Question for Salt Water Sailors

[Love MACs]

Got the boat out yesterday, so today I started cleaning it. Got it looking...well nice with Starbright boat wash and plan to wax her tomorrow. BUT cleaning off the bottom scum from 9 months in fresh water, some of the bottom paint became scratched and nicked. You can see the bottom white where it was nicked and scratched. I did most of this with a brush and Starbright. But got lazy and started to use my pressure washer, on medium pressure. It started to peel off the paint right and left and before I stopped I had one patch of missing bottom paint that is about 10" by 5" and a couple about half that size.

My Question (and concern) is what will be the damage if not repainted before we take it to the Keys in Dec We will be there about three months and would plan on repainting her when we get back and before we put her back in her home Marina slip. But wondering what kind of damage or problems I would have if the bottom is not re-painted before we go

Looking for answers and suggestions from those of you who sail southern waters and know the salt water effect on Macs.


Allan

[jschrade]

Are you planning to keep it in the water for 3 months? That's not a good idea.

For the peace of mind, I would fix it.

Jim

[Love MACs]

Yes, the boat will be in the water for three months.



Allan

[Russ]

If you have the boat in salt water without antifouling paint you will get fouling. Barnacles and such. Not pretty. I'd sand and repaint the spots that have nothing.


--Russ

[Divecoz]

BTDT results ?? Port Charlotte Harbor SW Florida 3 + Months ... Another power wash ... basically No Growth.. BUT I sailed the boat a lot and powered it a lot as well and OOOPPssssss got shoved up on a sand bar in a gale force storm hahahaaa

[LOUIS B HOLUB]

Allan...dont make the mistake a "novice" painter did to my Mac X. He "light" sanded, and applied the paint without "de-waxing". In 6 mos, the paint was peeling, and I personally removed all the paint, sanded, and then as recommended by a professional (I de-Waxed). I've had no paint peeling, over 2 years already, and it's done fine in a salt water slip.

Good luck. If the the bottom is painted correctly...you're done, and dont have to be concerned.

[Divecoz]

First step is Always...... to De-WAX / Clean.... If You don't you compound the effort needed to De -Wax after.... you just have sanded that wax into the remaining surface. I have Painted a lot....... of cars boats and Motorcycles over the years and The Prep Steps is... #1. Clean/de-wax first....
Products are numerous but common Toluene works DuPont Prep-Sol is meant for just this first step..
Again , you are as I still am ...live on fresh water.. I found no real issue from letting it sit for 3+ months in salt water .. Nothing the pressure washer and Mary Kate ( hull cleaner) couldn't handle..I.. didn't even have Barrier Coat applied... Do You Have time to repair the paiint and do you have the weather ?? Temps..... to do so? If Not.... No worry mon..

Allan...dont make the mistake a "novice" painter did to my Mac X. He "light" sanded, and applied the paint without "de-waxing". In 6 mos, the paint was peeling, and I personally removed all the paint, sanded, and then as recommended by a professional (I de-Waxed). I've had no paint peeling, over 2 years already, and it's done fine in a salt water slip.

Good luck. If the the bottom is painted correctly...you're done, and dont have to be concerned.

[Indulgence]

As you can see in the photographs below, bottom paint is really not necessary.

[LOUIS B HOLUB]

As you can see in the photographs below, bottom paint is really not necessary.

Yuk...that's the stuff that ruins a fine boat.

[Catigale]

Add some red sauce and youve got a nice meal there..

[pokerrick1]

Add some red sauce and youve got a nice meal there..

Also add bacon

Rick

[Highlander]

Well if ya gona add bacon might as well make it a sausage with the works
http://s844.photobucket.com/albums/ab1/ ... 010072.mp4

J

[c130king]

This was about 8 weeks in the water at Norfolk, VA (Apr & May 07). I had barrier coat but no anti-fouling (didn't know that at the time).



Scrapped them off with a plastic putty knife and then finished the job off with strong power washer. Bit of a hassle to get them off...but man that was a GREAT 8 weeks...sailed just about every day except for one tropical storm pushing through (3 days) and my steering broke (5 days).

Have fun and let us know about all your adventures down in Florida.

Cheers,
Jim
Sailing on König

[Divecoz]

WOW What a difference between Locations .. !!!!!

Indulgence, how long was the dink in the water ??

Guys, I only had scum on mine after 3 + Months Port Charlotte Harbor Florida... Maybe the time of year? I was in Jan Feb March and much of April...
I have more from 5 months in Lake Michigan.. I had some tiny back dots and asked my brother what they were ? He said barnacles. I Mix Up total of a gallon of water and the prescribed amount of Mary Kate Hull Cleaner .. Sprayed the bottom first and then from the stripe down.. a few minutes later I started up the power washer and about an hour later from that I was done...
I had Aurora Antifouling wax from the previous spring .. but I had growth I had washed off in Oct. when I brought her home.. Couldn't be any of that left ..
So Its GOT to be a difference of ..... 1 or both...... Time and or Location..

[DaveB]

In Cape Coral, FL. Barnacles will begin to develop in 2 weeks, in 1 mo. green slime is covering the bottom and barnacles are about 1/8 inch in size. This is if you leave the boat in a Marina and not sailing. If you plan on sailing a lot and in winter the growth will be much less. You may just want to pull the boat every 3 weeks to scrub it down or go overboard and scrub it on a sand bar. I don't have any bottom paint and sailed the upper keys for 5 days at a time and no growth in winter.I use Starbrite polish and holds up excellent with 2 coats within 30 days.
I would pressure-wash all the bottom paint off as it sounds like the person who applied the paint didn't acetone the wax off and sand the hull with 120 sandpaper. If you are going to leave boat in water apply min. 2 coats of epoxy barrier coat before you put on bottom paint, Interlux 2000 is very good .
The Barrier coating will prevent osmosis (blistering of the gel-coat).
Dave

Got the boat out yesterday, so today I started cleaning it. Got it looking...well nice with Starbright boat wash and plan to wax her tomorrow. BUT cleaning off the bottom scum from 9 months in fresh water, some of the bottom paint became scratched and nicked. You can see the bottom white where it was nicked and scratched. I did most of this with a brush and Starbright. But got lazy and started to use my pressure washer, on medium pressure. It started to peel off the paint right and left and before I stopped I had one patch of missing bottom paint that is about 10" by 5" and a couple about half that size.

My Question (and concern) is what will be the damage if not repainted before we take it to the Keys in Dec We will be there about three months and would plan on repainting her when we get back and before we put her back in her home Marina slip. But wondering what kind of damage or problems I would have if the bottom is not re-painted before we go

Looking for answers and suggestions from those of you who sail southern waters and know the salt water effect on Macs.


Allan