Black Widow Bottom Paint
- Thread starter Strimar
- Start date
ryley
Super Anarchist
Irrational 14
Super Anarchist
How are the anti fouling properties? I've heard poor results in SoCal but would like other opinions before I make a decision. I like that you can burnish it to a high degree.
ryley
Super Anarchist
In my area in New England it is pretty well liked - I think of it as doing everything VC Offshore can do, but with antifouling
fastbottoms doesn't like it in California.
My process for the past 4 years has been to sand the bottom with 120, get at least 2 coats on the bottom and 3 on leading edges/waterline. I usually get to 1000 on the keel and forward of the keel and 400 or so everywhere else. The first year, it went over VC offshore with no problem of adherence.
The paint is insanely thick, even after mixing. I've taken to using a 2 gallon container to dump the glop in before mixing. Don't try to shake it, it just dents the can. hotdog rollers work well, but it can be hard to see the line between where you've painted and where you haven't, and they are pretty narrow so it can take some time. I've also used the west solvent-resistant foam rollers. supposedly it can be sprayed but I've done fine with rolling and sanding. It dries extremely hard, and I've seen videos of people using rubbing compound on a buffer to make it glass, but... I'd rather go sailing
I find it works well and I've reduced the number of cleans I have to do each year.
Lex Teredo
Super Anarchist
My bottom cleaner in the Western upper middle Chesapeake (LOL... Naptown) *does not like* Black Widow, thinks it's better than VC Offshore for biocidal properties. but prefers Trinidad Pro - until now. She is a very good small keelboat racer and believes the Pro bottom is as good as Offshore or Widow after a half dozen cleanings, plus the cleanings are always cheaper because there's less growth. There's a new Petit replacing the Pro and she has gotten to use that, it's called XSR and it's apparently very fast. Right now it's retailing for $600 if you can even find it, so I will likely be using some NOS Trinidad Pro with Irgarol for this year and hoping for the price to on the XSR to come down.
Best price on any paint: Defender usually does that, or Fawcett's locally (which I prefer) in Annapolis. If Fawcett's doesn't have it, West will price match, which is awesome when they are selling my favorite paint at $375, Fawcetts doesnt have it, but some little chandlery in Maine is selling it for $239. Just take a screenshot of the website where you found it. They will check to make sure it's a current sale and it's the exact same product but West is usually pretty good about honoring a price match on anything.
Best price on any paint: Defender usually does that, or Fawcett's locally (which I prefer) in Annapolis. If Fawcett's doesn't have it, West will price match, which is awesome when they are selling my favorite paint at $375, Fawcetts doesnt have it, but some little chandlery in Maine is selling it for $239. Just take a screenshot of the website where you found it. They will check to make sure it's a current sale and it's the exact same product but West is usually pretty good about honoring a price match on anything.
Gouvernail
Lottsa people don’t know I’m famous
ryley
Super Anarchist
it's usually around March 20th. They are changing the process this year and haven't announced the dates yet. Here's from their New Year newsletter: