Thinking of slipping Mac without bottom paint

[pokerrick1]

I know a few players that I would like to be underwater with for extended periods

Rick Less

PS I'm looking at a 1999 40' Carver motoryacht tomorrow at Lake Mead - - - he wants wayyyyyy too much money for it but the pictures look great - - - - we'll see!

PPS I started out looking at 23' open bows - - - now see what has evolved (morphed)

PPSS I can rationalize ANYTHING now; reasoning that this will be my last boat

[capncarp]

I slipped my first summer without bottom paint. That was a huge mistake. It ended up costing me $3000. to have the blisters repaired. I had a thousand blisters. I even had a liquid bottom anti-fouling coating on it. I wouldn't worry about the slime. I'd worry about the blisters. Of coarse Mac wouldn't cover it. Anti-foulant helps but it isn't for protecting the bottom. You need a barrier (epoxy) coat and then the anti-foulant.

capncarp,
99X

[Terry]

I slipped my first summer without bottom paint. That was a huge mistake. It ended up costing me $3000. to have the blisters repaired. I had a thousand blisters. I even had a liquid bottom anti-fouling coating on it. I wouldn't worry about the slime. I'd worry about the blisters. Of coarse Mac wouldn't cover it. Anti-foulant helps but it isn't for protecting the bottom. You need a barrier (epoxy) coat and then the anti-foulant.

capncarp,
99X

Since you have to remove the wax and rough sand the bottom to make it adhesive for paint you are essentially preparing it to ensure blisters, therefore the epoxy barrier coat is mandatory. The anti-fouling will not protect from blisters as it is ablative and will allow water to pass through. A good four heavy coats (two gallons) of expoxy will do the trick and add resale value to your boat.

[curtis from carlsbad]

If I can dredge up a few more answers guys? -Sorry to the other recent posters for getting to the top again (Sincerely): Does the Aurora VS721 bottom wax work against blisters if I never slip the boat for more than two -seven days and make sure to sponge off algae every three days while boat is in water? I will properly apply at least two coats of VS721 in the next two weeks and annually. I talked to the Admiral about slipping and she wants me to keep the boat on the trailer at a boat storage facility(mast down) next to a breathtaking saltwater lagoon 4 blocks from our house. It will cost me 160 dollars a month and includes hosedown/flush / washing privelages. It should be easy to back boat into parking space also because space is not at an angle and is very wide (about 13 feet ).She wants to apply the difference I would pay by slipping to our mortgages until Oceanside slip comes through. When my Oceanside slip comes through in about 5.5 years, I will pony up the cash and put on the proper epoxy/antifouling application. Thanks to all who helped me decide during last few days- Curtis Becker

[bluehawk]

I slip our Mac (05M, bought it new) in Lake Michigan, I have used the VS721 for the last four years. The water is pretty clean, and I liked the VS721, easy to apply, and slime, etc comes off pretty easy as well. We anchored in shallow water a couple times a year and get underneath and scrub hard with a sponge, and it cleans up pretty well, and then power washed the rest off at the end of the season. However, I did develop a handful of very small blisters last year, and finally had bottom coating with epoxy, followed by bottom paint. I had this professionally done, the total was by far the lowest quote at $1,200 total, and the guy said one more season in the water and the blisters probably would have required much more work to address.
I, like many others, was reluctant to paint the pristine white bottom when it was new, and you might be able to get by a few years, but definitely need to keep an eye on it and at the first sign of blisters get an epoxy on it right away.
My two cents worth.
Dean

[Sumner]

................Since you have to remove the wax and rough sand the bottom to make it adhesive for paint you are essentially preparing it to ensure blisters, therefore the epoxy barrier coat is mandatory. The anti-fouling will not protect from blisters as it is ablative and will allow water to pass through. A good four heavy coats (two gallons) of epoxy will do the trick and add resale value to your boat.

I agree, why not put the barrier coat on when it is easy to do after the de-waxing and sanding you are going to have to do anyway.

I bought Sea Hawks' Tuff Stuff High-Build Epoxy Primer (2GL KIT) from these guys....

http://www.bottompaintstore.com/Tuff-St ... oductId=42

...for $120.00. It goes on thicker than some epoxies, so only needs two coats. I feel this is only going to add one extra day (not a whole day, just a day to apply it before the bottom paint) to the job and I'll feel a lot better.

I'm with Terry in that sanding the bottom is just going to increase the chances for blistering, but you have to do it to apply a bottom paint correctly.

c ya,

Sum

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[Irafatsar]

Slip is booked. 300.00 per month 20.00 per week hull cleaning 80.00 380.00 for a condo at mission beach. with two parking spaces. (overnight parking ).
We had the boat in a total of five months last year with no bottom paint. Still looks like brand new.

[curtiss]

Not sure this will add much to what already has been said but here is my experience on five weeks in the water in Baja Mexico this Spring. Before I took the boat down I cleaned and waxed the bottom with a good carnuba auto wax. After three weeks in the water I pulled it into 2-3 ft of water anchored bow and stern and my wife and I cleaned the bottom with a couple of plastic scouring sponges we bought in the local Mercado. It took us about twenty minutes. The bottom had some slime and small barnacles were just starting. With a little pressure the sponges did a good job of cleaning everything off. There was a small strip down the center that I had to put on my mask and snorkel to clean.

Two weeks later we again pulled it into shallow water and repeated. For some reason there was less growth than the first time. I hauled one week after the second cleaning and the bottom was surprisingly clean. Before I take her out again I will clean and put another coat of wax on. So far I will continue to clean every 2-3 weeks in warm water rather than anti-fouling on trips up to two months. In cold water or if slipping the boat I probably would re-think the anti-fouling thing.

Curtiss on LaVida

[Irafatsar]

two Curtis'es now thats confusing

[Catigale]

Two curtsee's would be confuzed..

[beene]

Hello

my .02

I am slipped in fresh water from May to Oct every year. I had a sandpiper sailboat for 10 years before I got my M. I never painted my small sailboat and had nothing but problems from start to finish with the bottom. It was a 1977 model and was in bad shape when I bought it, so I just kept the thinking that it was an interim boat only and was not worth $$$ to fix it up as I only paid 2700 for the boat, motor and trailer.

With my M, I wanted to keep it looking like new but did not know if paint was the only option. I tried no paint season 1. Bad idea. I tried anti fowling wax season 2, did not work. Tried Interlux VC17M last season, fantastic results.

I asked around my marina and that is what everyone with far larger and more expensive boats of all types were using.

So I bought it, followed the instructions, ie sanded, cleaned, and applied 2 coats the first year, and 1 coat after that.

Goes on fast and simple.
No mess.
No fuss.

I chose to put 1.5" painters tape along the bottom edge of the black stripe as I knew where the waterline was and wanted to preserve the look of the white/black/white.





G

[Bluecrab]

Goes on fast and simple.
No mess.
No fuss.

Unless there are thunders storms. I am supposed to be painting mine at this moment but the weather just turned nasty. Today was supposed to be nice with isolated chance of thunderstorms tomorrow. Oh well, that Minnesota. 80 degree temps early May, back to the 30's a week later, then 40's and rain, sunny and 70's all this week, 80's yesterday, today rain. I'll get it paint yet

Wally

[ksatterlee]

You may wish to read some of the posts on gel coat blistering. The hull on my 07 26M is blistering after only 1 season in a slip. From what I've read so far an epoxy barrier coat with a top coat of ablative bottom paint seems like it may be the best way to go.

[sbods]

I keep my X in Southampton UK.
Very tidal and very dirty!!

She has now been in the water for 18 months solid (I decided last year to really use her over the winter to get the most out of her). Yes I made sure that she was well coated in a good coat or epoxy and then several coats of antifoul but the results have been very robust.

If I do not use her for a week or more she starts to grow a "beard" but a quick blast with a few sharp "S" turns thrown in and she is as clean as the day she was slipped.

As for speed, I read with interest how everyone seems to be hitting 17-20kts, now either my engine is not upto scratch (read yamaha 50 intermitant starting problem post), I run her a little heavy (equipped for a family of 4) OR the antifoul creates drag but whatever I can only get to around 15kts with 12 really feeling comfortable.

Steve

[DaveB]

If you are going to leave your boat in the water in a slip You need to do at least 2-3 coats of Apoxy barrier coat such at Interlux 2000E than put your fouling bottom paint on.
Gelcoat absorbes water thru it's pores and can cause osmosis (bubbles in the laminite between fiberglass and gelcoat)
Play it sfe before you have major blistering.
Dave

I am probably going to get a slip in San Diego at the cost of $448 per month for at least this summer. I am on a 5.5 year waiting list in Oceanside,Ca. at a cost of $75 per year just to wait. When I get the slip there it will be about $11.50 -$12.50 per foot per month. I wonder how often I would have to swim under the boat with a snorkeling mask on and how difficult it would be to clean if I just decide not to put on bottom paint at all. I am undecided on getting the $900 bottom paint applied both for speed considerations and I am unsure I will slip boat for the entire year. If I did slip her long term, is it even possible to swim under myself or is it too difficult over the long term ?