Helmsman Hacks

[KMAL]

Most high quality coatings should deliver two years in Northern climes. Three years with luck or are covered with little sun and cold water. Four years if you win the Lotto. Your diver should be able to assess the need/condition as you are presumably changing zincs out and having the bottom cleaned at the same time.

 

[Norseman 38E]

How often are you folks doing bottom paint?

Mine delivered 7/23. Winter haul out. So it’s been on the boat 2 years but in the water just over 1.

If you have Seahawk Sharkskin, you should be putting on a fresh coat after every winter haul out. Please see the below excerpt from the Sharkskin technical data sheet.

"Note: If the vessel is launched, and then rehauled, air exposure should be limited to 72 hours. If out of the water longer than 72 hours, Sharkskin will oxidize and lose its antifouling effectiveness. Therefore, an additional coat of Sharkskin is recommended after 72 hours of air exposure from haul out time."

If you have Seahawk Cukote, you do not need to reapply after each winter haul out, and three years is about the average (not including time on the hard). Though this fluctuates and is most impacted by the location of the boat. The East coast has higher water temperatures and higher salinity, and therefore you may need to reapply more frequently than boats in the Northwest.

 

[HeadedToTexas]

View attachment 158721

Nice set up, GR. I have the same Garmin radar and Shakespear TV antenna. Does the radar interfere with your TV reception when the radar is on? Mine does. Perfect reception with radar off, and unwatchable interference with radar on.

 

[FWT]

Norseman:

Thanks. Your post sent me to their data sheets. Seems Cukote is about the only Seahawk version that is effective after a haul out. Slightly more expensive than Sharkskin but not excessively so, and a deal if it means multi-season use instead of annual application.

I did not reapply this past spring. My haul out is in 10 days and I'll be interested to see what I see.

 

[FWT]

Price: $2.10 at local non chain hardware store

Value: invaluable in winterization of water tank

 

[Nick14]

Price: $2.10 at local non chain hardware store

Value: invaluable in winterization of water tank





View attachment 159444View attachment 159445

That's brilliant! I've been wrestling with what to do about this.

Is that a single extension you bought? Or did you string several together? If the latter, what keeps them from falling apart, and losing one into the water tank?

Thanks for sharing!

 

[FWT]

Nick

The tip of the funnel has molded threads. So does one end of the extension. It’s a set. The extension is maybe 18 inches without putting a tape to it. Perfect length for my pilothouse model. The extension bends into the water line just far enough to be secure, and channel fluid down.

If you are still hanging around Kent Island, go to Western Auto in Stevensville. (Western Auto as a franchiser died a long time ago but that location kept using the name. Well known and identified in this area)

For what it’s worth I’m using Everclear grain alchohol 195 proof. Pure grain. Mix in 2 more jugs of water and it approximates the alcohol content of vodka. Mix in a few drops of food color into each jug and you can see progress as you run it through lines.

Liquor stores in the area will understand exactly why you need it. You won’t be the first guy looking for it.

10 gallons total fluid is the minimum I need. I used a bit more to be safe. 7 half gallon jugs of grain minimum.

Come the spring if the flushing is imperfect I’m drinking booze instead of antifreeze. And in the meantime any germs in the tank get zapped.

If you need a second pair of hands to help drop me a line.