Painting Height

[kasmith21]

Decided to slip my boat this season, so I am just figuring out my bottom paint strategy as my Mac has never been painted. I have been searching old posts and I am leaning to Interprotect 2000 barrier paint and then VC17 anti-foul (since the boat will be in Lake Ontario fresh water most of the season, with a few trips to Georgian bay and lake erie). Anyhow, my question is how high up the side of the boat should I paint?
Thanks

[Capt Sully]

Good Question. Do you need to do this if your only having your Mac in fresh water for around 4 or 5 months?? it's a 2010 M

[FAAbaddog]

Hi,

Just had mine done 2 weeks ago, the paint was brought up to the bottom stripe all the way around the bottom portion of the hull.

I will have my 2011 26M on a mooring in front of my condo on Pensacola Beach for 6-7 months a year, and with the ETEC-60, two 12 gallon gas tanks full, and always full ballast it seems spot on.

JMHO,

BADDOG

[seacatcapt]

Not to be flippant, but the short answer would be to paint to above the water line! For me, I wanted to create a second accent stripe so I left about an inch of white hull below the factory blue accent stripe. Some on this forum might call the new white stripe a "speed stripe". The finished product looks like this.

At that height, the bottom paint is "just" above the water line for my boat and loading. However, it's very close to the water line, so if you are not sure, I would either put the boat in the water and determine your true water line or look for the previous season "bath tub ring", if not already cleaned off!!

[AlaskaMan]

Just had my X painted. I put 2 inch tape at the bottom of the bootstrap then painted up to it.
Mental Floss

[Divecoz]

If you look for pictures... you'll see that most these boats sit with the boot stripe a couple inches above the water .. depending on the load... and it may not be level front to back.. That Speed Stripe is cool !!!
Barrier coat for sure 3 to 5 coats .. Anti-fouling is all over the table.. Isn't it Petite That has a New Generation Product with 30% more copper for 30% less money and its unaffected by haul-outs and dry-outs and last 2 to 4 years on our boats??? Remember many wont withstand a long haul-out.. $$$$

[Matt19020]

I painted to the boot stripe ...A buddy of mine has been slipping boats for 20+ years and he told me to go to the stripe otherwise that 1 1/2" area under the stripe just gets yellowish from the general sloshing of the watrer at the slip and it is a pain in the A$$ to clean and more difficult to tape each time. I listened and it works for me...I usually try to get 2 seasons out of the paint this time I am going to try 3 seasons

Look at the area you are thinking of not painting at the end of a season:

After a light pressure washing:

In Water:

[seahouse]

Hey kasmith! I'm doing the Interprotect 2000, then Micron instead of the VC17. I'll be slipping, but trailering as well. I'm not sure of the difference, any idea? - did Dowsar suggest the VC to you?
So how easy are the rudder brackets to remove, or do you just paint around them, or over them? (And the motor mounts)?
- B.

[kasmith21]

B.
Dowsar did recommend the VC17, however your comment got me thinking and researching the forums a little more (I really appreciate this site). I am now leaning to returning the VC17 and putting on Petit Vivid after the Interlux 2000. Apparently you can use this antifouling on metal (rudder brackets and motor mount) and it is a little more abrasion resistance for the couple of times a year I trailer the boat. I will check with West Marine/Dowsar to see if there is any compatability issue with using Interlux 2000 and Petit Vivid.
Cheers
Kevin

[nedmiller]

If you are the kind of person who likes working on your boat... adding mods, etc.... make sure to paint things high enough for you to put a couple hundred pounds of Mods in! Several of us on this board have had to raise our 'water line' a few times!
SILK

[DaveB]

Especially when the ballest is full and waterline drops 4 inches. In this case 1250 lbs of water ballest equals 4 inch lower on the water line. Add how much weight you are adding for crew and provisions and will work out about #350 lbs per 1 " lower hull, the hull increases in width and volume so,rounding out is more like 1 inch per 400 pounds for a ballest boat and around 300 lbs per 1 inch drop in hull on a unballest boat.These figuares are approx. but very close.
Motor wise, for every 100-150 lbs you put aboard you will lose 1 mph on the Mac.X with 50hp engine.
Dave

If you are the kind of person who likes working on your boat... adding mods, etc.... make sure to paint things high enough for you to put a couple hundred pounds of Mods in! Several of us on this board have had to raise our 'water line' a few times!
SILK

[DaveB]

Matt, was just going thru your pictures and noticed your outboard had a waterline slime on it.
You need to keep that engine above the water so electrolises doesn't happen, your sacraficial zinks will corrode rapid if in a Marina .

Dave

[NiceAft]

Dave,

Does it make a difference between salt and fresh?

Ray