The Capt. Bo has a boat!!!

[Coastie04]

Sometimes bottom paint (ablative) is designed to wear away and often can do so if you were hitting it with a powerful stream of water or scrubbing with a stiff brush. Essentially, as growth inevitably attaches to the hull, it will gradually fall off with a thin layer of the paint, leaving the active anti-growth paint underneath. For slower boats (including my 30' sailboat), the ablative paint does quite well and requires little maintenance. I would think that non ablative paint (the hard stuff) might do better if you're trailering it regularly, or even go without any true bottom paint and just paint with normal hull paint if you will be extensively using the trailer and just going for short outings. Then, it's generally easier to just give it a good washdown when you're back on the trailer or at home (the trailer and truck pulling the trailer could use a good freshwater washdown as well if you'll be in salt water).

Here's a good article to help understand the different options.

http://www.boatus.com/magazine/2014/april/boat-bottom-paint.asp

[Capt. Bo of the WTF co.]

Thank you for all your help, it is greatly appreciated sir!

Bo

[Silver]

very fine lines, she will sail like a breeze. fair winds and following seas to you.

[Capt. Bo of the WTF co.]

Sand, scrape, sand, scrape, pick-pick-pick, sand, scrape...... ok, so maybe 70% was a bit too optimistic.

Bo

[Capt. Bo of the WTF co.]

...sand a little scrape a little, scrape a little sand a little, pick-pick-pick, sand a lot, scrape a little more....

*sigh*

Bo

[Coastie04]

At least you still have the humors for boat maintenance. May you always keep them!

Eventually, you'll probably either get frustrated and want to get out, or you'll find that you actually like the methodical nature of simply messing about with the boat.

[Capt. Bo of the WTF co.]

I already spend a lot of time out there just handling every part of the hull. It is a constant battle to keep up with the refurbishing part, and I just lost my job again. I am a creature of habit and I do like a methodical static lifestyle. Change and surprises I don't care much for. I hope to still get her in the water by June 13th, my target date. Maybe I'll just launch on the Mississippi, float/sail to the Gulf and sail off to the southern hemisphere never to be seen or heard from again. There's worse ways to go.

Bo

[Jas. Hook]

I already spend a lot of time out there just handling every part of the hull. It is a constant battle to keep up with the refurbishing part, and I just lost my job again. I am a creature of habit and I do like a methodical static lifestyle. Change and surprises I don't care much for. I hope to still get her in the water by June 13th, my target date. Maybe I'll just launch on the Mississippi, float/sail to the Gulf and sail off to the southern hemisphere never to be seen or heard from again. There's worse ways to go.

Bo

Hummmm... Bo, this sounds like the start of a new adventure story.

Jas. Hook

[Coastie04]

I already spend a lot of time out there just handling every part of the hull. It is a constant battle to keep up with the refurbishing part, and I just lost my job again. I am a creature of habit and I do like a methodical static lifestyle. Change and surprises I don't care much for. I hope to still get her in the water by June 13th, my target date. Maybe I'll just launch on the Mississippi, float/sail to the Gulf and sail off to the southern hemisphere never to be seen or heard from again. There's worse ways to go.

Bo

Well, spring is always a busy season for boats. Mine stays in the water (salt, so it rarely freezes, and only surface freezing at most) year round, but luckily we've been blessed with a short and mild winter (cross fingers). So two weekends ago I took off the winter cover, last weekend I put the second battery back on board and started up the engine to make sure there weren't any problems there (there weren't once I remembered to open the fuel cocks...duh!), and took another load of the lumber and PVC that I built the winter cover with back home for summer storage (requires multiple trips with a Corolla). This weekend I'll be putting her on the grid ('fancy' careening that's much cheaper than using the boat lift) to change zincs, clean the hull and give the ablative bottom paint another coat. Then I'll finally be able to get the sails back on board just in time to start training for my summer job and hopefully go sailing as much as possible this summer. Additionally, I need to get some shrimp netting to tie to the lifelines so I can make the boat more kid friendly and hopefully get out even more this summer. And this is just for a good old fiberglass boat. There's a wishlist of projects a mile long, such as touching up the topside paint, getting the shore power checked out since it hasn't been used in a decade or so and would help with maintenance and mildew prevention, scrubbing and disinfecting pretty much the whole boat, an engine rebuild at some point in the future (a 40 year old saltwater engine is bound to need one eventually, but she's still going as strong as a 20hp diesel can), replacing the dickenson diesel stove with a propane stove and etiher a smaller diesel heater or even a propane heater since it's more conducive for the gunkhole sailing I tend to do these days. The list goes on...as time and money permits!

Stay strong and remember to have a cold beverage of choice after a long day of work!

[Capt. Bo of the WTF co.]

Well, I will not make the target date as I have not been able to find work since the last corporate screwing I took. Ready for the final stages of paint, varnish, and rigging, but no funding. She does hold water in as I keep it wetted down on the trailer and drain/replace it periodically with fresh water to reduce the drying-out, prevent rot, and maintain all the work I have done so far. I am confident she will float without taking on water above what is considered normal for a boat of this age and type. I remain ever hopeful for sailing yet this year.

 

Bo

[Capt. Bo of the WTF co.]

"Never give up, never surrender!" (Capt. Taggart Galaxy Quest motto) Still working on some small hull issues and trying to learn the rigging now. Paint and varnish will happen in the spring when the weather turns warm again for a good cure. Only about  a year behind schedule.Too bad the Pub will not be here with which to announce the launch date. Not going with the traditional color scheme either. Something bright and cheery will only do for the memory of my little Breezy. See you on the water.........(or in the water if I screw-up!)

 

Bo