I've heard that if you are really hard core you will go with vc17 or baltoplate. They are vinyl based and retain their hardness even after the boat is splashed. Unfortunately, as Jean mentioned, the antifouling is reputed to be weaker. One other really cool paint is epaint 2000 (
<a href="http://www.epaint.com">www.epaint.com</a>). It is also hard and retains that hardness in the water. It works by reacting with light and releasing hydrogen peroxide, which is about as environmentally friendly as possible. It is also a water based paint. I have heard reviews from some people who love it and others who have had a horrible time with it coming off the boat 6 months later. Apparently the application process is very particular.
<br><br>Pete<br><br>ps I believe that the consumer marine ablatives do contain a lot of copper and other biocides. I've heard of other types of paints used on cargo ships that work more how michael is describing.<br>
<br><div><span class="gmail_quote">On 4/5/07, <b class="gmail_sendername">VAURY Jean</b> <<a href="mailto:jean.vaury@missioneco.org">jean.vaury@missioneco.org</a>> wrote:</span><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
<div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2"><span>The article is 100 % wrong on saying that hard paints
build up and not ablative (ablative make terrible cakes after a while making
hulls ugly ad slow), at least the VC 17 that I have used for 9 years doesn't
build up at all, I know it is not the best on the fouling protection but in area
where the water is clear and warm at least a few months a year, including
Chicago where we sailed the boat a few years</span></font></div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2"><span></span></font> </div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2"><span>and the VC 17 M version with Biocide is getting close
to the fouling qualities of the best other hard paints</span></font></div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><font color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2"><span>Jean</span></font></div><br>
<blockquote dir="ltr" style="margin-right: 0px;">
<div dir="ltr" align="left" lang="fr">
<hr>
<font face="Tahoma" size="2"><b>De :</b> <a href="mailto:tuna-bounces@myfleet.org" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">tuna-bounces@myfleet.org</a>
[mailto:<a href="mailto:tuna-bounces@myfleet.org" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">tuna-bounces@myfleet.org</a>] <b>De la part de</b> Richard
Reader<br><b>Envoyé :</b> jeudi 5 avril 2007 12:35<br><b>À :</b>
<a href="mailto:drmcdow@sfsurgerycenter.com" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">drmcdow@sfsurgerycenter.com</a>; <a href="mailto:tuna@myfleet.org" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">
tuna@myfleet.org</a><br><b>Objet :</b> Re:
[Santana 22] How To Wet Sail and Be Fast<br></font><br></div><div><span class="e" id="q_111c3711ef5b2b1a_1">
<div></div>
<div style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
<div style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Craig,</div>
<div style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> </div>
<div style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Webster's
defines <em><strong>ablate</strong></em> as "to remove or destroy especially
by cutting, <em><strong>abrading</strong></em>, or
<em><strong>evaporating</strong></em>". As I understand it, ablative
antifouling paint works by gradually releasing biocides and metals
(copper) that are contained in the paint into the water over time to
create a toxic layer that discourages the nasties from attaching to your
hull.</div>
<div style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> </div>
<div style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Try
this link for a description of the difference between "ablative" and "hard"
antifouling paints: <a href="http://powerboat.about.com/od/hulls/a/lowdn_botpaints.htm" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">http://powerboat.about.com/od/hulls/a/lowdn_botpaints.htm</a>
</div>
<div style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> </div>
<div style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">(I'm
sure someone will have a better, more accurate explanation out there.)</div>
<div style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> </div>
<div style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Richard<br><br></div>
<div style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: times new roman,new york,times,serif;">-----
Original Message ----<br>From: Craig McDow
<<a href="mailto:drmcdow@sfsurgerycenter.com" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">drmcdow@sfsurgerycenter.com</a>><br>To: Richard Reader
<<a href="mailto:richard.reader@stanfordalumni.org" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">richard.reader@stanfordalumni.org</a>><br>Sent: Thursday, April 5, 2007
11:59:50 AM<br>Subject: RE: [Santana 22] How To Wet Sail and Be Fast<br><br>
<div>
<p><font color="navy" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;">TO all
tuna's</span></font></p>
<p><font color="navy" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;"></span></font> </p>
<p><font color="navy" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;">Curious about the
word 'ablative'. In my 'world' ablative refers to <b><u><span style="font-weight: bold;">removal</span></u></b> of a surgical specimen…how
does the word ablative paint relate?</span></font></p>
<p><font color="navy" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;"></span></font> </p>
<p><font color="navy" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;">I had a sprayed on
bottom for the CYC midwinters but as luck would have it (Pat recalls) the ebb
on Sat and Sun was 5.4 and 5.1 respectively and the wind was, uhh,
nonexistent. So I don't know how much improvement I'll really have. My bottom
had never been taken down to the gel coat since it was placed (1971) the keel
was absolutely awful.</span></font></p>
<p><font color="navy" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;"></span></font> </p>
<p><font color="navy" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;">Will let y'all know
after a couple of Friday niters.</span></font></p>
<p><font color="navy" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;"></span></font> </p>
<p><font color="navy" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;"></span></font> </p>
<p><font color="navy" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;">Sure enjoy the Tuna
emails…hope to get out for some Class races this season. Kids are now 3!
Today's their birthday.</span></font></p>
<p><font color="navy" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;"></span></font> </p>
<p><font color="navy" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;">Craig McDow (Sweet
Reward)</span></font></p>
<p><font color="navy" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;"></span></font> </p>
<p><font color="navy" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;"></span></font> </p>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;" align="center"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">
<hr align="center" size="2" width="100%">
</span></font></div>
<p><b><font face="Tahoma" size="2"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma;">From:</span></font></b><font face="Tahoma" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma;">
<a href="mailto:tuna-bounces@myfleet.org" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">tuna-bounces@myfleet.org</a> [mailto:<a href="mailto:tuna-bounces@myfleet.org" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">
tuna-bounces@myfleet.org</a>] <b><span style="font-weight: bold;">On Behalf Of </span></b>Richard Reader<br><b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sent:</span></b> Thursday, April 05, 2007 11:17
AM<br><b><span style="font-weight: bold;">To:</span></b> Pete Trachy; List
Satanna 22<br><b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Subject:</span></b> Re:
[Santana 22] How To Wet Sail and Be Fast</span></font></p></div>
<p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></font> </p>
<div>
<div>
<p><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;">Just to be clear, "Pettit Vivid"
is not one (i.e. hard bottom) paint--it's the brightly colored version
available for more than one type of their antifouling paints.
Specifically, you can get "Vivid" flavored ablative anitfouling, hard
antifouling, speed antifouling and aluminum
antifouling.</span></font></p></div>
<div>
<p><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;"></span></font> </p></div>
<div>
<p><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;">I point this out because I was
confused when I saw an ad for Pettit Vivid <strong><b><i><font face="Arial"><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: Arial;">ablative</span></font></i></b></strong>
antifouling paint after reading Pete's email.</span></font></p></div>
<div>
<p><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;"></span></font> </p></div>
<div>
<p style="margin-bottom: 12pt;"><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;">Richard</span></font></p></div>
<div>
<p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">----- Original Message ----<br>From: Pete Trachy
<<a href="mailto:pete@tolachi.com" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">pete@tolachi.com</a>><br>To: List Satanna 22
<<a href="mailto:tuna@myfleet.org" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">tuna@myfleet.org</a>><br>Sent: Wednesday, April 4, 2007 12:11:09
PM<br>Subject: [Santana 22] How To Wet Sail and Be Fast<br><br>Summary:
Ablative paints are SLOW. Get a sprayed hard bottom. Your bottom is only
as good as the prep work, spend an afternoon fairing it with a 3M fairing
board.<br><br>I think that there are a few people in our fleet who have been
unduly frustrated in their quest for speed. Faired keels, new sails, and
years spent sailing still leaves the top of the fleet out of reach. I
personally think that bottom work has done more to take me from being
consistently last in the fleet than anything else, including new sails.
<br><br>Many of the wet sailed boats, including mine when I got it, have a
traditional ablative bottom paint. This paint is soft and rough.
Even though I was cleaning my old ablative bottom before races, it's cratered
surface was never going to be fast. From what I understand, this type of
thing is very difficult to avoid with an ablative bottom as the paint
gradually flakes away. <br><br>A hard paint will maintain a smooth surface
over the life of the paint job and not flake off like an ablative. You
will also be able to to give it a light wet sanding with 600 grit to make it
super smooth before it leaves the yard. <br><br>Steps:<br><br>1: Remove
all of your old ablative bottom paint. It will bleed through and screw
up your new hard paint. This is a must first step.<br><br>2: Your
bottom is now down to gel coat, spend a day or so going over it with a long
board. If there are any divets etc... Fill them with fairing compound
and sand them smooth. The end product is only going to be as good as the
effort you put into this step! <br><br>2.5: You may need a barrier
coat. Talk to your yard or paint manufacturer.<br><br>3: Pick a
hard bottom paint and get it sprayed on. Get it sprayed. Sprayed
is smooth, sprayed is faster.<br><br>4: Give your bottom a light sanding
with 600 grit after it has dried. Light, we don't want to take too much
off. <br><br>5: Clean your bottom before every race you care about doing
well in. And make sure your diver is treating it well. Pettit
vivid should only be cleaned with smooth carpet, I think I am going to
use a sponge this year. <br><br>Paints: I personally like Pettit Vivid
because it comes in white which is easy for me to clean. Michael Tosse
at Svendsen's recommended Proline 1088 with graphite mixed in. Kim
Desenberg at KKMI says they like Micron 66 which he thinks is harder than
vivid. I'm sure there are other solutions. The key is to get a
hard paint and prepare the bottom well. <br><br>Tools: 3M makes a great
fairing board. It made a huge difference when I was working on my
keel. I have one that you can borrow.<br><br>Don't let your yard push
you around into doing what is easiest for them. If you have questions
ask the list. <br><br>Finally, I want to point to the results at the last
Scombridae Sunday. Kevin McElroy and his brother Darren got 3rd of 8
boats in the after lunch racing. I know that Kevin only got the boat
last fall and just started sailing a year and half ago. This was the
first time he had raced the boat. He just got a sprayed Vivid bottom
(yellow as you may have noticed) and cleaned it that morning. Old sails,
no rockstar crew, just some hard work in the yard and a smart young man at the
helm. <br><br>I think that getting the right bottom on the wet sailed boats in
our fleet will make the racing tighter and more fun for everybody.
Clarifications, corrections, personal experience... let us
know.<br><br>Pete</span></font></p>
<div>
<p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">_______________________________________________<br>Tuna
mailing list<br><a href="mailto:Tuna@myfleet.org" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">Tuna@myfleet.org</a><br><a href="http://myfleet.org/mailman/listinfo/tuna" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">
http://myfleet.org/mailman/listinfo/tuna</a></span></font></p></div></div>
<div>
<p><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;"></span></font> </p></div></div></div></div>
<div style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><br></div></div></span></div></blockquote></div>
<br>_______________________________________________<br>Tuna mailing list<br><a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="mailto:Tuna@myfleet.org">Tuna@myfleet.org</a><br><a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="http://myfleet.org/mailman/listinfo/tuna" target="_blank">
http://myfleet.org/mailman/listinfo/tuna</a><br><br></blockquote></div><br>