Antifoul Paint and the Trailer Sailor

[Spot]

Last coats of epoxy went onto my cast iron keel parts over the weekend, leaving me down to a finish coat and re-install.

My ocean-going compadres speak of antifouling, my local fiberglass supplier is a fan of alkyd enamel over epoxy for trailer sailor bottoms. The one daysailor boat I have with antifouling, abandoned by my offspring in my yard, now on a trailer, formerly moored in fresh water season-long, has killed the grass underneath it in a boat-shaped pattern.  The boat I am working on is normally adjacent but not over grass and the most I see it in the water is a week at a time. Hull is still gelcoat except for keel pieces which are now in barrier coat epoxy. I have had plain epoxy over plywood failures so I am convinced I need to paint over these keel bits even though the West System 442 barrier coat powder has made them opaque.

Questions:
1. If only painting the keel at this time, is it even worth doing antifoul? Rustoleum and let 'er rip?  Nevermind and go sailing yet this year?
2. If/when whole bottom is painted , barrier coat the gelcoat and switch to an appropriate antifoul?

Thanks for your thoughts!

[Charles Brennan]

Spot, This is a repeat of my response when you asked this question in a previous set of posts:

Your other statements:
"I was asked by an ocean-going sailor if I was going to use bottom paint on this repair. I read somewhere that trailer-stored boats don't really need anti-foul and I am in fresh water."
"Do people have firm opinions one way or the other on this topic?"
Oh, yeah! People DEFINITELY have opinions! I'm not in the anti-fouling paint camp.

"I suppose if I did use some anti-foul, I could trailer down south and sail with CB in one of those FL rallies, if he's willing to associate with the likes of me."
IMHO, anti-fouling is not necessary for the average duration of most Florida vacation cruises.
Urchin has never, ever, had anti-fouling on her hull, in 46 years.
A buddy had a Florida Keys time-share and for about 20 years, we would drag Urchin (And later on, Short Ribs) to Marathon and put her in the water for a week at a time.  After pulling the boat and putting her back on the trailer, there would be an almost clear "slime" on the hull which easily washed off with the soap setting pressure washer of the nearest coin-operated car wash.
On the BEER Cruises and the Florida 120 runs, I don't even get the slight slime, but those cruises are typically only 5 or 6 days.  Never even consider bottom fouling on Columbus Day Cruising Regatta weekends. "Marina Mustache" on the waterline from grundgy marinas like Boca Chica, sure, but the hull's fine.

Hope this helps,
Charles Brennan

[Spot]

Thanks CB. You may have to tell me one more time...
It does help.

[pgandw]

Totally agree with Charles.  Unless your boat is sitting (dock, mooring, anchor) for 3+ weeks, no need for antifouling paint.  Longer than that, you may want antifouling depending on area.  FWIW, our fresh and brackish water can get plenty of growth - just not barnacles - after a couple of months.  Which is why my boats sit on lifts, and not in the water.  And have no bottom paint.

Fred W
Stuart Mariner #4133  Sweet P
Yeopim Creek, Albemarle Sound, NC

[Spot]

Thanks Fred, I appreciate another data point.
Now, if only I knew what color to paint it...

[pgandw]

For simplicity, leave a boot top of gel coat, and paint the bottom same as topsides.

Fred W

[Spot]

For simplicity, leave a boot top of gel coat, and paint the bottom same as topsides.

Fred W

It's pretty milk toast already...cast iron is currently gray from barrier coat...wouldn't some red make it go faster?

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[Norm L.]

With that molded hull it looks like it would not have much initial stability. The Black Watch was like that.
Probably why an iron keel is important.

You are making progress!

[Spot]

With that molded hull it looks like it would not have much initial stability. The Black Watch was like that.
Probably why an iron keel is important.

You are making progress!

Thanks Norm. After a windy and humid day of rigging and sailing an old Sunfish yesterday, I took advantage of the calm, warm, and 50% RH late afternoon today to rig, sand, and paint the cat iron pieces Rustoleum Emerald Green. If the weather holds, a second coat tomorrow and possibly hang the keel next weekend.

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