Notice:
The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.
Took Phredde in for a long over-due bottom job. They hauled her today and are asking me what color I want the bottom. I hadn't really thought about that. I've read where with two coats it is useful to have two different color paints to assess the paint wear. Any advice/preferences? It was painted black, but not sure how much of that is left.
If you're using an ablative paint, two colors can be helpful. I use a self polishing paint on mine, red over black. If I see black peeking through its time for a paint job.
It depends on how you intend to use the boat. I have one boat with ablative paint that I store on the hard over the winter, and put one coat of paint on the bottom each spring. The surface coat is red and the underlying coat is blue. If I see a tinge of blue showing through, I'll put on two coats for the season. If not, I'll only put on one coat.
I have another boat that has hard racing paint on it. It stays in the water all year around, and I have it scrubbed regularly by a diver. He will tell me when the bottom paint is getting thin. There's no point in me putting two different colors on that boat, because I will never see the bottom until I haul it out for fresh antifouling paint.
Some people keep their boat in year around and plan to repaint the bottom only after 3 years or more, when the bottom gets really foul. There's no point in putting two different colors on their boat.
Whether you should apply two colors depends on how you plan to use the boat.
Steve Milby J/24 "Captiva Wind" previously C&C 35, Cal 25, C25 TR/FK, C22 Past Commodore
Thanks for the advice. I should have mentioned that the boat is in salt water 100% of the time. And you're right it's rare for me to see more than a few inches below the waterline. Unless we are heeling way too far!
The yard rep mentioned that divers prefer a lighter color to see where to clean, but that would mean I have to hire a diver.
Maybe I will go with red this time and see how that goes.
thanks Stu - I am sure I will be more interested in that once I pay the bill for the haul out and paint. Can I ask how often do you get it done and what do they charge?
Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ. The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.