Do I need to Bottom Paint?

[BillR]

Hello All:

I purchased a 23' Gulfstream Sept 09. The boat was freshly bottom painted when I picked it up. It was in the water until mid Nov. Do I need to bottom paint it now before I put it in the water for the season?

Thanks in advance.

Bill

 

[Marty grady 272]

It all depends on the type of paint that is on the bottom now. If the paint looks good with full coverage and is an ablative type paint then you are "OK". If the present paint is not a self polishing ablative paint then you will have to re paint the bottom and follow the time constraints dictated on the paint can time/launch directions. I have used an ablative paint for years and I get 2 years usage on a single paint coat with minimal paint build up. Paint build up gets heavier as it gets thicker and at some point you will have to remove it. IMO water based paint works very well in my area water and avoids the paint build up issue. It is also easier to clean up after painting both the boat bottom and yourself.

 

[sluggoe]

just as marty said - ask the guy or dealer you bought it from what he put on it; also ask for the history of the type of paint applied in the past;

ablative should be fine for another season but if it is a hard paint it will have to be re-painted and maybe scraped depending on how many layers are on it;

you should not put hard paint on ablative but vice versa is usually ok;

--slugg

 

[uncljohn]

one thing is that only some ablative paints have an "unlimited dry time before launch" (something each paint label tells you). That means some paint can't sit out of the water for a long time. Some have really short windows like 12-24 hours, and some have a 30 day or 90 day max time. I use Petit Ultima which has unlimited time.

That is importzant b/c those paints will lose their anti-fouling properties. So make sure you get a specific brand/product from the marina who did it last fall.

 

[BillR]

guys thank you so much for your help