Bottom Paint Testing

[FWT]

I found a good series of bottom paint tests I thought others may be interested in.

If you want to go deep, search that site for earlier year tests. Some paints were just dropped from testing that didn't perform well, or are now out of production.

Here's the link to the most recent test article.

What's The Best Bottom Paint? - Practical Sailor

 

[rslifkin]

I was really hoping they'd have Micron Extra SPC in the latest test, but no luck. I'm seriously considering switching to that this winter, as it seems to be a fresh water compatible version of the much loved Micron 66.

The performance from Ultra Kote is impressive, plus it's a relatively cheap paint. Just not ideal for those of us up north that haul for winter every year, as like most hard paints it can't be out of the water over the winter without needing a fresh coat in the spring.

 

[FWT]

When I was searching on paints and came across that website the first review that popped up was from some years back. Then searched within the site to the latest. I ended up skimming reports from a number of years, and the list of paints discussed had some differences from year to year. If interested in one in particular you should search within the site on that paint, and you may well find commentary.

Also good commentary in some years about ablative over hard and vice versa. Apparently hard over ablative isn't the problem it used to be in many cases.

The latest tests were done in Deale, mid to upper Chesapeake. Water in saltier areas, warmer or colder, may have different performance.

Like the Panope anchor reviews, your mileage may vary.