Bottom paint or Bottom Wax?

[Norca]

[quoteThat is impressive Norca!][/quote]

I was surprised at the results and it was better than any of the previous seasons at home.
I wonder if the wax is more effective after 3 years of applying the stuff.
I will wax again this spring, and let's see what happens this summer.

[Kittiwake]

... I was surprised at the results and it was better than any of the previous seasons at home.
I wonder if the wax is more effective after 3 years of applying the stuff.
I will wax again this spring, and let's see what happens this summer.

Yes, I am keen to give it a try several times here. I suppose it is possible for instance, that we more-northern (well, except for the illustrious Yukonbob) rocky-shore types get a heavier growth of gritty adherent barnacles than certain Florida waters.
Kittiwake

[yukonbob]

... I was surprised at the results and it was better than any of the previous seasons at home.
I wonder if the wax is more effective after 3 years of applying the stuff.
I will wax again this spring, and let's see what happens this summer.

Yes, I am keen to give it a try several times here. I suppose it is possible for instance, that we more-northern (well, except for the illustrious Yukonbob) rocky-shore types get a heavier growth of gritty adherent barnacles than certain Florida waters.
Kittiwake

Not sure how to take that...but yes things grown fast and big in Alaska.I've seen a few neglected boats with what looks like a kelp bed growing off them. Whole legs turned into a forest. I have heard of boats sinking when left tooling due to bottom growth. Not sure whether the hull deteriorates / gets eaten or if the shear weight drags it down. On that note snow and ice loading has also contributed to capsizing boats.

[seahouse]

I bought and used the Aurora Wax many years ago, for the racing claims. Don't know if it worked for either purpose, though I did win many races. Never have bottom painted my X and just pulled it out of Alabama waters after 6 weeks. Yikes! Wife and I scraped for 3 hours and only got it half done. Plan on putting wax on for dunking in NOLA in 2 weeks.

You know what I found works great for cleaning, this stuff.



It's some nasty stuff, but works magic. Spray it on..wait..brush it off.

There are other hull cleaners that work well and are less toxic, but I have used this stuff many times. Saved me HOURS of work.

After he pulled it out for the season, I advised my neighbour, new to boating, to clean his (bare) hull before it had a chance to dry, because once it has dried, it's much tougher job. (I use a power washer, and just clean water, and it couldn't be easier or better). Unfortunately he couldn't, and it dried. He later used this exact product and said it worked like a charm for him.

[seahouse]

Other sailboats aren't capable of reaching the speeds needed to remove the excess growth like a Mac can

I have read this before. What speed is that?

Ray

88 MPH

You guys sound sceptical, not that there's anything wrong with that . So you are thinking that the maximum rate of growth release from friction with the water happens at slow sailing speeds, and does not increase with speed above that? I'm not sure that that's the case. Note I used the plural of speed in the post above, speeds.

Not sure exactly what you are asking, but to deconstruct, here's a loose colloquial line of logic.

1- at zero mph (in the marina) the rate that growth will be shed at will be less than at 65 mph (say, on a Sea-doo). The faster you go, the more friction there is, and the more growth will be shed.

2- the more time spent at speed, the more the growth will be shed. I don't think it gets shed instantly upon reaching a particular speed.

3- the more frequently you take your boat out for a run, the more the growth will be shed. There might even be an early stage in the growth and attachment life cycle where the organism has not yet had a chance to securely attach, so taking the boat out for a run at this stage might shed it, where a week later it might not. (or it might take a higher speed, and more friction with the water, to do it) Also, if the growth gets too severe, you might not be able to reach any where near the speed you need to be to shed the stuff.

4- a boat that has a top speed limit of, say, 9 knots (most sailboats our size) will therefore be less able to shed its growth than a boat that has a top speed of, say, 18 knots (like our Macs)

These are generalities for my area, salt water organisms might be different, and might attach more solidly (I know some attach and eventually penetrate the surface better than adhesives). If you walk around a marina, it's easy to see which boats get taken out, and which don't, by the amount of growth hanging from them.

I haven't been able to confirm it, but I was told years ago that, after waxing the under hull of a Sea-doo, that within the first few miles at 60 mph (maybe slower too) most of the wax will have been stripped from the bottom by friction with the water. That was regular boat wax, no special waxes that I knew of at that time.

Also, when I went to take my boat out of the water last fall that there was some growth on the bottom (maybe and inch or two of “beards”) so I went out for a fast run, and it was considerably less less than 1/4” when I pulled it out. The beards peel off, the slimy round blotchies, and low-profile growths seem to stay attached more tightly, but they all come off easily from the anti-foul coat with the pressure washer. There is a slight possibility that if I had gone out at much slower sailing speed that it would have peeled it off too, but I doubt it.

I guess keeping your hull clean by regular high speed runs seems to be more in the domain of power boats, than sailboats.

[Gazmn]

Needless to say, bottom painting = No Joy. & I'm considering a complete bottom redo to boot
But unless you " Mac" at less than 2 weeks per year or session, the multiple major sessional cleanups & overhauls are more than I'd do.
Mind you, I got no dog in this fight. My die was cast by my previous owner, & as you know, Once you go Black...

I use ablative & every 4 weeks or so, I take an old outdoor pushbroom I've put a pool noodle on, get in the water & scratch Miss Ollies back till she purrs...

[Norca]

And here I am resurrecting an old thread
But I was asked to give an update and here it is.
First time posting pictures:



This is after 5 weeks in Florida with Aurora VS 721 bottom wax applied according to the instructions (apply and then light buff)
I finished with a heavy coat of wax, and I think that is what came off when motoring fast during our last day before hauling
anyway it took off the brown slime that was on the bottom.
I then trailered the 3000 miles to the border, and then 700km to home left the boat behind the house until spring when I took theese pictures.
I am quite pleased with the result.

[Norca]

And here is a close-up of the surface:

[Sumner]

And here I am resurrecting an old thread
But I was asked to give an update and here it is.
First time posting pictures:



This is after 5 weeks in Florida with Aurora VS 721 bottom wax applied according to the instructions (apply and then light buff)
I finished with a heavy coat of wax, and I think that is what came off when motoring fast during our last day before hauling
anyway it took off the brown slime that was on the bottom.
I then trailered the 3000 miles to the border, and then 700km to home left the boat behind the house until spring when I took theese pictures.
I am quite pleased with the result.

That looks really good. I've found the results in Florida can really vary on when you are there so wondered when the 5 weeks took place?

The Kera Jane has had antifouling paint on while in Florida and the first time for about 4 weeks in the fall (Nov.-Dec.) there was no growth on the bottom upon take-out.

Then after about 7+ weeks in March to the beginning of May there were very small barnacles forming, about 1/8th inch, which easily came off with scraping with plastic once home. On this trip we went about 400 miles but moved and then sat some for 2-3 days and then moved again. During that time...



...the dinghy had to be cleaned 3 times so the bottom paint on the boat was working and I never cleaned it in the water.

This last trip of 1300 miles from the west coast to the Bahamas and back I had no growth in 12 weeks but was moving a lot and I think that let the ablative paint really do its job. This trip was at the same time of the year, March through May. It was the same paint that had gone on before the first trip. I also only had to clean the dinghy once during the trip and at trips end.

The key to Florida I think is time of year and how much you are moving and how fast. With respect to speed the X and M have an advantage on keeping the bottom clean,

Sumner

============================
1300 miles to the Bahamas and back -- 2015

The MacGregor 26-S

The Endeavour 37

Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Mac-Venture Links

[Norca]

We were there from end of January until end of February, so maybe the season with the least growth?
This end of August I pulled the boat after 5 weeks in the water at home, and this is the result:




This is similar to previous seasons growth, but this time I used Hullkote antifoul wax, just wipe on and wipe off
and no heavy coat after that so I don't think there is much difference between the two brands.
For max protection it is probably best to finish off with a heavy coat that will slowly wear off until You are down to the hard wax that is supposed to be so slippery
no growth can adhere to it.

[Norca]

And if Santa is good to me next Christmas he could bring me this:
http://cheap-diver.com/

Then I would be all set

I really want to avoid painting as long as possible!

[Terry]

For some I think perception plays a big role!
For the first few years I used the Aurora VS721 bottom wax and was quite happy with the results. I got about 5 weeks time in the water then had to haul out, clean the hull and re-apply the wax. About three times per season! It was a big ugly dirty job, took me all day, sometimes 2 days. At the time I was against painting because I was seasonal and knew if I painted I would also have to epoxy and that seemed or so I perceived to be a lot of work. At the same time I was putting out a lot of work just keeping that bare hull clean.
WellI finally took the plunge after a few years cleaning and went for the bottom paint. It was not as onerous as I thought it to be. Just a good de-wax, then sanding, then the 4-5 coats of epoxy that rolled on quite easily. When the last coat was almost dry but not quite I added the antifouling to make it adhere to the slightly tacky epoxy and then did about 2 more coats. That lasted about 2-3 years, can't remember and then I bought another gallon + a quart and did 4 coats. I think I am on year 4 now. I am still seasonal, only have the boat slipped for the summer but I never looked back after painting, it is the way to go and saves me a lot of hard work, i only add antifouling paint every few years, much much easier than cleaning that bare hull every 5 weeks! Perception is everything, paintings not all that hard.

[Norca]

I agree paint is probably less work in the long run, but I am gone 4-8 weeks at the time for work,
and when I have 5 weeks off, I just want to play, so an afternoon to clean and wax, then launch the next morning.

If I had longer periods off, I would paint for sure as 5 weeks seems to be the max for the wax.
I am curous to know if anyone have tried the "Cheap Diver"?

[Russ]

For some I think perception plays a big role!
For the first few years I used the Aurora VS721 bottom wax and was quite happy with the results. I got about 5 weeks time in the water then had to haul out, clean the hull and re-apply the wax. About three times per season! It was a big ugly dirty job, took me all day, sometimes 2 days. At the time I was against painting because I was seasonal and knew if I painted I would also have to epoxy and that seemed or so I perceived to be a lot of work. At the same time I was putting out a lot of work just keeping that bare hull clean.
WellI finally took the plunge after a few years cleaning and went for the bottom paint. It was not as onerous as I thought it to be. Just a good de-wax, then sanding, then the 4-5 coats of epoxy that rolled on quite easily. When the last coat was almost dry but not quite I added the antifouling to make it adhere to the slightly tacky epoxy and then did about 2 more coats. That lasted about 2-3 years, can't remember and then I bought another gallon + a quart and did 4 coats. I think I am on year 4 now. I am still seasonal, only have the boat slipped for the summer but I never looked back after painting, it is the way to go and saves me a lot of hard work, i only add antifouling paint every few years, much much easier than cleaning that bare hull every 5 weeks! Perception is everything, paintings not all that hard.

I'm close to where you were. Still using the wax. Tried VS721 and other waxes. Can't tell the difference other than cost. I think the VS721 is mostly placebo.
Some seasons are worse than others. Side of boat that gets sunlight seems to grow more.

My solution has been end of year cleaning solutions. Bleach works best. Thompsons composite deck cleaner (mostly bleach and detergent) sprayed on and wiped off with a brush works magic. Then Mary Kate On&Off (as nasty as it is) brushed on to hard to reach parts (like rudder brackets) melts any organic material right off.

One day I'll break down and paint the bottom. It's just so hard to get under there.

That cheap-diver looks interesting.

--Russ

[Terry]

For some I think perception plays a big role!.

I'm close to where you were. Still using the wax. Tried VS721 and other waxes. Can't tell the difference other than cost. I think the VS721 is mostly placebo.

One day I'll break down and paint the bottom. It's just so hard to get under there.

That cheap-diver looks interesting.

--Russ

One of those automobile creepers works pretty good for easily getting under the hull, but you do have to have a method for raising the boat higher than the trailer. I used those 4" wide rollers on mine, went through a few of them but the whole job only took a day.