Another Bottom Paint Question

[polyphemus]

Another neophyte question....
I was looking over the boat yesterday and noted that only a small amount of the bottom paint I applied last spring came off. Does one need to sand and paint the entire bottom yearly....or can you just touch up some areas that the paint came off?

I'm sailing up in Rhode Island.

Thanks.

Sean

s/v Epiphany
Mariner 28
Former CD Ty owner

[Neil Gordon]

Does one need to sand and paint the entire bottom yearly....or can you just touch up some areas that the paint came off?

It depends what kind of paint is on the bottom. Ablative paint wears off a little at a time and exposes a new surface. As long as there's paint on the bottom, the critters won't stick and you can get multi-year protection. (Some people paint an initial coat of one color, then overcoat with two of a different color. When the first coat begins to show through, they paint the bottom.)

If you have conventional paint on the bottom, the paint stays as the copper leaches out. These are one season paints and eventually, years of paint need to be taken off.

Is there a former owner you can ask?

[Bob Condon]

The other question was the bottom paint you put on compatible
with the existing paint. That will cause quick failure.

I had the old style paint and removed 14 coats with stripper and sanding... what an awful job.

I now use an ablating multi year paint and use different colors
to keep track of it

Practical Sailor does a great survey on paints each year

[polyphemus]

n/m