barrier coat/ bottom paint / VC17

[melp64]

I can't wait for the weekend, I was able to arrange to have the bottom of my boat media blasted. I think this could have been one the the largest jobs of refitting this boat. My question is a lot of the boats here in Michigan use VC17 for their bottom paint. How long will this last and if I was to start the loop and go towards salt water would I have to remove the VC17 to repaint it with bottom paint that would be good for salt water. After the media blast do I need to first clean everything then put a barrier coat paint before the bottom paint or the VC17??

[Noah]

Make sure you have a professional doing the blasting and "soda" is the most common, safest material for boat bottoms. Don't use sand. Yes, you should apply several coats of epoxy barrier coat prior to bottom paint. Can't speak to V17. Mine is strictly a saltwater boat. I have heard there was a manufacturing supply shortage of VC17 so if you decide on it, make sure you can even get it.

[pbyrne]

I can't wait for the weekend, I was able to arrange to have the bottom of my boat media blasted. I think this could have been one the the largest jobs of refitting this boat. My question is a lot of the boats here in Michigan use VC17 for their bottom paint. How long will this last and if I was to start the loop and go towards salt water would I have to remove the VC17 to repaint it with bottom paint that would be good for salt water. After the media blast do I need to first clean everything then put a barrier coat paint before the bottom paint or the VC17??

I would avoid VC17.  It wears off quickly and would need to be applied seasonally.  It's very $$$, and you need 4-6 cans of the stuff.  It's intended for fresh or cold salt water.

I use it as we haul out for winter and frankly I don't want to start over.  But given the choice I'd go for something you can just power wash or scrub for cruising.
VC17 is really for racing from what I can tell.  https://www.interlux.com/en/us/boat-paint/antifouling

[Matthieu G]

was to start the loop and go towards salt water would I have to remove the VC17 to repaint it with bottom paint that would be good for salt water. After the media blast do I need to first clean everything then put a barrier coat paint before the bottom paint or the VC17??

VC17 is suitable for « cold » salt water (low fouling)
The C34 I bought last from Michigan (fresh water, fresh coat of V17) is now in salt water in eastern Canada and V17 is holding great and doing it's job.

[Kyle Ewing]

Dan,

In Lake Michigan I've gone two seasons without repainting with no ill effects.  Will you be returning to Michigan after your trip and how long and where will you be in salt water? 

VC-17 isn't compatible with any other paints (see https://www.interlux.com/en/ca/support/boat-painting-tips/is-my-new-antifouling-compatible) so I'd select  paint based on where the boat will spend most of its time.

Kyle

[pbyrne]

Dan,

In Lake Michigan I've gone two seasons without repainting with no ill effects.  Will you be returning to Michigan after your trip and how long and where will you be in salt water? 

VC-17 isn't compatible with any other paints (see https://www.interlux.com/en/ca/support/boat-painting-tips/is-my-new-antifouling-compatible) so I'd select  paint based on where the boat will spend most of its time.

Kyle

That's why I keep using it.  If I had a chance to go with something else, without having to clean the hull to the gel coat I would.   Your choice of course, however I don't find the benefits of VC17 to be worth having to redo it with what looks like copper but is priced like gold...

[melp64]

When I complete my refit I really want to do the loop but as I have been told a lot of people get down to the keys sometime just decide to go to the Bahamas and not return. I hear conflicting opinions some say that vc17 is strictly for freshwater. As I am reading now some say they use it in salt water.
I am thinking that with the possibility of going to salt water I am going to use a barrier coat primer and then a good bottom paint that will last a few seasons. As I have been looking at bottom paints some say they have to be repainted every season and some say will last for many seasons. I like the idea of many seasons.

[Breakin Away]

A lot depends on what kind of water you are in. I got tired of seeing the significant loss of effectiveness of multi-season paints after the first year. When I upgraded to this boat I threw in the towel and went with an inexpensive single-season ablative. It's $90/gallon, and I need about 1-1/3 gallons per season. So I just put on one thin coat every year. I haul out every winter, so it's part of the springtime prep.

https://www.go2marine.com/international-paint-proguard-ablative-antifouling-paint-gallon-blue-black-red

I used to sand the whole bottom diligently every year, but the last couple years I just do a hard scrub along the waterline to get rid of any algae stain, let it dry, and put on the paint. (It helps to have a good power-wash at haulout.) It's a half-day of work. I see no signs of paint failure anywhere on the bottom.

[karista]

When I complete my refit I really want to do the loop but as I have been told a lot of people get down to the keys sometime just decide to go to the Bahamas and not return. I hear conflicting opinions some say that vc17 is strictly for freshwater. As I am reading now some say they use it in salt water.
I am thinking that with the possibility of going to salt water I am going to use a barrier coat primer and then a good bottom paint that will last a few seasons. As I have been looking at bottom paints some say they have to be repainted every season and some say will last for many seasons. I like the idea of many seasons.

I moved my boat from Lake Ontario where I always used VC17 to Deale MD on the Chesapeake. Applied a fresh coat of VC17 before the move as I liked it. After 6 months in brackish Chesapeake waters the entire hull was coated with a moss like coating, boat had to be pulled out and bottom cleaned. I then applied several coats of Micron CS ablative paint  VC17 will never work for you in warm salt water it didn't even work in brackish water.  Since moving the boat to the Florida's Gulf Coast I have used the Seahawk BIOCOP ablative which is very expensive but lasts longer than the Micron CS paint.

[Ron Hill]

Dan : What I did and suggest you do the same. 
After blasting I had the yard rollered on 2 barrier coats of 'Bar rust" brand epoxy.  Then I had a different color of a hard bottom paint put over the barrier coat.  Then I used a different color again of ablative paint for the final bottom paint. 

The different colors are VERY important especially when using an ablative as your bottom paint.  Then you know when it wears down to the hard bottom color - it's time to paint again or touch up!! 

What I do in the spring is to wash the bottom with TSP (Like you clean you house paint with) only scrubbing LIGHTLY.  I've found that new paint will stick to a CLEAN surface - so no sanding is necessary!!   

A few thoughts

[melp64]

Thanks Ron I didn't think of the different colors but I am going to put 2 coats of barrier coat and then 2 coats of bottom paint.

[Ted Pounds]

VC17 is a hard, smooth paint that works well in fresh water.  Its primary benefit is that it slightly improves speed by reducing drag.  I put it on Molly Rose after I started racing her on Lake Michigan.  The change in paint helped take us from middle of the pack to consistently winning the club races.  If you're not going to race and plan to try some saltwater sailing I would suggest another paint.

[melp64]

before the blasting

[melp64]

after blasting

[melp64]

this is what I was told is the catalina smile something that is common with catalina boats??????