Advice on Copper Based Bottom on Lakes on West Coast

M

maryvmcclain

New member
We're considering a 23 Venture and plan to bring it to Nevada, CA, and Washington... The bottom paint is 3 coats of pettit bottom paint and then a coat of Unepoxy, which is copper based. Is this kind of bottom paint an issue anywhere on the West Coast ports, or on Western Lakes? Are there places we simply can't go with this paint? Lake Tahoe, Lake Mead, Lake Powell? The paint is black... is copper based paint always black, and does that trigger issues if noticed by the Departments of Wildlife/etc?

I read somewhere that copper based bottom paint is outlawed in Washington... but is that just on new paint jobs?

If so, is it a matter of just changing the paint or does it have to be scraped and completely repainted? Does the scraping off end up costing more than a typical bottom paint job?

The other boat we are considering is a fresh water C22 and we're having trouble deciding. When we do the plus and minuses for things like canvas, electronics or shipping, the boats end up costing similar amounts... We HAVE to decide quickly because the Venture is about to be listed with a broker. HELP AND ADVICE APPRECIATED GREATLY!

Thanks
Mary (and Rob)
 
I don't know of any lakes that have restrictions against bottom paint. Copper bottom paint is no longer for sale in Washington state but if you still have it on your boat there is are no restrictions . No one is at the ramp checking on it. most boats around here still have copper paint if they have not be painted in a year or two. You should be good to go with either boat.
 
Tom,

According to this site, the ban does not start till 2018.
http://www.wavetrain.net/news-a-views/239-copper-bottom-paint-banned-in-washington-state


May 2011, Last week Washington's Gov. Chris Gregoire put her Hancock on legislation prohibiting the sale of new boats treated with copper-based bottom paint as of January 2018. No paints containing more than 0.5 percent copper can be used on old or new boats starting in 2020. The law, which imposes fines of up to $10,000 for violations, applies only to recreational vessels up to 65 feet in length.
Click to expand...

If the above is accurate, we still have until 2020 to stop repainting our bottoms with copper paint. New boats sold after Jan 2018 cannot have copper bottom paint.

Fisheries Supply (Seattle) still lists copper bottom paint on their website.
 
No problems- as noted, the ban starts a number of years from now.

Most of the yards in Wasington have moved away from using copper paint when doing bottom paint jobs at this point, so you'll see copper paints pahsed out before the ban.

Interestingly enough- the law doesn't prohibit someone from bringing a boat into the state with copper paint on it, or having copper bottom paint applied outside the state on vessels that will be moored in the state.

I suspect many big boat owners will simply make a trip into Canada for the bottom paint work as copper based painst are less expensive than the copper free alternatives- at least at this time.

We have switched to copper free paint already.
 
Are there places we simply can't go with this paint? Lake Tahoe, Lake Mead, Lake Powell? The paint is black... is copper based paint always black, and does that trigger issues if noticed by the Departments of Wildlife/etc?
Click to expand...

Copper bottom paint is not always black. Google is your friend here, search on 'marine bottom paint'.

For answers about the lakes, try a Google search to find out what department runs the lake. Lake Mead is a National Recreation Area, run by the National Park Service.

The fresh water lakes on the west coast are concerned about Zebra mussels and boats must be inspected when crossing state borders and prior to launching on some lakes.
 
I just bought a boat that came out of Lake Mead and Nevad Fish and Wildlife informed Washington that it was coming and Washington Fish and Wildlifecontacted the hauler and inspected it when it entered the state.
 
Matt, don't tell me you bought a C-22 on Lake Mead or I will shoot myself. For 9 months we looked and never found "our boat" in CA or NV or even OR or WA...If you did just buy one... please tell me it was blue... I wanted anything but blue!

The good news is: we have a deal in the works for the Venture! Now, to get it home!

Mary
 
Step away from the gun- I didn't buy a C-Dory. :lol:

My taste in boats is a bit bigger- I bought a 1981 Wellcraft 260 Sedan. So now I have two project boats. Plus a house I bought last year that needs some yard work. But hey, what's one more project, right?
 
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