A word about bottom painting. I keep getting questions regarding types of paint and the number of coats required.

First of all, if you are told you’re getting two coats, this doesn’t really mean a thing. For example (on a small sailboat of 25′), if you thin out the paint you can put on two coats with 1/2 gallon or 2 good coats with one gallon. The exact question is, not how many coats are applied, but how much volume (thickness) of paint you are getting. Consequently it’s the thickness of the paint that’s important not the number of coats. When getting an estimate where ever you get painted, make sure that there are no hidden costs. Your job should include enough paint to do 2 coats, with an extra coat at the waterline. All metal work should be epoxied and painted; and the bare spots should be primed.

You should only use top of the line paint on you boat bottom. These are: Z-Spar B90, Pettit Trinidad, Woolsey Neptune, Pro Line 1088, and Interlux Ultra Koat. All of these paints have a cuprous/oxide content of 66% or higher. Certain colors have less cuprous oxide, with black having the least. Paint formulas are constantly changing due to the clean water act past in the late 1980’s. I am always trying to update myself on the new formulas and how they hold up.