Splashdown/test run

[Flygaff]

Finally launch the boat for the season and went for a test run/Troll. The thing sure gets up and goes with fresh bottom paint. 47.6 MPH. By the end of season it is down to 37. Went on the troll for two hours to see if I still knew what to do. 20 min in we landed a 27 inch striper. That was it. Did not mark much on the screen. Will be out a few more time this week if the weather cooperates. Good luck all and stay safe

[Duffman]

Damn. 10.6 lost over the course of a season?

[Scott D]

Losing speed because of growth is not the norm. It might be time to redo the bottom (blast or sand, epoxy) and start fresh with some good ablative paint that will easily last a season if not more with zero growth. I like Sea Hawk Bio Cop but there are lots of good paints out there.

[Gerry Zagorski]

Losing speed because of growth is not the norm. It might be time to redo the bottom (blast or sand, epoxy) and start fresh with some good ablative paint that will easily last a season if not more with zero growth. I like Sea Hawk Bio Cop but there are lots of good paints out there.

I beg to differ... I know guys who are in particularly high growth areas that have to pull their boats in the middle of the season and power wash the hull to get the growth off. One guy in particular couldn't even get his boat up on plane.. A bottom job is not going resolve that issue.. Using the boat more frequently does help..

[Scott D]

Gerry I can’t speak to what can happen if you don’t use your boat for months but my experience has been based on using the boat at least every couple of weeks. I’ve kept boats both in North Jersey in a couple marinas and in Barnegat Bay and at the end of the season I have never had any growth on the hull. A little on the outboard Trim tilt bracket but where the bottom paint is - zero barnacles.

I am pretty particular about the bottom prep every year and try to use good paint.

Losing 10 mph is nuts due to growth and fuel economy must be terrible as well.

Just my experience based on 25 years of keeping boats in the water in NJ.

[Flygaff]

Yea, it has happened every year for some time. Right now I can top out at 47MPH and at cruise I can get 3.3 MPG. By the end of summer I can only top out in the mid to upper 30s and my fuel at cruise goes down to about 2.9 MPG. The hull is in good shape. I thought about having it blasted and coated 2 years ago. When they looked at it they told me to save my money that it did not need it. Definite points for honesty. I will be using the boat a lot more this year. That should keep the growth down.

[Capt. Debbie]

I have seen it happen in Sandy Hook, Navesink, Shrewsbury, Shark River and Toms River but was due to lack of boat use. It was growing GRASS on the bottom and O/B. Looks like a beard.

That will produce a ton of drag almost like a sea anchor.

On guy anchored on a sand bar inside SH north of buoy 11 in the River. Let tide run out from under him leaving the boat high and dry. Then pulled out his power washer with a gasoline engine and blasted it clean. Some pay diver to do at dock like Channel Club. 95% of their boats never leave the dock but once or twice a season ( fireworks in Red Bank & Atlantic Highlands).

Tide came in on power washer dude and he left. No $5 a foot haul out specials. :) I'm sure that power washer paid for itself quickly.






Gerry I can’t speak to what can happen if you don’t use your boat for months but my experience has been based on using the boat at least every couple of weeks. I’ve kept boats both in North Jersey in a couple marinas and in Barnegat Bay and at the end of the season I have never had any growth on the hull. A little on the outboard Trim tilt bracket but where the bottom paint is - zero barnacles.

I am pretty particular about the bottom prep every year and try to use good paint.

Losing 10 mph is nuts due to growth and fuel economy must be terrible as well.

Just my experience based on 25 years of keeping boats in the water in NJ.

[Gerry Zagorski]

Gerry I can’t speak to what can happen if you don’t use your boat for months but my experience has been based on using the boat at least every couple of weeks. I’ve kept boats both in North Jersey in a couple marinas and in Barnegat Bay and at the end of the season I have never had any growth on the hull. A little on the outboard Trim tilt bracket but where the bottom paint is - zero barnacles.

I am pretty particular about the bottom prep every year and try to use good paint.

Losing 10 mph is nuts due to growth and fuel economy must be terrible as well.

Just my experience based on 25 years of keeping boats in the water in NJ.

I hear you Scott.... Every marina is different. I'm in Leonardo and have no issues and I have friends in other marinas fairly close by and no matter what paint they use they have issues.. Seem like areas that have a swift current are more prone..

[Scott D]

10-4 Gerry. I guess the bottom line is use your boat at least every week or 2. That’s a win win. More fishing AND less work.

[jakesdad]

I have a1988, 25 Parker and would lose about 5 to 6 knots over the season. Had bottom blasted and re-done, still lost 4-5 knots. After Sandy went to rack storage that season no lose of RPM's or speed.

Depending on how many coats of bottom paint you have it all absorbs water, lose of speed was all due to additional weight of water absorbed into the paint.

Also found after being in a slip for 30 years, I have found rack storage gives me peace of mind, no longer do I have to double tie during storms or continually check the lines or re-paint the bottom every year. Also the zincs last much longer.