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What's everyones favorite bottom paint?

Discussion in 'Technical Discussion' started by Capt J, Sep 28, 2011.

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  1. cleanslate

    cleanslate Senior Member

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    Hello All. Any new 2020 updates on this Capt J post from 2011 ? I'm looking for help with my 12 knot salt water 42' Ocean Yacht. Ablative is what I use, water base stuff and it's not so good IMO.
    Anything out there that really works, with out getting a diver on a monthly basis? Which I do not.
  2. boatpoor

    boatpoor Active Member

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    I've been happy with Sea Hawk Cukote. It still looks good after 21 months. I was under the boat last weekend and the only growth was on the shafts and wheels.
  3. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    I also still like the Seahawk Cukote for ablative. Unless the boat moves often, here in South Florida you always need a diver monthly, unless you have good hard paint.
    Last edited: Nov 2, 2020
  4. Boomer

    Boomer Senior Member

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    Micron csc...we did 30 months and it is time for a bottom job next month...occasional diver when the boat sits in the late summer months...
  5. cleanslate

    cleanslate Senior Member

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    Thanks for the quick replies. I get very little barnacle growth , but get seaweed and other sea skank at my slip. Had a green beard of string like sea weed form just below the water line this summer. I must admit I did not move the boat every week and she sat for a few weeks at times (was to busy using my Chris Craft Dory!!, lol.). I think I will give the Seahawk Cu-kote a try.
    I have a black bottom, wonder if that elevates the water and hull temp just below the water line to help with the sea growth? Seems like the sunnier side of my boat had more growth on it.

    My CC Dory was fine . That has red Interlux Fiberglass Bottomkote on it. Plus I run it more often at 30 + knots.
  6. bayoubud

    bayoubud Senior Member

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    I've use Trinidad and Micron CSC on different boats, both would easily last 2 years.
  7. MBevins

    MBevins Senior Member

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    My go-to as well.
    There customer service was stellar when I had a yard install mistake to deal with.
  8. Fishtigua

    Fishtigua Senior Member

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    Dad just bought a 52 gallon drum of red gunk. Not sure of it's abillities but it smelt rank. Welcome to my teen years.
  9. cleanslate

    cleanslate Senior Member

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    Probably old Baltimore copper red! Lol!
    That stuff works!
    But I believe has been outlawed years ago.
  10. Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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    I am still on Trinidad, 2 boats after posting on this thread, what 2011?
    Hauled out this summer and told the yard I wanted Trinidad Pro, just like last time, 27 months ago. (The old Pro was getting a bit thin, had a diver every 60 days or so, even when using the boat weekly come hell or high water, but the diver is not gentle on the paint, probably had him clean the bottom 11 times during the 27 months, it was time for a bottom job.)
    This time, July 2020, the yard said Oh No, a much better Petit paint than the Trinidad Pro is out now, called Trinidad HD, not only is it better, but also cheaper.:eek:
    Went back home and called the paint manufacturer, talked to customer service, they confirmed the new Trinidad HD is better, and cheaper..
    Ok, sold. The yard did a good job prepping and rolled on 2 coats, also Prop Speed on all metals to include rudder, tabs, prop and skeg.
    Barnacles are indeed absent after 4 months, a should be, but slime builds up much faster than with the Trinidad Pro, so much for better paint and less money.;)
    I should call somebody and b!tch, but too laid back.
    Will insist on Trinidad Pro next time.
    In the meantime, with the King tides we are having, easy enough to use a long shaft boat brush and clean the water line slime off, every 2 weeks now.
    Got bright blue paint, easy to see slime, with black paint it is invisible and not a problem.:confused:

    5A9A3BC5-C026-4858-8CCE-768EEB827C16.jpeg
  11. tbaxl

    tbaxl Member

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    Sea Hawk AF33 for me, used it on my old boat and while the new one is in the yard figured I might as well do the bottom. I called the the guy who bought my old boat before I bought new, he just re did the bottom and if I remember correctly that one lasted 32 months. Prep is key, I gave up paying others to do this for me.
  12. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    Hard paint will always outperform ablative over the long run. I've easily gotten 2-3 years out of hard paint and it was still effective. Ablative starts growing stuff pretty soon after leaving the yard.
  13. FIQ

    FIQ Member

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    Mid June 2016, I applied a coat of Red SeaHawk AF33 followed by 2 coats of black.
    We are in Southern Puget Sound where the average water temp is 53 degs.
    I have a diver clean our props, shafts, and replace the zincs 3 times a year.
    Just this last November we started to see the red, so we will be hauling out this May.
    Going to do the same procedure, sand, a coat of red, then 2 coats of black.
    Prob will either add another 12" wide coat of black at the waterline be cause of tick and debris scrapes.
  14. AnotherKen

    AnotherKen Member

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    From my experience, the best bottom painting layer should be primer after you clean the surface with TSP and then softly sand it and brush off the dust with a clean paint brush. Then you and paint with primer. When the primer is dry, sand it lightly and dust, then paint.
  15. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    Then you pay for the labor :eek: as most places, at least in this area, require someone with a pesticide license.
  16. Robert Page

    Robert Page New Member

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    Both boats are located in the northern Gulf of Mexico in Pensacola and Destin, FL area. I am very happy with SeaHawk products. I used Micron CSC in the past and never saw more than 3 years from a bottom job. I used Seahawk CUKOTE on "Southern Exposure" in 2017. She was stripped to the gelcoat, given 2 coats of SeaHawk Tuff Stuff barrier coat, then two coats of CUKOTE with Biocop TF additive in both coats and a third coat around the waterline areas. She has had a monthly once over by a diver who is gentle on the paint. She was hauled in 2019 for a hurricane and everything looked good so we put a Carolina smile on her and she is just beginning to look like we need to repaint her. I was so happy with the results, we are doing the same to Tres Leos using Biocop TF paint instead of CUKOTE with the Biocop TF additive.
  17. AnotherKen

    AnotherKen Member

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    Most primers and paints are somewhat toxic so usually you don't have to worry about pests (around here). I'm cheap enough to do the painting myself too if the boat is out of the water. If you mean keeping the bugs out of the cabins.. I have seen lots of boats with plastic taped around all the openings, maybe it was to keep bugs out.
  18. Capt Fred

    Capt Fred Senior Member

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    I'm interested in hearing some feedback on silicon based bottom paint on a cruiser used about once per month in SoCal? Does it last 10 years, how often does the bottom need to be cleaned, would cleaning be less expensive due to the nature of silicon? Any information would be appreciated.