Aqua One Bottom Paint

A conversation among Whalers
Oldslowandugly
Posts: 717
Joined: Fri Jan 15, 2016 11:19 pm
Location: Queens NY

Aqua One Bottom Paint

Postby Oldslowandugly » Tue Apr 06, 2021 4:21 pm

Aqua One bottom paint is much better than the old stuff.

I put the first coat of Interlux Aqua One water-based anti-fouling on my 15-footer. It is much better than traditional solvent based paint.

Aqua One bottom paint doesn't stink like bottom paint usually does.

Aqua One bottom paint doesn't burn if you get some on you.

I love the soap and water clean-up.

To mix Aqua One took a while longer with a paint stick. Aqua One bottom pained seemed thinner. But after it was fully mixed it had the same consistency as solvent-based bottom paint.

Aqua One gave better coverage. Less than one-quart did one-coat on the entire bottom [of a 15-foot boat].

Aqua one went on better, and there is more Aqua One on the boat and less on me.

When Aqua One dries it is tough to remove.

Solvent-based paint takes longer to dry and remains soluble longer so it is easier to clean the brushes and roller. Dried Aqua One was difficult to get off the paint tray and it stained the roller and brush. I am soaking them in water to keep them from hardening completely between coats.

I will use Aqua One exclusively from now on.

The only thing that will change my mind will be the anti-fouling performance. The old stuff allowed no barnacles at all.

jimh
Posts: 11672
Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2015 12:25 pm
Location: Michigan, Lower Peninsula
Contact:

Re: Aqua One Bottom Paint

Postby jimh » Wed Apr 07, 2021 8:16 am

In your review of Aqua One anti-fouling paint there is no information about the ability of Aqua One paint to resist formation of marine growth. Please follow up with your observations about how Aqua One performs as an anti-fouling paint, how well it withstands abrasion from just running the boat at speed, and other observations you might have about its essential characteristics as an anti-fouling paint.

Oldslowandugly
Posts: 717
Joined: Fri Jan 15, 2016 11:19 pm
Location: Queens NY

Re: Aqua One Bottom Paint

Postby Oldslowandugly » Thu Apr 08, 2021 12:11 pm

This is my first time using the Aqua One. I too am curious about how well it resists marine growth. The biggest problem in my area of NYC is barnacles. Oddly, I have been using the bargain priced Nautical Ablative made by Interlux for many years. It was great at preventing barnacles from taking hold on the fiberglass hull. I am still getting them on the part of my outboard motor that was submerged in the salt water. I am using Tri-Lux on the aluminum parts and they were not being protected. I had also used the Tri-Lux on my aluminum skiff with the same poor protection. The Nautical was as hard to use as any bottom paint what with the fumes, aggressive solvent, and clean-up. The Aqua One is so much easier to work with I really hope it performs as well as the Nautical. One more caution: when using painter's tape to set your waterline, use the widest tape you can. I used two inch tape and still managed to get a tiny spot of paint on the bare fiberglass. The Aqua One stained the fiberglass badly. While the solvent based paint can be removed immediatly with some Xylene or Acetone- the Aqua One blue color stain did not come off even with soap and water. I will update at the end of the season.

jimh
Posts: 11672
Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2015 12:25 pm
Location: Michigan, Lower Peninsula
Contact:

Re: Aqua One Bottom Paint

Postby jimh » Thu Apr 08, 2021 1:29 pm

ASIDE: with almost all of my boating now in the cold, clear, freshwater of Lake Michigan, I don't worry about marine growth and anti-fouling paint, and because the boat is never in the water for more than perhaps one week at most at any stretch, I don't worry about using a bottom sealing coat. The boat is mostly on the trailer.

My boat has been in saltwater several times for a period of a week or two. I found that when the boat was in rapidly moving tidal cold water, there was no sign of any marine growth

On one trip the boat was in the cold saltwater of the Pacific Ocean behind Vancouver Island for two weeks. On haul-out there was no evidence of any marine growth. However the boat had travelled about 600-miles (or more) in that time, mostly on plane, so the opportunity for marine growth to attach was limited.

But on one trip the boat sat in a marina basin in rather warm Gulf of Mexico saltwater. After only five days I was stunned by the accumulation of marine growth on the hull bottom. From that I can better appreciate the necessity of anti-fouling paint in saltwater, and especially warm saltwater, and especially if the boat sits still for long periods.

Oldslowandugly
Posts: 717
Joined: Fri Jan 15, 2016 11:19 pm
Location: Queens NY

Re: Aqua One Bottom Paint

Postby Oldslowandugly » Thu Apr 08, 2021 9:00 pm

This boat sits in salt water for six months straight. "especially if the boat sits still for long periods." That is the problem. Unless the fish are committing suicide the boat will sit around waiting for weather, moon, tides, and bait to present a feeding opportunity. It can sit for weeks and that is when the growth takes hold. Another update: I accidentally got some more Aqua One on the top-side of the boat. Before it could dry I grabbed a squirt bottle of PURPLE POWER cleaner/de-greaser and that took the paint off with no staining. But it did not take the already dried stain spot off. That is there to stay.

Oldslowandugly
Posts: 717
Joined: Fri Jan 15, 2016 11:19 pm
Location: Queens NY

Re: Aqua One Bottom Paint

Postby Oldslowandugly » Tue Nov 09, 2021 6:27 pm

After six months in the water, I can now report on the Aqua One. There was a pretty heavy growth of green stuff all over the bottom. Thicker than usual, but it power-washed right off. There were a few small barnacles hiding in the dark crevices too. However, this was an unusually hot year. The hottest July on record around here. So a heavier green bottom rug may be due to that. A buddy pulled his out right before me and all you could see was his propeller. His entire out-drive was a jungle. He complained that he used the "good stuff" and yet suffered tremendous growth. Again, a very hot year. I also noted that when I power washed the green stuff off the bottom much less paint got removed. That is a big plus as the solvent based paint shed lots of paint that had to be repaired the next year. So considering the easy of application, easy water clean-up, and pretty good performance, I will be staying with the Aqua One.