Bottom paint: Let's talk bottoms

[pamdemonium]

Greg
Thanks for the info about the copper additive.  (I have followed YOUR Nor'sea adventure ever since I got my Nor'sea in 1998!)  The yard tells me the moisture readings on Pamdemonium are going down ever so slowly.  I fully anticipate it being next spring before she is dry enough to work on.  (Good thing I have two boats!  Hopefully copper prices don't rise over that time frame! 
Captain K.  All is well in Georgetown?  Good to hear from you too!

[Bill NH]

Almost done stripping 20-some years of bottom paint off the Cape Dory 22.  (Miked a paint flake at about 3/32" thick!) I'm using Franmar's Soy-Strip and will have a more detailed report on that shortly.  My question is this:

The boat has been and will continue to be sailed seasonally, spending 8-9 months of the year on a trailer in the barn.  There is no indication or history of any blistering, and in this case I'm hesitant to barrier coat the bottom as the current routine and the boats construction have kept it problem free for over 2 decades so far. 

Having stripped the previous eons of bottom paint, would a primer coat be recommended before reapplying the bottom paint?  (I'm planning to use an ablative bottom paint).  The manufacturer says the paint is fine directly over an epoxy barrier coat or over properly prepared old epoxy bottom paint, but doesn't mention bare FG or gelcoat...  If so, what primer would folks recommend for below the waterline? 

[AdriftAtSea]

Why not use a barrier coat, like Interprotect 2000E, as a primer.  Having it on the boat isn't going to hurt anything, and may help prevent blistering in the future.

[s/v Faith]

Bill,

  Your Cape Dory (like my Ariel) is one of the boats made from the 'right stuff' and not known for blisters.  ;D If you had the barrier coat free somehow I might apply it, however I would not spend the money for it on your boat.

  I would not spend the money on the barrier coat myself. 

[Lynx]

My trip to the Bahamas was fun but I anchored in a couple low spots and some of the bottom paint was rubbed thin and had some barnacle growth.  I scraped what I could off before putting into the Erie Canal. I will have to put on new bottom paint before the Oct voyage to Florida.

I am sure that I did not scrape off all of the bottoms of the barnacles off. Can I just paint over them?
Do I need to light sand the entire bottom before applying new bottom paint?

[polecat]

Lynx - I believe you should get a couple pro's to look at the bottom and discuss with them exactly what you are trying to accomplish.  There may be an easy solution that we can't see even with good pictures.  If you have to do a complete bottom job - they would be able to recommend the best paint for where you will be a cruisin.
jim

[Lynx]

Thanks, trying to take as little time as possible to get the job done. I only have about 3 - 1 foot square places bad palces on the bottom. I agree with the paint. Fl needs highest, badest bottom paint that I can get.