J/30 Class Association Forums J/30 Forum The Boat, Sails and Equipment Bottom Paint

If you will be doing serious racing go with Baltoplate or VC Offshore (both hard bottom Vinyl based paint). It wet sands and burnishes to a perfect mirror finish. You will have to dive frequently to keep it clean. Here on Narragansett bay, it means every two weeks until mid June, then weekly.

If you are cruising, I'd check on what works best in your area. Some paints seem to work better in different water temperatures and sea growth. Ask folks around the marina and get info on their experiences. Since you'll have a good barrier coat on the boat, you should be able to use most anything. Helpful hint - put on one base coat of the bottom paint a different color than the outer coats. That way you can see when you need to repaint, or need to stop wet sanding.