I had my boat bottom painted and now starting to get growth on the bottom. Enough to slow me down. 1st of all is this normal (I thought the paint kept the growth away??) and 2nd what should I do. I can easily put it on the trailer to clean but not sure how to go about it. How do you guys keep your bottom clean?

I used West Marine paint and the build up started about two weeks ago. THe boat went in the end of April. To clean it I just snorkle around the boat and wash it with a brush. I am not using the same paint next year. You get what you pay for.

chris

even with paint the bottom will have groth,is it just the green stuff or do you have barnacles?
you can swim like duke41 sayed or just put it on the trailer wash with mix of bleach on water let stand for a day and it all should come off.thats what we do with my friends.

Duke41

did you hear what happened to capt.charlie while he was cleaning the mako they were messing around with the head and his hand happened to be in its mouth when reflex closed it ,he got bit and ended up getting operated on his finger,not nice.

Hey denis, yeah its just the green stuff. Will pull it out and give it a good scrub. Thanks guys.

Scotch, was it ablative paint??

This was my first year painted and in the water.
I used Interlux ablative. so far so good.
No growth at all, and I can tell its working cause if i hit it with the brush it sloughs off (like its supposed to).
Did not effect top end either.

I'll see how it held up once I pull it out for storage.

Let you know.
Good Luck

Van, I honestly don't know what kind of paint it was. I just brought it to my dealer and said I need the bottom painted. I did notice the boat was slower the first time I took it out after the paint job. I probably got the crap. Live and learn. I will research the finer points of bottom paint over the winter.

West marine (advisor) (I think), has some good write ups
on the types and uses of bottom paints.
Its on their website.

I think that story about Charlies fingers is bs. Although it will add something to the story, legend. I can imagine 10 years from now. The mako was 900 lbs 14 feet long and it bit the capts hand off after it was "dead" for two days. Something to scare the kids about...lol.

BOTTOM PAINT= more copper in the paint the better,, look on the cans of paint . more copper, more $$$$$.....but it WORKS.

You Guys Have to see this My Wife put our boat up on the beach to clean the bottom while I was at work. She told me that the grow was slowing the boat down,now thats allright in my book.

The owner off my yard told me that next year things are going to change in reguards to EPA rules with bottom paint. You will have to cover the ground with drop clothes and p/u the the dust and flaks.you will no longer be able to paint your own bottoms. Not that I liked doing it but it did save some money.

MikeP57

duke41

no bull know the person who brough charlie to the hospital,and if your around pj stop buy and see him.

chris

did you pull the boat and try the bleach? /

denis, still doggin it, gettin really bad now. I am planning on tuesday. What do you apply the bleach with - brush? Also how much bleach to water? Thanks denis!

scotch bonnet

did not pay much attention to the mix but yes use a brush and let is stand and dry,we do that every time he puts the boat up for the winter.

fished down your way last thursday looking for hardtails,just found small blues.

OK, pulled the boat this morning. Took a look underneath and found something strange. I have a 21 ft flat bottom skiff and just about the the whole bottom sits in the water at the dock. But only the back half has growth and two "stripes" of growth that look exactly like paint roller strokes :confused: I'm wondering if different paint was used on the back and front of the bottom. Shouldn't I have growth eveywhere that is submerged in the water? Anyway I called my dealer to see what he has to say about it. Hoping he'll powerwash it off for $0.