Hull Maintenance

I wouldn't bottom paint a trailerable boat. If you do paint the bottom and ultimately put the boat back on a trailer, the quality of the paint quickly deteriorates. If you are concerned about leaving it in the water, either clean it very regularly or invest in a bottom liner. A bottom liner is a vinyl pool that you pull into, pull up the rear panel and then drop some chlorine in the isolated pool. Your bottom will remain clean.

Jeff

Brett,
Have you been spending too much time in the Overtons catalog or reading so called advice from the West "advisor"!!
First, welcome to CCfan! We'd love to see some pictures. You have a very classic boat and hopefully you can keep it that way. Bottom painting isn't going to do that. I highly recommend you do not do anything to the bottom. Get it out on the trailer if you don't have a spot for a lift.

Besides the bottom getting dirty, the other big problem is hull blistering. Even with a barrier coating, I sure wouldn't take the chance. We have all see early CC glass hull with blistering to the point where the gel must be ground down all the way to the glass.

When you get a chance, get some pictures as well as some text submitted for the diaries. There's a application icon to click on in that section.

BTW, if you have been reading the "West Advisor" on bottom coatings, watch out. I've had a very bad experience dealing with their so called advice and consequently will never deal or walk into a West marine store again unless I have absolutely no other choice and want then to stick it to me with their pricing!!!!

Ok I posted some pics of my boat in the diaries section. One look and you will understand why I am floating the question out here. 1968 and all original. I want to preserve the boat, but I also want to use it. Ok, you guys have talked me right out of a bunch of work. I will take TRBenj's advice and use wax. One thing is certain though, the foot pedal gas will be swapped for a decent Morse control for next year. I don't know what they were thinking. What a PIA.

blammie wrote: Ok I posted some pics of my boat in the diaries section.

Brett,
I'm looking forward to seeing the pictures. It may take a couple days for Keith to get it up in that section.

Tim,
I still suggest keeping the hull out of the water. The two weeks concerns me. Charlie's (Brady) 69? - 70? Cuda is solid blisters from the waterline down. It's so bad it's going to need a all the gel stripped down to glass repair. It's one of the "mystery" hulls that never sat in the water more than a day while others that sat for long times never got the blisters.

Ok, Let me turn the discussion toward trailers for a moment. I think we are all on the same page for the most part. Letting a boat without proper barrier coat and bottom paint is a bad idea. And we are all averse to changing our classic boats to much. My original though was coat botton and dock at a local marina by the good ski cut. This would be convenient for a quick evening run, but so would an easily trailerable boat. Problem is my trailer sucks. I never tried to trailer a mastercract, but they look pretty easy. Drive right up on it. So, question is, am I correct about the mastercraft (or newer Correct Crafts for that matter), and can I build one to fit my Barracuda, and if so what trailer should I start mods on? Or can I use another ski boat trailer without modification, and which one would be best? Did I mention that I really hate my trailer?

Sounds like he might not have an original CC trailer? All the ones Ive used (late 60's on up) have been very user friendly.

saffer wrote: is it advisable to add a keel roller to a nautique trailer? does it make any difference?

I installed one on one of my trailers for two reasons. The bow of the boat bouncing on the trailer going down the road was chafing the bow stop and the other was to aid in winch loading the boat on the trailer. It worked out very well stopping the bouncing and getting the bow up as the boat is being winched on. One other trailer was set up the same way but the 3rd trailer is still on the "to do" list. There are a couple treads on the subject regarding keel rollers where others confirm the same results.

needed to say, vc17 is a common bottem paint, good for tugs and fishing boats. there are other products that contain teflon and go on as if they were invisible and to match the bottem if thats the route you choose....personally the vc goes on heavy and slows the boat...but so does algae
If i opted to paint the bottem i would go with the pricey teflons available....but then again I wouldnt keep the boat in the water, thats me though

Here's one:

saffer wrote: awesome, thank you- so i remove the front stop?

No, the stop is still there but may be hard to see in the picture. It's the two vertical pipes type stop. It's got black hose on the upper portion. I'll see if I can adjust the contrast and re post it.

EDIT: Take a look at the picture again. I lightened it up so you can see the bow stop better.