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I'm going to do the bottom paint myself for the first time. What brand and type of paint do folks like (I'm in the Chesapeake Bay)? How much should I expect to pay at the boat places we love to hate (so I can tell if the marina's mark-up is reasonable)? How much will I need for a B31?

Also, my sounder went south last fall and my GPS is really a Loran that converts to lon & lat (and none too precisely at that). So, I have been shopping for an inexpensive GPS/sounder. In preparation, I just replaced the old plastic through-hull transducer & wood fairing block with a bronze 50/200 KHz ducer & high-performance plastic fairing block.

The Garmin 2010/3010/3210 etc are just more than I need and more than I want to pay for. I had made my mind up on a Garmin 498c - price has come down to $500 because it's about to be discontinued. But, then I saw the cool stuff you can do with the Garmin 525/535/545 with a BlueChart g2 Vision chip (hi res satellite imagery, ariel reference photography, mariner's eye view, fish eye, auto guidance). Does anybody have any experience or opinions with these features? Cool, yes, but useful?

Cool, but not necessary. Keep a chartbook with you to review as you are approaching inlets, etc. Check the refresh rate. When running course up, the faster the refresh the better.
I am also on the Chesapeake, on the Rappahannock River. I use Petit Ultima SR ablative bottom paint. $220/gal at West Marine. Sometimes you can get it on sale for as low as $180. I use two gallons for two coats. It is a little too much paint for this, but I haven't seen it for sale in quarts. Probably 1.5 gal would do two coats. I went two years on my last painting. Not a good idea, but the bottom paint held up OK. Hardware is badly fouled though.

Interlux Micron 66 is the best paint I used down here in Florida. You should be able to get 2 seasons out of the paint with the winter haulout. Micron 66 could sit on the hard for extended periods of time without loosing it antifouling properties.
RussP

Better do your painting at night. It has become illegal to paint your own bottom in most states...... unless of course you happen to have a pest control license.

thos days are long gone!

Thanks for the information, everybody, but I punted and am having the marina do it. Though they said I could do it myself if I wanted to. Their price wasn't that much higher than Rawleigh's estimated cost of the just the paint. Plus, I'm running out of time to complete my punch list before I splash on Saturday.

Rawleigh, I finally met you face-to-face at last year's Reedville Bluefish Tournament. Hopefully this year will be more productive and much less rough.

Mike, all my painting looks like I did it at night.

Thanks again.

Your cost may be just for painting PLUS the cost of the paint.

I use Micron Extra w/biolux, cost is 170/gal. I add a touch of their Special thinner and get two coats from a can. Little if any problems the past few seasons and the guys at my marina get loaded with barnicles, slime and grass. I usually do one good paint job, scrape, lite sand and paint, then the following year just touch up, then start all over again the next.

Just a thought, I bought a handheld GPS a few years ago for the tower, has a little cradle and all for about $150.00, anyway the unit is pretty dam good and has lastest longer the the Standard Horizon GPS Chartplotter I got such a great deal on. Point being maybe something to get by with till you figure out what you really want. Settle for something like I did, get it all set up, installed, buy the chart cards, learn how to use the thing and it craps out on you or you decide you really should have bought the... and well can be a waste of time and money.

Hey Alex. Sorry I didn't put two and two together as to who you were. Is the boat still in Callao? Maybe it won't be so rough this year off Smith Point. Chris called tonight, but I haven't been able to get back with him yet.

i paint my own boat bottom (obviously)....the question is....if its illegal......why do they sell paint?

i paint my own boat bottom (obviously)....the question is....if its illegal......why do they sell paint?

Randall,

my yard has a sign posted since 2004 that only the yard can paint bottoms. I buy my own paint at discount and save over the full retail markup that the yard would charge for the same paint. This year, I think I will look into that "Special interlux thinner" as last year the yard barely painted half my boat with one gallon. Good thing I had good coverage the previous year. I only had them paint what would be visible to give the boat a cleaner look.

In all the years that my marinas allowed me to paint my bottom (and there were plenty) it was ALWAYS one gallon plus one quart. Brushed the strakes and rolled the rest. Walter

I hear ya' Walter. I use ablative paint and I want it on good and thick.

Rawleigh,

Yep, still in Callao. Well actually still at Lewisetta Marina. In the water, but one of the raw water pumps wasn't pulling water, so Mark the marina owner is going to rebuild it for me this week. At least the new through-hull transducer didn't leak and the engines cranked right up - even the one I replaced the carbuerator on. Two out of three ain't bad.

Alex

You are ahead of me! I'm still waiting on a time slot for haul out.

Question? Is the Interlux Micron series of paints ablative?

Also, any recomendations on what to coat running gear with?

I know Micron CSC is ablative. Walter