how long before I'll need bottom paint?

[protocool]

Hey all,

been a long-time lurker here, you guys all helped me to decide that the 26M was the best option for my family.

I've had my 2008 M for a month now and the only thing I regret is not getting out on the water enough

With that in mind, a buddy of mine who has a space at the local government dock (on Vancouver Island) managed to sweet-talk the wharfinger into letting me raft-up against him long-term over the summer.

It's a great location, tucked out of the way of traffic and extremely well protected from the elements.

So after the initial surge of excitement of being able to call the wife and say "the wind is up, gather the kids and meet me at the boat in 10 minutes!" I've started to worry about barnacles and such...

Friends say "just trailer it home once a month and power wash it and you'll be fine - no bottom paint needed."

The dealer (BW Yachts) had more sobering advice when I first picked up the boat - that sea-life would be attacking the hull within a week...

So... what do you guys think? Should I be okay keeping a monthly check on the situation or not?

Thanks for the help.
Trevor

[bubba]

Our 07 Mac had bottom paint when we bought it. It was slightly used and had been in the water in the N Pudget sound for about a year. When it was pulled out they had to only pressure wash it and and pull the dagger board out for cleaning it didn't have bottom paint on it. Nothing else but the zink plate on the motor showed any wear ( probably a once a year thing to replace it). The motor had some barnicals I would also paint the motor mount and anything that is in the water. It looks like my boat was hand done with a roller and brush by BWY. I would recomend it.

[solentboy]

I would put anti foul paint on as soon as possible. Last year I left my boat in Poole harbour (pre-mac) for about 3 months and some of the bottom paint had rubbed off at the stern. When I took the boat out to clean it up it took me about 4 hours of hard scrubbing to get all the beasties off.

[Terry]

Bottom Paint???
Well, how much work do want to put out, and how often?
I have an '03 M that I bought new in '03, no bottom paint yet....
I am seriously contemplating it.
I sail just south of you, just off Tsswassen ferry terminals (Pt Roberts) and I slip for a few months of the year. I never bottom painted because I was never in the water long enough to justify it. I use a wax product from Aurora Marine called VS 721 bottom wax. I just hauled out a week ago after 4 weeks in the water and had a good growth on it. I pressure washed it off easy enough and put another two coats on it. I have left it longer in the past and the work cleaning it was also longer and harder. Since I have had the boat I have never had it in the water for any excessive duration, usually only a couple months. If you have lived here any length of time your memory of weather patterns should help you decide. Our sailing season here is not very long of late and it has not been worth it to bottom paint. One year I had 6 months of moorage (great weather) and had to clean the boat three times that season but that was only one. Now I have to buy moorage year around to keep my slip reserved for summer so I may be leaving it in the water longer so now I have to re-evaluate the bottom paint dilema. I will likely do it next spring. If you are only in the water short durations you don't need the bottom paint, a good wax is fine. You should see the bottom of mine right now, it is as slick as new but I just waxed it again. It wiill last another 5-6 weeks and I will clean it again then in spring I will likely paint. It is a lot of dirty hard sweaty work keeping the bottom clean & waxed, not for the lazy so keep that in mind. Bottom paint only has to be done once a year or maybe bi-annually and even though initially it is an expensive major big job the maintenance is easier.
You boat in the PNW and the season is short and you are just rafting along side someone, are you really going to be in the water that long? Come September you may haul out untill next spring and you will have plenty of time to clean the bottom off. If you have any plans of long term moorage then bottom paint should be a serious consideration. It all comes down to how long you can be in the water for each season and how much grunt work you are willing to endure.
PS we have an Island Chapter of MYCBC that you may wish to join. You just missed the MacRendezvous on Bowen Island last weekend but we have other events, if you are interested in club activities and support consider joining, it is well worth it.

[Scott]

Friends say "just trailer it home once a month and power wash it and you'll be fine - no bottom paint needed."

Not as easy as it sounds if you keep it in all season.

I pull the Jenny home every 3rd year and power wash the bare spots and lightly power the good paint and re-coat.

[James V]

Bottom paint is a local question. At least you should get the Bottom Wax that West Marine sells.

If all you need is a pressure wash, it might be cheeper to do it that way. Take a look at the club and get 13 opinions from 12 people.