JellyFish

I don't see any anti-fouling paint on your boat in the pre-launch picture.  Did you use any? 

No Paint: I always asummed this paint was for boats kept in sea water, not fresh water. It was the electrify charge created by the salt that kept life forms from growing on the hull. Pleas tell me more what kind of paint your talking about. With the neccessary preparation work it must be an expensive deal getting it done now. And where would I take the boat to have it done.

I kept the boat in the slip all season, I assumed thats what the slip was for. To tell you the truth, and why wouldn't I, I been using the same slip for three years and never had this problem before. What happening to the water,  it seems to be getting more and more foul... I see a lot of oil slicks from gas motors but I'm sure this doesn't have any effect on the condition of the water, just smelly.

The last few weeks before I puller her out she was very slow. The last day, which had higher winds then I like, I was out with just the jib, which I've done often, but this time I didn't have much control of direction. She mostly just dragged along.  I was shocked to see these creatures growing on the keel.

I eMailed the lake and the state about this and never got a reply.

I just started sailing about four years ago and still not familiar with all the sailing terms so I hope you can understand what I'm saying... 

If you use bottom paint you won't have any jelly fish on your hull. I and several friends who all keep our hulls well coated with bottom paint saw our boats come out exceptionally clean, except for the rudder blades, which were bare HDPE. Had a few jeyys fish hanging on the botom of the blaeds. Had we know, we could have easily kept them clean during the season with a long handle brush or scraper.

Back to the Eagles game . . . Gil

From my long time experience and after owning several sail boats, both epoxy barrier coating and bottom paint are ESSENTIAL. Barrier coat prevents blistering and bottom paint keeps your bottom clean of marine growth.

Blistering is an expensive situation to fix and fresh water promotes blisters more than salt water. Lots of other factors too, but barrier coat is an excellent preventative measure. Bottom paint finishes the job.

There is a water based bottom paint, Aquagard, that goes on easy, doesn't smell and works very well. Put on a few coats and you only need to recoat every 2 yrs. Ten years in the marina has taught me a lot.

My ComPac 19 is coated with Interlux barrier coat and bottom paint. After 5+ months in the water it came out TOTALLY clean and is ready for next year. My friend Ralph's CP19 came out the same was and he used Aquagard.

DCNR put out a notice about the jelly fish. Evidently they have been migrating up the east coast. They were in Maryland last year and now they are in PA. I have not read of any cures . . . Nasty business . . .

Agree with Gil - bottom paint will help.  If the concern is 'speed' there are types that can be sanded.  Warren M and I use E-Paint.  Very good results in fresh water.  Warren uses a white and I have the black.  Warren also uses the cleaning pole in your article.  He has used it twice a year.

How often do you sail?  Most active sailors, out of the slip at least every two weeks have not seen major growths on their boat bottoms.

Gil, As far as aplying bottom paint either Aquagard or Interlux or both I don't think this is be a job I could do myself. Merely cleaning the hull bottom takes a multi-jointed person to move around the supports of the trailer.

Would you or anyone else have any suggestions as to where I could have this done professionally?

I can relate to what you said about the need to move around under the boat. I don't know where you and your boat are located. I live in Bensalem and down my way there is a great motor and boat maintenance outfit on State Road at Neshaminy Creek. Eckart Marine. They took my bottom down to bare fiberglass last spring, barrier coated it and bottom painted it - all Interlux materials - and after 5+ months in Nock it came out in perfect shape! Another good place is the Sailboat Shop in Glen Gardner, NJ. I used them this fall to haul and store my boat in their yard. They did everything. Great service too. They service motors, do maintenace and bottom painting, etc. - full service shop. I hope this helps.

About the third week in March (2010) I took my sailboat down to Highway Marina on 309 to have the bottom painted. Around April 12th I called to see how the project was going. They told me they didn't start it yet but would have it finsihed by the next week, which would be today, he said he doesn't like jobs sitting round that long so he'll get right on it.  I still don't have the boat yet. I don't want to make a pest of myself but what do you think, are thay that busy that it takes so long to paint the botton, I mean we're talking about a good 30 days at least.... Any advice?

Something most people do not realize is that Gelcoat, which is what the final finish is on fiberglass,is actually porous. If you leave your boat in the water without bottom paint eventually you will have blisters form from moisture passing through the Gelcoat. As far as having the bottom painted,The Sailboat Shop inGlen Gardner, NJ will do the job for you.

My advice is, by all means, make a pest of yourself! 30 days IS a long time, in my opinion.  They should be able to give you a firm estimate of a completion date. Especially considering how expensive it is to have this type of work done!  Good luck. 

I have a retractable centerboard - do jellyfish like to live on these?  Keep it retracted while in the marina?

Two thoughts

1) could keep the board clean

2) could make cleaning the bottom easy

On point 1 - your thoughts are okay.  But point 2 is my concern.  If the board is up is the boat stable?  Will the mast move too much and get near your neighbors?  Will you find your bottom up to make cleaning easy (just kiddin')?

I would not move the board, leave it down, if needed remove the boat every two months and clean the bottom.