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Dual waters bottom paint ??

Discussion in 'Technical Discussion' started by Capt Ralph, Jul 18, 2025 at 9:39 PM.

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  1. Capt Ralph, Jul 18, 2025 at 9:39 PM
    #1
    Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

    Joined:
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    Location:
    Satsuma, FL
    We finally busted out to clear water.
    Were back from a six week deployment. We leaped froged down the Florida coast to Elliot Key and back.
    All while dragging our 17’ Mako.
    The weather stayed tolerable and all offshore. Gad we hate the ditch.

    When we departed our fresh water dock, I knew there was just a littlie green fuzz on both boats waterlines. All seemed clear and despite dragging the 17’ brick, all ran very well.

    Reminder to self; Never drag a drone (brick) again…

    When we reached Elliot Key and I went down on the hookah for some back therapy, I was quickly alarmed.
    The 17 Mako was fouling and some barnacle larva was already attaching on our Bert’s bottom. Bert’s shafts and struts already fouled.
    So much for a relaxing knap in aqua space, I spent the whole day cleaning ole Bert and SCRAPPING the Mako.

    After the Mako cleaning, it was used well including a run back to Dinner Key and return.

    So now we are back home. Back in fresh water.
    Two days later, the Mako is on a trailer and in our yard.
    Transom is buried is an inch of barnacles. Top of trim taps and under some hull strakes.
    After a whole day of pressure washing with a turbo-jet nozzle, removing all but a fresh barrier coat, barnacle foot-prints still remain on the transom requiring sanding (grinding) aweigh.

    I was talked into this new Sherwin Williams ablative paint for our Bertram. Supposed to be dual purpose fresh/salt water.

    The Mako was just bottom prepped with barrier coat and a hard paint for the area before our purchase 1.5 years ago.

    I understand nothing sticks or works on running gear. No issues here with me.

    But larva and barnacles forming on bottoms quickly? The Bertram was only static for 8 days at Elliot. The Mako static for two days max anywhere.

    It is obvious that the Mako’s bottom paint is now toast and near all pressure washed off. What is left will be sanded off with the last barnacle remains.


    What is our collective thoughts on a trailable, dual water, bottom paint for a 20+knt Mako?

    Next haul, what could be a better bottom paint for our Bertram 58 MY?



    Thank all for your thoughts,

    Ralph
  2. SplashFl, Jul 19, 2025 at 12:19 AM
    #2
    SplashFl

    SplashFl Senior Member

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    S. Florida _ Bertram 46
    I've read different paints for different waters. A few weeks prior to purchase a Miami yard bottom painted with Micron CSC. When in the Ft. Laud yard a yr. later they recommended the same paint with Propspeed on running gear. That was nearly 2 yrs. ago. Diver reports bottom clean. Never had paint last this long since the good ole days of Micron 44, when also used Tri Lux on running gear. I suspect the ingredients in Tri Lux changed so stopped using it about 4 yrs. back.
  3. Norseman, Jul 21, 2025 at 7:32 AM
    #3
    Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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    Location:
    Palm Coast, Florida
    Our boats have spent most of their idle time in brackish waters on a canal up the New River in Fort Lauderdale and always had Trinidad bottom paint, Black, Blue, Pro and another name for the latest version. (Can’t remember what they called it)
    Very happy with Trinidad, hard epoxy based paint, got max 4 years out of 2 coats. 1 year out of Prop Speed.
    The Albin got a 2 hour cruise once a week come hell or high water and a diver every 6 weeks for a quick beauty treatment: Few if any barnacles but some slime/dust on the sailboat as it would sit 2-4 months between voyages.
    (The sailboat engine would be ran in gear once a month while tied to the seawall to keep the prop somewhat clean and I would dive on it, scraping/cleaning on every Bahamas and FL Keys trip, then got rewarded with a cold drink or two afterwards)
    Good old days before one got lazy and got sucked into power boats with PropSpeed on the rudder and the running gear and a diver on the speed dial.:cool:
  4. Capt J, Jul 21, 2025 at 5:18 PM
    #4
    Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    Sherwin Williams makes house paint, I wouldn't use anything from them on a bottom.

    Seahawk, Micron. and Trinidad make bottom paint that is ok with freshwater and they all work.

    Trilux should work good on your running gear and generally lasts 14 months or so IF you don't have any electrolysis.
  5. captholli, Jul 21, 2025 at 6:21 PM
    #5
    captholli

    captholli Senior Member

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    Sherwin Williams has been in the marine paint business since the early 1900's if not longer and has a complete line of coatings from bottom paints through topside enamels and high performance fully aliphatic linier urethanes. Though not widely used or accepted in the U.S. by recreational boaters, their products are found in many of ship and boat yards around the world. You'd be surprised at what marine coatings company's / manufactures apply their labels onto Sherwin Wiliams proprietary coatings products for resale. It's safe to say that every U.S. Navy and Coast Guard vessel has Sherwin Willliams bottom coatings and topside coating systems on them
  6. Capt Ralph, Jul 21, 2025 at 7:06 PM
    #6
    Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    In the late 80s & early 90s I was shooting Duracoat and S/W two-part paints. Worked great.
    When S/W epoxy bottom barrier was recommend, we went there. 18+ years later still rock solid.

    So when Junior recommended the S/W ablative bottom paint, I did not worry.
    In my opinion (IMO) today, it sux.

    Honestly, it's probably the waters we are in; fresh water with a tanic stain & some water line fuzz, then to salt water.
    So, It's the choice of paint, probably not the mfg. I just listened to a meat head and should of stayed with the Pettit/Pro.
    Last edited: Jul 21, 2025 at 7:13 PM
  7. Capt Ralph, Jul 21, 2025 at 7:39 PM
    #7
    Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    By the way (BTW), yesterday I got a high pressure error on my new and bomb proof galley A/C system.
    Strainer and lines fouled.

    In 6 weeks, fouled near shut closed.
    The coup de grâce was the tanic and silt from the rain run-off in the river that built up against the massive fouling in the strainers and lines. The best paint would not help on this.
    Just shows that the barnacle larva was busy and plentiful during our 6 week hop.

    Still, next haul, I will be looking for a better bottom paint.
  8. captholli, Jul 21, 2025 at 8:16 PM
    #8
    captholli

    captholli Senior Member

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    Bottom paint performance and longevity has turned into a crapshoot since the heady early days of now outlawed toxic biocides and 80% copper loads but I recon it all depends on where you keep your boat, how often it moves and the kind of equipment that your divers use when cleaning the bottom etc. Certain great saltwater coatings are rendered useless in fresh to brackish waters and I'm guessing that you're in mostly brackish water for most of the year? From what mt buddy says who keeps his down easter in the Chesapeake, He uses Pettit's Odyssey bottom paint that's formulated for brackish water and he gets a couple of years out of it and his boat moves quite a bit working traps. I'd venture to say that any ablative coating with a high copper content would be a good choice in brackish to more salty water like Interlux Micron CSC $$$ but that's another factor, the wallet pain factor .