I'm thinking of moving my boat to salt water - the Carribean, to be exact.
What kind of preventive and regular maintenace should I add to my freshwater routine. (As far as I know there are no sacrificial zincs on my Yanmar diesel, so that's one thing for sure).
Everyone's advice and suggestions are welcome.
Thanks.
Jim Kloss
s/v Ambivalence
S27.9 #8
sALT WATER
Moderators: Tim Bosma, Tom Elsen
-
ray@f7.net
Salt Water
I purchased my S2 from the Great Lakes region and added a few simple things:
- from VC17M to VC OFFSHORE bottom paint: I just painted over the older paint with out any problems. I must say that I do get significant build-up after a 4 months. Anyone use other salt water bottom paints with more success?
- ZINC in engine (BMW D7) needs to be replaced atleast once a year.
- I also added a ZINC ball (about 2.5" diam.) to the shaft between the hull and the cutless bearing strut. It also works as an extra saftey device if for some reason the shaft comes loose. The zinc is about 2/3 gone at end of season.
- Use "high grade" stainless steel bolts for anthing on the boat. My first year I purchased cheap-o Home Depot bolts and was amazed how fast they deteriorated in the salt air.
--ray
- from VC17M to VC OFFSHORE bottom paint: I just painted over the older paint with out any problems. I must say that I do get significant build-up after a 4 months. Anyone use other salt water bottom paints with more success?
- ZINC in engine (BMW D7) needs to be replaced atleast once a year.
- I also added a ZINC ball (about 2.5" diam.) to the shaft between the hull and the cutless bearing strut. It also works as an extra saftey device if for some reason the shaft comes loose. The zinc is about 2/3 gone at end of season.
- Use "high grade" stainless steel bolts for anthing on the boat. My first year I purchased cheap-o Home Depot bolts and was amazed how fast they deteriorated in the salt air.
--ray
As for bottom paint, there's Dophinite (questionable), Baltoplate (seems to have decent results, but it's not ablative, it's hard) etc.
Head over to www.sailinganarchy.com and ask on their forum. They've got a number of ocean sailors who can help you out. Be warned, they're a bit rough around the edges and the forum is unmoderated, but you'll find some extremely knowledge (olympic winners, the Read brothers etc) there, along with a number of sail makers and sailing shop owners. Also a good place to get occasional deals on gear from their advertisers.
Head over to www.sailinganarchy.com and ask on their forum. They've got a number of ocean sailors who can help you out. Be warned, they're a bit rough around the edges and the forum is unmoderated, but you'll find some extremely knowledge (olympic winners, the Read brothers etc) there, along with a number of sail makers and sailing shop owners. Also a good place to get occasional deals on gear from their advertisers.
bottom paint
My boat floats in salt water all year. For bottom paint, I prefer the wearing or ablative paints that keep an active layer of paint on the surface. If you wipe the bottom regularly you will remove it over a season. In the US look for a high copper content and the relatively new biocides that help reduce the initial slime buildup that precedes barnacles and other hard fouling. I have had the best luck with Petit's top of the line product lately. Expect to pay +/- $150 for a gallon. With ablative paints, the more you put on, the longer it lasts. At least put extra coats around the waterline and other high wear areas. With multiple coats and only an occasional wipe down you should get two years, three if you are lucky.
If you are leaving the US consider a paint job after over there using TBT paint. It is highly resticted to Al hulls and professional applicators with the exception of lower unit kits in the US and some other countries. Last time I checked you could still buy it off the shelf in the Bahamas. When it was legal here, a prior owner of my boat pulled and painted it annualy for about five seasons, building a thick layer of Interlux TBT Micron. I did not paint the bottom for 11 YEARS and the only hard fouling was where I had "polished" the bottom of the keel.
Spencer Rogers
#288 Avatar
Wilmington NC
If you are leaving the US consider a paint job after over there using TBT paint. It is highly resticted to Al hulls and professional applicators with the exception of lower unit kits in the US and some other countries. Last time I checked you could still buy it off the shelf in the Bahamas. When it was legal here, a prior owner of my boat pulled and painted it annualy for about five seasons, building a thick layer of Interlux TBT Micron. I did not paint the bottom for 11 YEARS and the only hard fouling was where I had "polished" the bottom of the keel.
Spencer Rogers
#288 Avatar
Wilmington NC