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Bottom Paint Experience/Recommendation

clayton

Member III
It's that time of year again... I am on the lower Hudson River, NY, Tappan Zee area, and used to use Interlux Micron Extra ablative. Switched several years ago to West Marine CPP ablative on the rudder and achieved similar results, West Marine Bottomkote hard on the hull and got decent results. This past year we had a lot more barnacle growth in the area as a whole than years previous, myself included. Looking for feedback on West Marine PCA Gold ablative, West Marine CPP ablative and Pettit Odyssey ablative, (all on sale this week at West Marine). Your feedback very much appreciated as to effectiveness against barnacle/hard growth, slime accumulation in brackish tidal river conditions. My experience with the West CPP was with paint several years old, I'm seeing comments online that Irgarol is no longer a component in West PCA Gold, never used the Pettit Odyssey. I've read that Interlux Micron 66 is the bomb but the price point is out of range. Thanks so much.
Clayton
 

bgary

Advanced Beginner
Blogs Author
Probably too late to help, but for what it's worth....

My bottom was done a few years back with West Marine PCA Gold (which is, under the covers, Pettit Ultima SR-40). It's a *very* soft ablative, which is good to a point.... but I found it sloughs off in areas of water flow (the bow, the leading edge of keel and rudder) leading those areas to collect growth, and it didn't do a great job at warding off slime on its best day. I'm also in brackish waters (salt-water marina at the mouth of a fresh-water river).

Just had the bottom re-done and wanted a slightly harder paint. At the boat-yard's recommendation, I went with SeaHawk "SharkSkin". Price was reasonable, should be better against wear, and the cuprous content makes me think it'll be more effective than the West Marine paint. We'll see.

One thing to keep in mind, any time you change bottom paints, is compatibility with what's already on there. One paint might not adequately stick to a prior paint of a different type. Most of the paint manufacturers have a compatibility chart somewhere on their product page.

Bruce
 
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