www.iFourWinns.com

Is there a procedure to keep bottom paint viable? I have the algae growth on mine and I need to know if I should clean it off. The part I tried to clean actually removed the bottom paint.

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Alexj



1995 Four Winns Horizon 190
OMC 5.0 RL

How did you clean the part that removed the paint?

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2002 Funship 214
VP 5.7 GX Si
2003 Tahoe

Is your bottom paint anti fouling hard, or anti fouling ablative?

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One of 4 Previous (Sold) Boats:
2000 Four Winns 268 Vista

Current Boat: 2004 Chaparral 235 ssi cuddy

This topic interest me since the Vista I bought has antifouling on it. Soem areas are bare down to the hull and need to be touched up in the spring.....



Excuse my ignorance but how do you tell the difference? I have no documentation so I don't know which product to re-apply... Is there a way to tell the difference. Currently the bottom has a 1/8" -3/16" coating of a hard black substance that can be chipped off to reveal a scuffed up hull.

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Marc, Kathlin & Nathalie


'89 Chaparral Laser 32

'93 Vista 245, 5.8L w/ King Cobra

Former Boats
'01 H260, 7.4 VP Duoprop
'98 H200, 5.0 GL w/VP SX drive

Excerpt from some website:

There are two main types of antifouling paint: Ablative and hard-finish antifoulingpaint. Ablative paint is suitable for sailboats and slower powerboats, while hard-finish paint is better for racing sailboats and faster powerboats.

Ablative Antifouling Paint:
Ablative paint is a soft bottom paint that is designed to wear away as your boat is used. As the water moving over the boat's surface wears away the paint, fresh layers of biocide are continuously exposed, so that the anti-fouling characteristic is constantly refreshed as long as some of the paint remains on the boat's hull. Ablative antifouling paints can be applied over other antifouling paints, so that you don't need to remove the previous paint before applying a fresh coat. It can be useful to apply 2 or 3 coats when applying an ablative antifouling paint. Ablative paints work well in marine environments with high levels of marine growth.

The drawback to ablative paints is that, because it's such a soft paint, you will remove some of the paint whenever you scrub down the hull. Also, ablative paints will wear away faster from trailer rollers and bunks and in high-friction areas such as the rudder.
Hard Finish Antifouling Paint:
These paints are not designed to wear off the way ablative paints do. If you frequently use your boat for high-speed motoring, or if you give the boat's bottom a good scrubbing after each use, a hard paint is probably your better choice. The hard antifouling paints start leaching out biocides on contact with the water, in a sort of timed-release fashion.

After a period of time, most often 6 months to a year, the paint has leached out all of its biocides, and a new coat of paint will be needed.

Hard antifouling paint builds up and needs to be removed before a fresh coat is applied.

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2002 Funship 214
VP 5.7 GX Si
2003 Tahoe

My bottom paint is the ablative. It is soft and actually rubs off on my shirts when the boat is out of the water and when I'm working too close to the bottom, usually in the transom area. But I need to know if I should let the algae stay on or wash it off with a scrub brush? I used a scrub brush with diluted boat soap to get the algae off and the paint came off with it.

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Alexj



1995 Four Winns Horizon 190
OMC 5.0 RL

Take tha algae off before storage, whatever method you prefer. I would use a power washer.
Do not sand any of the bottom that is painted.
Re-paint the bottom with new ablative paint (same brand you currently have) in the spring just before launch. Some types of ablative paint should not be out of the water after a re-paint for more than 30 days before launch. So best to paint it as close as possible to your planned launch date.

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One of 4 Previous (Sold) Boats:
2000 Four Winns 268 Vista

Current Boat: 2004 Chaparral 235 ssi cuddy

Ok So I have determined that i have the hard finish antifouling... Should I strip it all off and re-apply the same, re-coat the damaged areas or strip and coat with ablative? My buddy has the copper coloured stuff and it did really well in the same conditions that my bowrider sat in. I am thinking it should be used for our area.

_________________
Marc, Kathlin & Nathalie


'89 Chaparral Laser 32

'93 Vista 245, 5.8L w/ King Cobra

Former Boats
'01 H260, 7.4 VP Duoprop
'98 H200, 5.0 GL w/VP SX drive