Bottom Paint for leaving in fresh water

Good Afternoon,

I am building a NED and plan on leaving it docked in freshwater for about 7 months / year. Does anyone have any reccomendation on finishing below the waterline? Obviously nothing ablative, and something that can be hauled out without perishing. Im fine with having to scrub any minor growth, but my main concern is durrability. How far above the waterline would you extend the bottom paint? 

Best Regards,

 

Stephen 


2 replies:

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RE: Bottom Paint for leaving in fresh water

Only comment I can offer up is don't use primer!

'Cause it seems most of those concoctions tend to be talc-filled and will absorb water then become soft if painted over with your choice of finish.

With epoxy-clad ply or solid wood you're vastly better off getting to the "there, I'm done, that's smooth enough" stage with epoxy alone, which - once lightly sanded and wiped/washed and allowed to dry - serves very nicely as a proper surface for finish materials.

Too often primer's applied to fill minor imperfections but then the bulk of it's left on when wet sanding's being done prior to painting. That stuff's meant to remain in whatever imperfections you felt were in need of some kinda filler, not intended as a 'binder' layer or aid for adhesion for subsequent finishing materials.

Cured then lightly sanded epoxy's good enough as a base coat once you've gotten things fair and smooth before you start to apply your choice of finishing coating.

RE: Bottom Paint for leaving in fresh water

Stephen,

My Peeler Skiff lives on a saltwater mooring 9-months a year, so I use an ablative bottom paint. Jamestown Distributors ships about every kind of bottom paint, both soft and hard and provides plenty of data from which to make a choice. They're pretty good with phone calls too.

I would echo Spclark's warning about primers. Properly faired and sanded epoxy makes an excellent base for modern paints, whereas high-build primers are a terrible base for finishes that remain immersed in water.

Cheers,

Dick

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