Ablative bottom paints will work year to year as advertised as long as
you remove the oxidation that forms from sitting all winter. All it
takes is a hose and a deck brush. Lightly scrub the wet bottom.
Another alternative is to have the yard pressure wash the bottom before
launch. As far as ablatives not being fast......... try AwlGrip AlStar
Gold Label or Vivid.

Ringmaster wrote:
Ablative bottom paints will work year to year as advertised as long as
you remove the oxidation that forms from sitting all winter. All it
takes is a hose and a deck brush. Lightly scrub the wet bottom.
Another alternative is to have the yard pressure wash the bottom before
launch. As far as ablatives not being fast......... try AwlGrip AlStar
Gold Label or Vivid.


We are planning to haul out & do the bottom in a week or so.
Glad to learn the info about copolymer ablatives, not sure
what way we'll go.

Is AlStar or Viviv as fast as VC-17? It's hard to beat
dry-sailing But thanks again, I didn't know about this stuff.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

Myself I like to remove all bottom paint including the barrier coats. 1
coat of Dow's Ends all Rust to stop microscopic scale, 2 fresh coats of
epoxy barrier min, applied on a very DRY(under 25% humidity) and
hopefully warm days. A full day of curing on the last coat of epoxy,
then fresh coats 2-3 rolled on, not sprayed ablatives. On steel I do
not use a copper based antifoulants.

We are planning on pulling in may-june. The current bottomjob is 3
years old, the longest I've ever gone. Plus I have some new underwater
lighting I plan on installing on the keel, new knot meter, new forward
looking sonar and zincs, and removing old generator underwater exhaust
pipe.

Joe

Joe wrote
Myself I like to remove all bottom paint including the barrier coats.

???

Why remove perfectly good barrier coat? It's expensive stuff!

... 1
coat of Dow's Ends all Rust to stop microscopic scale, 2 fresh coats of
epoxy barrier min, applied on a very DRY(under 25% humidity) and
hopefully warm days.

Hmm, you wouold never ever see that here.


... On steel I do
not use a copper based antifoulants.


Wise move.


We are planning on pulling in may-june. The current bottomjob is 3
years old, the longest I've ever gone. Plus I have some new underwater
lighting I plan on installing on the keel, new knot meter, new forward
looking sonar and zincs, and removing old generator underwater exhaust
pipe.


What forward-looking sonar did you pick? I have been looking
at them and may buy one to put in, this spring will be our
last haul-out before going on the Loop cruise.

DSK

150-200 bucks cover the barrier cost. When they remove the old
anitfoulant you can not help but nic thru the barrier in many places,
plus the ends all rust has to be applied to bare metal. It's great
stuff and keep surface rust appearing at the waterline or anywhere
else. Two barriers coats. It's also hard to get a low humidity days
here, nut Id rather sit in the yard a week waiting then applying in a
high humidity day. It can make a 3 yr difference on how long I can go
between bottom jobs. The antifoulant it's not as important.

Got this FLS http://www.vitelectronics.com/probe.html
800 dollars. A friend has the same system and it seem to be good for
the money.

How long are you planning to take while doing the loop?

Joe

Joe wrote:
150-200 bucks cover the barrier cost.

I think what you're calling "barrier coat" is not what I'm
calling "barrier coat."

... When they remove the old
anitfoulant you can not help but nic thru the barrier in many places

If "they" can't, then "they" better get a job in a barnyard
somewhere, cause I ain't letting "them" work on *my* boat.

I've already spent far too much time correcting shoddy
workmanship done by dolts whom eveolution gave hooves
instead of opposable thumbs.

...... It's also hard to get a low humidity days
here, nut Id rather sit in the yard a week waiting then applying in a
high humidity day. It can make a 3 yr difference on how long I can go
between bottom jobs. The antifoulant it's not as important.

Hmm, and you diss fiberglass boats?


Got this FLS http://www.vitelectronics.com/probe.html
800 dollars. A friend has the same system and it seem to be good for
the money.

Thanks for the tip, I will check it out.


How long are you planning to take while doing the loop?

A year, maybe year and a half. No hurry.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

A barrier coat is a 2 part water proof epoxy.

Joe

"Joe" wrote in
We are planning on pulling in may-june. The current
bottomjob is 3
years old, the longest I've ever gone. Plus I have some
new underwater
lighting I plan on installing on the keel,

You're putting lights on the keel?

Yelp Halogen. One on each side of the wheelhouse on the keel.
Great for fishing and swimming.

http://www.atlanticmarineinc.com/under.htm

Joe

Is AlStar or Viviv as fast as VC-17? It's hard to beat
dry-sailing But thanks again, I didn't know about this stuff.

I would not think that any ablative would be as fast as a wet sanded
and polished VC17 bottom. VC17 is a vinyl just like Baltoplate. Both
can be sanded and burnished to a really smooth finish. Only drawback
is they both seem to suck as an antifoulant and they build up every
time you paint. Also no vinyl can be aplied over a non vinyl.