build up, but little else.

You can't go wrong with Pettit Trinidad, probably the best bottom paint out there in my humble opinion..

[callistov42]

I have used Petit Trinidad Red for 30 years on my boat. It has been the Caribbean (currently Sint Maarten) for more than 25 years. My hull needs cleaning every 6 to 8 weeks. Most owners in my marina have their hulls cleaned regularly.

[rslifkin]

How often the bottom needs cleaning will depend a lot on where you are and how much use the boat gets. As fstbttms said, when it starts getting dirty, it's time to clean it. Doesn't matter if that's every 3 weeks or every 3 months.

[Snore]

As someone with a LOT of experience in Florida, the answer is "it depends".

If you are fortunate enough to keep the boat on a natural freshwater outfall, then IF the water runs out from the Everglades non-stop, most likely not.

If you want to sail faster, the answer is definitely yes.

A good bottom job, cleaned every 4-6 weeks by a good bottom guy will last a few years.

[michaeld]

We live in south Florida and use Petit Trinidad. It's rolled on. Our boat is kept in a finger canal off the ICW with minimal water movement. We bottom clean every four to eight weeks depending on the time of year.

[iansan5653]

Great, thanks everyone. The paint I have on now (since I bought the boat) is much lower quality than Trinidad so that's what I was used to. I'll call off the diver for now and keep an eye on it.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by iansan5653

Great, thanks everyone. The paint I have on now (since I bought the boat) is much lower quality than Trinidad so that's what I was used to. I'll call off the diver for now and keep an eye on it.

I don’t get it. You’re using a paint that’s inferior to Trinidad so your not going to clean it?

[iansan5653]

I don’t get it. You’re using a paint that’s inferior to Trinidad so your not going to clean it?

That's what's on it right now so that's why I was used to needing cleaning every few weeks. But I'm hauling out on Tuesday to put Trinidad on so it looks like I won't need cleaning for a while.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by iansan5653

That's what's on it right now so that's why I was used to needing cleaning every few weeks. But I'm hauling out on Tuesday to put Trinidad on so it looks like I won't need cleaning for a while.

Copy that.

[geoleo]

Originally Posted by iansan5653

I have a diver scrubbing my boat once a month, which I figured was a necessary evil in warm Florida waters. But I'm about to haul out and while doing some research I came across the Petit Trinidad Pro instructions, which say:

"Boats and vessels should not be scrubbed or cleaned for the first six months in the water, and at intervals of not less than three months thereafter."

In your experience, is this true? I wouldn't mind saving the money, but it seems unlikely given my experience. But I haven't used Trinidad before - maybe it's just that good?

NO not true. Trinadad is great paint and can be cleaned every month for 24 months in FL .Been doing that for 30 years. Just dont overscrub -scrub and scrape clean not more plus always put on 3 coats.