New Boat and Bottom Paint Qustion

snider · #1 (**permalink**) 02-05-2009

I'm back in Charleston SC after being in CO for a couple months. I sold both my boats before I left and had planned to travel for at least a year. Well It was a bad decision, long story short I'm back for good and now really regret selling my 19 foot Starwind. What a great sailing boat, I was going out almost every week and spending the night anchored out. Without a motor no less, so much fun sailing up to docks and into tight anchorages. Well I just bought another boat, a 22 foot Starwind, figured I might as well move up a little. I plan to keep this one in the water more and my question is about bottom paint. If this boats keel is like the 19 footer there is a weighted keel stub that the swing keel tucks up into. I wonder how hard it is to get bottom paint up into the slot. Has anyone put bottom paint on this type of keel? How good did it work? I left the 19 footer in the water for a few days before without bottom pain and it wasn't a problem. Wonder what the time limit is, guess it depends on the water. Thanks

Here is a link to a video of the new boat. Can't get her until April, it's killing me!!

YouTube - sailing

snider · #2 (**permalink**) 02-05-2009

Also if anyone has any info on the Starwind 223 I would be interested in what you know. Thanks

jumaggafanny · #3 (**permalink**) 02-07-2009

If it's a centerboard like mine I use carpet tacked to a plywood board to coat the centerboard truck inside. Carpet to hold paint of course...linear paint roller/smear-er. Works well.

CalebD · #4 (**permalink**) 02-08-2009

We keep our Tartan 27' moored in the Hudson River and it has a modified full keel with a centerboard. It has been difficult to nearly impossible to put bottom paint all the way up the center board trunk. That said, we have had no problems with too much barnacle growth (we have plenty here) that would impede the center board.
I try to coat the centerboard with bottom paint and we always keep it in the up position (in the trunk) when not in use. Of course, we need to use a travel lift or crane to be able to expose the centerboard for painting. I believe that the painted centerboard in the narrow slot helps to keep the growth down as does continued use.