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Bottom cleaning


Chas231

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My BJ28 has been in a marina for the past five months. We pulled the boat onto the trailer in preparation for hurricane Irma. Fortunately for us, the storm looks to have moved west far enough to spare us. While the boat is out of the water, I want to clean the bottom. I used Petit Hydrocoat bottom paint. No barnacles, except on the stainless steel keel protector, but there is quite a bit of green "scum', especially from the waterline to the chine. I removed the green scum on the sides with a stiff brush and lots of water, but must also be removing a layer of bottom paint, judging by the color of the rinse water. The bottom is pretty clear, just sort of stained green. I can clean it, but am I doing more damage than good?  After I get all the barnacles off the keel protector, can I use bottom paint to keep it clear?

 

Chuck

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Petit Hydrocoat is an "ablative" style of paint and it's supposed "sluff" off in use, exposing fresh poison to the marine beasties. A light scrub is all it needs to remove scum, which needs to be done fairly regularly if you're not using the boat very much (every couple/few months). A harsh scrubbing will remove a lot of paint, so you have to judge how much left you do have. This paint type is typically renewed annually in the warmer climates and a pressure wash is all it usually takes, unless there's a lot of growth, to remove enough old paint, in prep for a new bottom paint job. I don't think ablative paints are a good choice for those that don't use their boats much. These need to be used regularly, so the paint film can slowly wear away, keeping the poison fresh. When selecting a bottom paint type, ask the local professional fisherman. They'll know what works in your area, better than any paint company rep.

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