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From: jfh@browngr.UUCP (John F. Hughes)
Newsgroups: net.rec.boat
Subject: Re: Bottom paint
Message-ID: <10090@browngr.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 17-Mar-85 21:23:11 EST
Article-I.D.: browngr.10090
Posted: Sun Mar 17 21:23:11 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 22-Mar-85 23:44:25 EST
References: <259@eneevax.UUCP> <1452@ut-ngp.UUCP> <886@utcsri.UUCP>
Reply-To: jfh@sluggo.UUCP (John (Spike) Hughes)
Organization: Brown University Computer Science
Lines: 26
Summary: 


   A brief report on bottom paint: my father did an experiment last
year on his Mercer 44, which he had in the water about 8 months of
the year, mostly in Marion, Mass., but also in Maine and Long Island
Sound. He painted the starboard bow underbody and port quarter underbody
with (I think) Petit bottom paint. The remaining two portions were
painted with another bottom paint. One paint cost about $70/gal, the
other about $30/gal.
   The results: no visible difference in protection. The reason for the
quarter-by-quarter method is that boats which lie on a mooring tend to
have one side towards the sun most of the day (in Marion, the wind is
(almost always) from the SW, while the sun is in the south. This means
that the starboard side of the bottom is in shadow while the port
side is in sunlight...)

   On the subject of 'flashy' bottom paints: if you can get an old
can of grafspeed (is that how it's spelled), i.e. more than 10 years
old, the stuff is great. Recent stuff isn't half as good. The reason:
they aren't allowed to use the same toxic junk in it. This means that
if you *do* use it, you should feel guilty about pollution.

  One last remark: 'Sears Best' bottom paint is a real bargain if you
  don't care about having the very best. I used it one summer in fresh
  water and was very happy with it.

  -jfh