Bottom paint

[Saltdog]

How often should I repaint the bottom? I keep the boat in saltwater for six months in the summer and freshwater the rest of the year?

TS

[Cape Codder]

It depends on the paint used and number of coats applied.
Too late now, but many here on Cape Cod use ablative paints that wear away as the boat is used. Many, including myself, have applied one coat of a color, such as black, and then the next several coats the color of your choice, (red). Eventually the coats of red will wear away, and some black will show through in spots.
Time to repaint.
I have had wonderful success with Pettit Hydrocoat, water-based, high copper content, ablative anti-fouling paint.
Easy to use and soap and water clean-up.
Has always done a great job on my boats form May thru November, in fairly warm water.

[chiefrcd]

Do a little searching on the website and you'll find several post regarding bottom paint. I've always been told here on the east coast that you need to talk to the folks in your own area, be it a creek, river or bay. Every place seems to be different and what may work in one creek really well, doesn't do as well in a creek a mile away. I'd find out what works BEST in my particular area. With all that said, I ran a boat in fresh water for several years ( in the water all the time) and we picked up a lot of slime and lots of very tiny barnacles. We cleaned and repainted each year with one of the hard paints. I had a crew of firefighters who scraped, sanded and painted so, no big deal. Now I'm in salt water and need to do the work myself, or pay someone, and in my particular area we get big barnacles, quickly in the early summer and continuously all through the warm months. I've used several types of paint from Act, Micron 66 and Micron Extra and I like the extra best. Two coats and I now do all my running gear as well. Seems to work well.

[Mariner]

The transition between fresh and salt will actually reduce the amount of growth you get, so that's good. But it won't change the speed at which your bottom paint wears. Here in Puget Sound, we've found that once every two years is about right, while having the bottom cleaned by a diver once every quarter. If you don't have it dove, you've got to pull and repaint every year. Cost works out to be about the same either way, but with the diver it's much less hassle.