How many gallons of bottom paint for an E38?

[Vtonian]

Anyone remember how many gallons of bottom paint it takes to do an E38? I'm thinking of a standard ablative paint like Sea Hawk AF33, which is a thick paint, requiring 2 coats. They don't say how many square feet per gallon to expect for coverage in their literature, but a Perplexity search (new favorite AI search engine) says a thick paint should cover 350sf-400sf, which seems like what I remember seeing on the last gallon of house paint I may have used 20 years ago...

I just have no idea how many sf an E38 bottom + rudder is. My thumbnail guesstimate would be somewhere in the 600sf range, in which case 4 gallons for 2 coats would be a reasonable, slight overestimate.

Thoughts? And thanks.

 

[Prairie Schooner]

Anyone remember how many gallons of bottom paint it takes to do an E38? I'm thinking of a standard ablative paint like Sea Hawk AF33, which is a thick paint, requiring 2 coats. They don't say how many square feet per gallon to expect for coverage in their literature, but a Perplexity search (new favorite AI search engine) says a thick paint should cover 350sf-400sf, which seems like what I remember seeing on the last gallon of house paint I may have used 20 years ago...

I just have no idea how many sf an E38 bottom + rudder is. My thumbnail guesstimate would be somewhere in the 600sf range, in which case 4 gallons for 2 coats would be a reasonable, slight overestimate.

Thoughts? And thanks.

Our E35-3 was juuuuust doable at a coat per gallon. We paint the rudder white and there was just enough black left to do the bottom of the keel when lifted. We used Micron SC. Deep keel.

 

[Bolo]

Have a E32-3 here and just had the yard paint the bottom. They used two gallons to put on two coats after prepping surface that was previously painted two years ago. So, maybe you can extrapolate from that amount which would be about 2 1/2 gallons? Invoice says they used Pro Guard bottom paint which is the same they used two years ago and it held up well.

 

[Christian Williams]

2021, Los Angeles:

Haul out and launch, $411.
Labor, clean, fill and apply2 coats bottom paint, $1,275.
Paint cost @ $312. gallon, $936.

I don't know that all three gallons were required, only that I paid for it.

 

[Vtonian]

ok, thanks all, that'll put me in the ball park close enough.
I'll post back for posterity whatever it turns out to be when I get the final results in.

 

[Smixon75]

2023 - Long Beach California
Purchased 3 gallons - I'm not sure if all was used.

 

[AK67]

Side comment - I've found Sea Hawk AF-33 performs well in Maine waters and get 2 seasons out of it. Reasonably priced.

 

[Christian Williams]

Marina del Rey intends to require environmentally friendly non-copper bottom paint, eventually. The schedule was disrupted by Covid--and maybe by panic among boat owners. Traditional bottom paint is toxic stuff, so eventually this will come up again. Boats will be required to remove the "paint sick" and start over with approved products.

When this might happen, if ever, is mighty unclear. So is its value in protecting marine life, and although poison is poison more studies will be required.

Point is: before Covid, a boatyard recommended just putting on one coat of bottom paint. The argument was that most old boats have numerous cruddy layers of bottom paint which have to come off eventually anyhow, and if that's the future, why build up more in the present?

 

[Neil Gallagher]

The last bottom job I had done required 3 gallons plus one quart (I believe). We used Pettit Trinadad SR, two coats and an additional coat around the water line and the leading edges of the keel and rudder. A short nap roller was used for application. It has been 3 years and my dive guy tells me it looks good. He is currently scrubbing it about every 6 weeks with a very mild abrasive pad.

 

[Christian Williams]

It might be useful to mention that choice of bottom paint brand and formula is considered to be local. I figure boatyards know best what works, since they see a lot of bottoms. If I were doing the job myself I'd make inquiries and go with what's popular locally.

 

[Trapper]

While we’re on the subject of bottom paint, any ceramic usage here?

 

[Vtonian]

Somewhere I read that the issue of switching to less toxic bottom paints, after it was tabled for Covid and there was time to think about it more, is leaning towards the newer paint technologies that have slower leach rates will probably suffice, at least for a while longer in most areas. Also, there appears to be just 2 corporations that own most bottom/boat paint brands now, so, draw whatever conclusions about the future you like from that. Personally, I lean toward saving the planet but accept that the beatings will continue until moral improves...

 

[Trapper]

Somewhere I read that the issue of switching to less toxic bottom paints, after it was tabled for Covid and there was time to think about it more, is leaning towards the newer paint technologies that have slower leach rates will probably suffice, at least for a while longer in most areas. Also, there appears to be just 2 corporations that own most bottom/boat paint brands now, so, draw whatever conclusions about the future you like from that. Personally, I lean toward saving the planet but accept that the beatings will continue until moral improves...

I know the last owners of my 35-3 did ceramic. And I need it redone soon

 

[David Grimm]

Without reading this whole thread, I use two gallons of WM CPP. Usually every season untill I noticed a build up. Last two years I just did a touch up!

 

[Vtonian]

I know the last owners of my 35-3 did ceramic. And I need it redone soon

Hi Trapper. My comment wasn't intended for you in particular but in case you were looking for uninformed opinions about ceramic, as someone who has just put a fair bit of time into deciding which way to go on bottom paints, my own decision process boiled down to:
- Hard paints in general can be expensive and costly to apply, and don't necessarily perform to expectations, although regular cleaning is key to optimal results. Hard paints also don't go away on their own, like ablative paints, so at some point build up will require they be completely removed, which becomes another toxic-ish waste issue in and of itself.
- Ablative paints have improved significantly in recent years and many will go over hard paints with only light prep. For ex:

https://www.seahawkpaints.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/SHP-Compat-Chart-March-2021-800px.jpg

They might be significantly cheaper, and generally fit well in the DIY lifestyle.
- My racing friend has both, on different boats that he cleans regularly himself and he complains more about the hard paint hull than the ablative one, more so if he hasn't done it recently.

I won't be racing my boat but sailing is already a pastime, no point in slowing it down further with bottom growth. I'm in a PNW saltwater harbor with little current, we get pretty rapid growth of all kinds if you don't pay attention. I expect to clean it monthly in the warm months, maybe a couple times over the winter. Your waters may vary.

I have no info on what the PO used on my hull, other than light snorkel scrubbing of it in the water indicates it's ablative, but once I get it hauled, I'm pretty sure whatever it is, I'm going to take the 'easy' route and aim for an ablative, probably Sea Hawk AF33, $130/gal.

 

[Seth Farwell]

Anyone remember how many gallons of bottom paint it takes to do an E38? I'm thinking of a standard ablative paint like Sea Hawk AF33, which is a thick paint, requiring 2 coats. They don't say how many square feet per gallon to expect for coverage in their literature, but a Perplexity search (new favorite AI search engine) says a thick paint should cover 350sf-400sf, which seems like what I remember seeing on the last gallon of house paint I may have used 20 years ago...

I just have no idea how many sf an E38 bottom + rudder is. My thumbnail guesstimate would be somewhere in the 600sf range, in which case 4 gallons for 2 coats would be a reasonable, slight overestimate.

Thoughts? And thanks.

My 39 took two gallons of Pettit, for two coats on everything and a third a foot down around the waterline, with enough for the pads at launch. This was on a well sanded bottom, almost to gel coat, and rinsed off.

 

[Trapper]

Hi Trapper. My comment wasn't intended for you in particular but in case you were looking for uninformed opinions about ceramic, as someone who has just put a fair bit of time into deciding which way to go on bottom paints, my own decision process boiled down to:
- Hard paints in general can be expensive and costly to apply, and don't necessarily perform to expectations, although regular cleaning is key to optimal results. Hard paints also don't go away on their own, like ablative paints, so at some point build up will require they be completely removed, which becomes another toxic-ish waste issue in and of itself.
- Ablative paints have improved significantly in recent years and many will go over hard paints with only light prep. For ex:

https://www.seahawkpaints.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/SHP-Compat-Chart-March-2021-800px.jpg

They might be significantly cheaper, and generally fit well in the DIY lifestyle.
- My racing friend has both, on different boats that he cleans regularly himself and he complains more about the hard paint hull than the ablative one, more so if he hasn't done it recently.

I won't be racing my boat but sailing is already a pastime, no point in slowing it down further with bottom growth. I'm in a PNW saltwater harbor with little current, we get pretty rapid growth of all kinds if you don't pay attention. I expect to clean it monthly in the warm months, maybe a couple times over the winter. Your waters may vary.

I have no info on what the PO used on my hull, other than light snorkel scrubbing of it in the water indicates it's ablative, but once I get it hauled, I'm pretty sure whatever it is, I'm going to take the 'easy' route and aim for an ablative, probably Sea Hawk AF33, $130/gal.

That is significantly cheaper than what I’m hearing to redo my boat in ceramic down here in SanDiego.