Click for Mag Bay Click for Burger Click for Mulder Click for Abeking Click for Nordhavn

Best bottom paint for southern boats?

Discussion in 'Technical Discussion' started by NEO56, Oct 31, 2014.

You need to be registered and signed in to view this content.
  1. NEO56

    NEO56 Member

    Joined:
    May 2, 2014
    Messages:
    656
    Location:
    Miami
    A large percentage of boats in the south use an ablative bottom paint which makes sense to me. But now they have ablative's with all kinds other algae killing ingredients, and the list goes on and on, to the point of being almost impossible to decide which way to go. A couple of years ago I read that someone had developed a bottom paint so slippery, that nothing could attach to it. My memory isn't that good anymore, but in that article they mentioned it was about $800 a gallon. I'm hoping the Captains here will have some feedback on this.
  2. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2004
    Messages:
    12,649
    Location:
    Satsuma, FL
    Are you talking about SpeedProp? Some kind of non stick money pit?
    Pettit Pro and a diver dusting every month is the best bottom paint.
  3. NEO56

    NEO56 Member

    Joined:
    May 2, 2014
    Messages:
    656
    Location:
    Miami
    No, It wasn't SpeedProp....It was a non-ablative bottom paint. I'll have to call PMY and get the back issue. Since it's been out for a few years now, there should be some type of database available.
  4. Bamboo

    Bamboo Senior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 19, 2008
    Messages:
    934
    Location:
    Palm Beach, FL
    I believe you may be thinking of "Seaslide". I tried it once with the 65 Donzi over ablative bottom paint with no quantifiable results. Big qualifier here is that I did not really have the time nor crew to try and find results. Secondly it's not supposed to last as long with ablative paint- it's better with a hard paint. It's certainly worth a second look IMHO if you have the right conditions to apply it- meaning you have a boat which already has hard paint or are stripping the bottom and moving to hard paint and wish to spend the money on a unproven product.
  5. K1W1

    K1W1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 30, 2005
    Messages:
    7,388
    Location:
    My Office
  6. CSkipR

    CSkipR Member

    Joined:
    Aug 16, 2008
    Messages:
    965
    Location:
    New Smyrna Beach, Fl
    Kiwi,
    That web page is not working.
  7. Old Phart

    Old Phart Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 14, 2011
    Messages:
    1,332
    Location:
    I dunno
  8. leeky

    leeky Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 2, 2011
    Messages:
    381
    Location:
    Florida
    Works for me.
  9. Chasm

    Chasm Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2013
    Messages:
    137
    Location:
    Germany
    The whole Jotun site has problems at this time.
  10. NEO56

    NEO56 Member

    Joined:
    May 2, 2014
    Messages:
    656
    Location:
    Miami
    Kiwi, the jotun product looks very promising, I searched the suppliers in the U.S., and none of them mentioned carrying Anti fouling paints. Is there something in that product that doesn't meet EPA standards? I'll get on the blower tomorrow morning, and make some calls. Thank you for the info!
  11. K1W1

    K1W1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 30, 2005
    Messages:
    7,388
    Location:
    My Office
  12. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 11, 2005
    Messages:
    14,432
    Location:
    Fort Lauderdale
    I used Sea-slide on one boat that had hard paint, the boat did pick up 2 knots and seemed to maintain the speed for 14 months. I don't think I'd try it on ablative.

    I have had good results in South Florida with the Seahawk Ku-cote ablative. It seems to work well. However, one one boat I managed we put it over Petit Hydrocoat and it worked well for a year, then the second bottom job time used the seahawk again and then both layers of the seahawk peeled off of the Petit. Seahawk did offer up and give free paint, but nothing more. However, I use it on all my management boats that have ablative and am very happy with it's effectiveness.
  13. NEO56

    NEO56 Member

    Joined:
    May 2, 2014
    Messages:
    656
    Location:
    Miami
    Kiwi, What's up with Jotun? I liked what I read on their website, and searched for suppliers here in the US. They listed their products, but none of them listed anti-fouling paint, when I called to inquire with several importers, I got a short neck...as in "I don't know what your talking about" Finally I called corporate here in the US, and was given a name, who I called, but never called back. I'm just wondering if there's something in their anti-fouling paint that doesn't sit well with the EPA? Oh well...I'll get some answers tomorrow.
  14. Bamboo

    Bamboo Senior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 19, 2008
    Messages:
    934
    Location:
    Palm Beach, FL
    I also use the Cukote in black and it seems to be a good paint. What hard paint did you use? When/if we buy a faster boat I'd like to move to a hard paint.
  15. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 11, 2005
    Messages:
    14,432
    Location:
    Fort Lauderdale
    I've had very good results with the top Interlux hard paint. I believe it's the Ultra.
  16. P46-Curaçao

    P46-Curaçao Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2013
    Messages:
    734
    Location:
    Curaçao (CW), Hollywood (FL) and Amsterdam (NL)
    What’s wrong with Micron 66?

    Is it the US ‘green’ version? If yes, we are lucky with the extra sh*t added, for a long trouble free period!
  17. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 11, 2005
    Messages:
    14,432
    Location:
    Fort Lauderdale
    I find it to be the least effective bottom paint here in South Florida. Boats I've had that had it were growing algae on the waterline the first month, and you needed a diver within 6 weeks of painting it. The seahawk doesn't grow any algae and is also very effective against barnacles for a long time. My preference is hard paint as I find it to be a heck of a lot more effective than any ablative, but if you have ablative you're stuck with ablative. I've also had good luck with the Petit Vivid and hydrocoat, Micron Ultra is ok. Adding a 6 ounce bottle of cayenne pepper to the bottom paint helps a lot too.

    Paints may perform better in one region over other's, and vice-versa
  18. NEO56

    NEO56 Member

    Joined:
    May 2, 2014
    Messages:
    656
    Location:
    Miami
    I finally spoke with Milton Camps at Jotun today, and most of their anti-fouling paint has a copper base and is not allowed into this Country at this time. Having said that, they do make an anti-fouling paint called "Sea Force" 200 & 300 (different levels of biocides) I was also told that if I really wanted to use their "Mega Yacht" ablative, I could go to the Bahamas to get it applied...yeah right! My luck, some EPA mole would find me out..and they'd hit me with a million dollar fine, and confiscate my boat!
  19. NEO56

    NEO56 Member

    Joined:
    May 2, 2014
    Messages:
    656
    Location:
    Miami
    J, I know this is going to sound stupid, but it's not meant to be...what if you were to paint blue hard paint, then put a black ablative over that, so that when it's time for a paint job, the blue starts showing through?