Anyone not use bottom paint? (in Florida)

[Someday*]

Expecting a September/October delivery of our R29CB in SW Florida and will be keeping it on a lift.

Is not having bottom paint on the tug a reasonable option? I imagine initially we will only be able to do weekend or less than a week type trips in the local areas.

thx

 

[BB marine]

If you are leaving the boat on a lift and do not plan extended cruising 2 to 3 weeks in Florida waters. I would not paint the bottom. I personally think the gelcoat bottom looks good. I will warn that if growth does form on the bottom it can be a process to remove if it is not bottom painted. Not so much the slime or algae but the barnacles adhere quite well to the gelcoat.

 

[Kevinandcarol]

I would have at least the bottom Ceramic coated, that will seal it and make it easier to clean. I have done it for several boats hear in the northwest. If you would like it done PM me and I'll get you in touch with a installer in your area. By the way one of my clients told me his boat went 2 miles an hour faster after we coated it and the ceramic coating will help stave off the dreaded oxidation colored hulls attract in the Florida sun. Have fun with your boat. Kevin, premierceramiccoating.com

 

[Someday*]

Thanks all

 

[Matty]

Going on 4 years and no issues without bottom paint. Boat is on a lift. Bottom looks great. Actually better than above waterline because sun does hit it in the same way. If I get any growth I use a power washer with a wide spray nozzle. Works great.
Biggest reason I don't bottom paint is that once you do it you have to keep it up by applying periodically.

 

[gwishon]

Agree with all of the above. We’re on a lift, but repainted the bottom last fall only because it was already painted when I bought the boat in 2018. If it had not already been painted, I would not have done it. The good news is that the paint will last much longer (years) if on a lift, and I don’t need to worry about growth on the occasional week long cruise.

As an aside, most of our neighbors that keep their boats on lifts do not paint. Recently, many of them had to leave their boats in the water for a month or so as our community seawall was being rebuilt. They all had major bottom cleaning jobs on their hands when they were finally able to return to their lifts.

Most owners that leave their boats in the water here hire a diver to clean the bottom at least once, sometimes twice, a month.

Gordon

 

[Brian B]

I see you are in Ft Myers. Sweetwater Landing on Caloosahatchee River (near the RT 31 Bridge) has a bottom boat wash system. You drive into it and brushes clean the bottom, similar to a car wash. Then a diver checks and cleans if necessary. My friend bought the yearly program and loves it.

 

[Someday*]

I see you are in Ft Myers. Sweetwater Landing on Caloosahatchee River (near the RT 31 Bridge) has a bottom boat wash system. You drive into it and brushes clean the bottom, similar to a car wash. Then a diver checks and cleans if necessary. My friend bought the yearly program and loves it.

Brian, I have seen that boat bottom wash rig before on lunch trips to the Boathouse Restaurant at Sweetwater...would that work for the tug?

Sweetwater is the location where we are purchasing the boat through...late September is what the last estimate was. It will be new. I am interested in what you said Kevin about the ceramic coating of the bottom. I saw your # so may give you a call on that. It would be nice to have it done before shipped here.

I hear what you are saying as well Gordon and Matty...that once the bottom does get painted, you basically have to continue to have it painted. Not a huge deal as like you said, on a lift it lasts a long time. Cosmetically I think having the "shiny" hull color unpainted bottom would look nice.

 

[BB marine]

If I was a full time boat owner in Florida and kept the boat on a lift. With no intensions of long term cruising the Gelcoat look is the way to go. The ceramic coating seems to be the way to go too. If applied when the boat is new less prep required to apply the application. There are many claims that state even barnacles will not stick to the ceramic coated surface. I would have to see that to believe it! If it is true the application of ceramic coat to a bottom would be less expensive than a properly done bottom job. The advantage of wax or ceramic coat is a perfectly finished bottom, color matched to the hull.

The statement of increased speed of 2mph ??? I have never heard of a waxed hull or any application over gelcoat increasing performance. Actually to the contrary it slows a hull down.The water needs to stick to the hull reducing friction and surface tension, this reduces drag. On high performance boats striping the wax and wet sanding the bottom was done to reduce friction and increase speed. I know this a a moot point when talking about a Ranger Tug hull which is far from a performance hull. I would guess that the client that experienced better performance had a dirty hull before the application and realized an increase of speed because the bottom was clean.

Keeping the bottom waxed or ceramic coated will make it much easier to keep clean.