epoxy resin coating a virgin boat bottom

[BALANCE]

I have a friend who is considering this. Boat has never been in the water, is going in soon and will be circumnavigated. He is considering applying a coat of West System epoxy resin prior to painting because he does not intend to haul for many years.

Does this acutally 'buy' you anything good bottom paint and maintaining good bottom paint doesn't buy, kareening, if money will be an object once under way?

[bcooke]

No.

[Rachel]

If it's a new boat, I'd be curious what sort of resin was used to build the boat (beneath the waterline) in the first place. I believe some builders are using Vinylester or epoxy now, and that would be a consideration (in my book).

Rachel

[Chris Campbell]

I know someone who applied this stuff: http://www.coppercoat.com/ and was happy with it - but has since sold the boat (after only two seasons), so I can't say how well it worked in the long term. I can say that our waters are bad for fouling (Halifax has a sordid history when it comes to waste management), so anything that works here has to work quite hard.

I think I'd consider this if I wanted to avoid hauling for many years, but I don't think I'd epoxy coat for the sake of epoxy coating otherwise.

My two cents.

[Quetzalsailor]

Rachel has it bang on. Find out what the boat is made of and decide from there.

The West System can't hurt the boat (only the purse), but might not gain much for water intrusion. It's not bottom paint, and it certainly will not do anything for longevity of bottom paint.

[Clint]

So what if you do not know what the bottom is made from?

[Rachel]

Hi Clint,

Well, I was just guessing that if it was a new boat, the builder could be consulted.

Or do you mean in general? (Most older production boats were built with polyester resin; talking 60s and 70s at least, and probably most 80s boats, I think - at least sailboats.)

Rachel

[Clint]

I guess my question is what do you do to the bottom if you have vinylester resin as opposed to polyester? The reason I am asking is I have to sand the bottom of a 2005 boat and I am curious what steps I have to take depending on the composition of the fiberglass?

[Rachel]

I don't feel totally qualified to answer this one, but on the other hand I kind of brought up Vinylester, so here is what I was thinking:

There are people who feel that, because it is somewhat water-permeable, it's a good idea to barrier coat a bottom that is made with Polyester resin. Not everyone agrees with this theory, but let's just say you do. Then I still wonder if it would be necessary to barrier coat a boat made with Vinylester resin. I say that because Vinylester is one resin (epoxy is another) that is used in layups after blistered hulls are peeled, in order to replace the laminate, because it is less water-permeable.

That said, I think that some people who are proponents of barrier coats may still put them on boats laid up with Vinylester.

So I'm not coming to any clear conclusions here, obviously, but that's because I'm just not sure.

Clear as mud...

Rachel

[Hirilondë]

I don't see any point in it.