Raising the waterline?

Ventured · **Joined:** 12 Oct 2010 23:30 **Posts:** 12

I'm curious - has anyone painted on a higher boot stripe? I either need to carry fewer spares, or get a little more bottom paint on the hull. I'm just having a hard time bringing myself to make the commitment, and wanted to see if anyone has done it so I won't feel so bad about my decision. If you did make the change, any advice or negative results?

Thanks!

SV Ventured - Hull #46
www.svventured.wordpress.com

Ardea · **Joined:** 19 Mar 2007 16:40 **Posts:** 195

I would also be interested in info on this. I need to do the same thing. Since repowering the boot stripe at the bow is under water. I think (caution: opinion warning) it would be fairly easy to do by using various width masking tape to move the outline of the strip up on the hull and then roll and tip a new stripe and raise the bottom paint line up. I did this with the sheer stripe on our T-30. The problem I have is the stripe that's there now droops at the bow so I need to make it straight or what would appear straight. Not sure how to go about that other than just SWAG it.

ByronH · **Joined:** 27 Aug 2008 09:24 **Posts:** 40

I raised the boot top on my 37 years ago. Got tired of it becoming fouled with the scum on the surface of the water. The boot top in vinyl. You have the right idea - measure from the existing water line, or scribe it with a pencil.

rhfetc · **Joined:** 24 Jun 2007 20:30 **Posts:** 19

I did not raise the boot stripe, but repainted it down to the bottom paint with Vivid (bottom is black and Vivid is red). We sail on Lake Ontario and there was always a scummy water line by mid July and the Vivid paint really stopped all that. The Vivid red looks bright at the beginning of the season but fades a bit by the fall. I have repainted it twice so far and I think it looks a lot better than the dull boot strip that we had from all the brushing throughout the season. One other boat in the club uses the Vivid for this purpose but he paints only the one inch separator line between bootstripe and bottom with Vivid white. No more scum lines, works great.

The list to port on the T37 is a nuisance but I have managed to move all the heavier stuff to the starboard lockers and storage areas and keep the starboard water tank full all season. Last summer I don't think anyone would have noticed a list.

By the way, the Vivid is more expensive than regular bottom paint and is no longer available in quarts through West. Other colors are.

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/st ... sNum=50230

Timshel · **Joined:** 29 Dec 2010 10:24 **Posts:** 191

Hey Ventured, thanks for the blog, let us know how the Aerogel works out for the fridge. Regards Bruce #6

Celtic Lady · **Joined:** 05 Apr 2011 17:27 **Posts:** 66

I have the same problem with the white boot stripe, especially on the port side but like others, have moved my heavier equipment to the starboard side and don't use the port side water tank. I still get a little list. I used to clean it each fall when I hauled it out (here in MI) with a fine rubbing compound and then re-wax in the spring, but then found that because a lot of the stain was calcium build-up (I think) that white vinegar helped to remove some of the stain. Last year, the new marina I'm at used an acid wash and the stripe is nice and white again. I have thought about raising it the water line also, but just keep procrastinating due to the hassle of it. So I'll be interested in how others make out in doing this.

Mark

Tartan37.com

Raising the waterline?

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