Bottom Paint Types

Hi, All. There are a few major questions in our lives. As near as I can tell, they are: To be or not to be? Ablative or hard paint on the bottom? For the first, I'll take "be". For the second, I'm not so sure. I think it can depend on a number of factors. Salt versus fresh water Frequent versus occasional boat use Area of the country (or world) Racing versus cruising Frequency of bottom scrubs .and maybe some others. Long story shorter, can I get your observations and experiences with the paints? Also, if you have a preferred brand of one type or the other, please elucidate. Many Thanks Charlie Annapolis Cal 25

Charlie, I'm in fresh water, on Lake Champlain. We have Zebras, and slime. I use the cheapest ablative I can find at the time, usually from Hamilton when on sale. I have hardly any fouling over the summer. Boats here get hauled out for the winter, and all I do is scrub the bottom and touch up the paint. Every few years I scrub a lot harder and paint the whole bottom. Maybe I'm lucky?? Carl Cal 34III Nauta

Hey Charlie - I use white Pettit "hard ablative" and I race more than cruise on my Cal 39 over on the Choptank in Cambridge. The white keeps the bottom cooler and attracts less growth and makes it easier to clean and see where you missed. I scrub once or twice a month and it comes off very easy. Usually have to paint every 2 years. Paul West Adventure Kwest Cal 39 From: 'Charlie Husar' hu… [at] gmail.com [Cal_Boats] <Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com> To: Cal_Boats <Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com> Sent: Tue, Aug 29, 2017 3:51 pm Subject: [Cal_Boats] Bottom Paint Types Hi, All. There are a few major questions in our lives. As near as I can tell, they are: To be or not to be? Ablative or hard paint on the bottom? For the first, I’ll take “be”. For the second, I’m not so sure. I think it can depend on a number of factors… Salt versus fresh water Frequent versus occasional boat use Area of the country (or world) Racing versus cruising Frequency of bottom scrubs …and may be some others. Long story shorter, can I get your observations and experiences with the paints? Also, if you have a preferred brand of one type or the other, please elucidate. Many Thanks Charlie Annapolis Cal 25

Charlie,Here in Chicago it's VC17 ,or it's West or Pettit knockoffs that most prefer. Our boats are hauled every fall, the yard power washes the bottom and you're good for the winter. Short season and only the racers worry about the bottom being clean. I fully paint every other year, the in-between is just touch-up. Fresh water is the best! I've used all three of those and can't tell the difference, so it's a price decision which to use.David Dobbs CAL29 411 On Tuesday, August 29, 2017 4:48 PM, "pw… [at] aol.com [Cal_Boats]" <Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com> wrote: Hey Charlie - I use white Pettit "hard ablative" and I race more than cruise on my Cal 39 over on the Choptank in Cambridge. The white keeps the bottom cooler and attracts less growth and makes it easier to clean and see where you missed.I scrub once or twice a month and it comes off very easy. Usually have to paint every 2 years. Paul WestAdventure KwestCal 39 From: 'Charlie Husar' hu… [at] gmail.com [Cal_Boats] <Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com> To: Cal_Boats <Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com> Sent: Tue, Aug 29, 2017 3:51 pm Subject: [Cal_Boats] Bottom Paint Types Hi, All. There are a few major questions in our lives. As near as I can tell, they are: To be or not to be? Ablative or hard paint on the bottom? For the first, I’ll take “be”. For the second, I’m not so sure. I think it can depend on a number of factors… Salt versus fresh waterFrequent versus occasional boat useArea of the country (or world)Racing versus cruisingFrequency of bottom scrubs …and may be some others. Long story shorter, can I get your observations and experiences with the paints? Also, if you have a preferred brand of one type or the other, please elucidate. Many ThanksCharlieAnnapolisCal 25 -- {border:1px solid #d8d8d8;font-family:Arial;margin:10px 0;padding:0 10px;} hr {border:1px solid #d8d8d8;} {color:#628c2a;font-size:85%;font-weight:700;line-height:122%;margin:10px 0;} {margin-bottom:10px;} .yiv2197605246ad {padding:0 0;} .yiv2197605246ad p {margin:0;} .yiv2197605246ad a {color:#0000ff;text-decoration:none;} {font-family:Arial;} {margin:10px 0px;font-weight:700;font-size:78%;line-height:122%;} .yiv2197605246ad {margin-bottom:10px;padding:0 0;} {font-family:Verdana;font-size:11px;padding:10px 0;} {background-color:#e0ecee;float:left;font-family:Verdana;font-size:10px;padding:10px;} span {font-weight:700;} span:first-child {text-transform:uppercase;} span a {color:#5085b6;text-decoration:none;} span span {color:#ff7900;} span .yiv2197605246underline {text-decoration:underline;} .yiv2197605246attach {clear:both;display:table;font-family:Arial;font-size:12px;padding:10px 0;width:400px;} .yiv2197605246attach div a {text-decoration:none;} .yiv2197605246attach img {border:none;padding-right:5px;} .yiv2197605246attach label {display:block;margin-bottom:5px;} .yiv2197605246attach label a {text-decoration:none;} blockquote {margin:0 0 0 4px;} .yiv2197605246bold {font-family:Arial;font-size:13px;font-weight:700;} .yiv2197605246bold a {text-decoration:none;} dd.yiv2197605246last p a {font-family:Verdana;font-weight:700;} dd.yiv2197605246last p span {margin-right:10px;font-family:Verdana;font-weight:700;} dd.yiv2197605246last p span.yiv2197605246yshortcuts {margin-right:0;} div.yiv2197605246attach-table div div a {text-decoration:none;} div.yiv2197605246attach-table {width:400px;} div.yiv2197605246file-title a, div.yiv2197605246file-title a:active, div.yiv2197605246file-title a:hover, div.yiv2197605246file-title a:visited {text-decoration:none;} div.yiv2197605246photo-title a, div.yiv2197605246photo-title a:active, div.yiv2197605246photo-title a:hover, div.yiv2197605246photo-title a:visited {text-decoration:none;} div p a span.yiv2197605246yshortcuts {font-family:Verdana;font-size:10px;font-weight:normal;} .yiv2197605246green {color:#628c2a;} .yiv2197605246MsoNormal {margin:0 0 0 0;} o {font-size:0;} div {float:left;width:72px;} div div {border:1px solid #666666;min-height:62px;overflow:hidden;width:62px;} div label {color:#666666;font-size:10px;overflow:hidden;text-align:center;white-space:nowrap;width:64px;} {font-size:77%;} {font-size:77%;} .yiv2197605246replbq {margin:4px;} div a:first-child {margin-right:2px;padding-right:5px;} {font-size:13px;font-family:Arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif;} table {font-size:inherit;font:100%;} select, input, textarea {font:99% Arial, Helvetica, clean, sans-serif;} pre, code {font:115% monospace;} * {line-height:1.22em;} {padding-bottom:10px;} p a {font-family:Verdana;} p span {color:#1E66AE;font-weight:700;} {color:#ff7900;font-weight:700;} {margin-bottom:20px;padding:0px;} li a {font-size:130%;text-decoration:none;} li {font-size:77%;list-style-type:square;padding:6px 0;} ul {margin:0;padding:0 0 0 8px;} {font-family:Georgia;} p {margin:0 0 1em 0;} tt {font-size:120%;} ul li:last-child {border-right:none !important;}