How wide should my boottop be?

[alisdair4]

I'm about to re-instate the boot-top on Midnight Drifter (32 LOA). Marking it relative to the existing waterline should be simple enough. However, I have no idea how wide it should be, and whether or not the width should be the same throughout its length (ie, should it taper). What is the norm?

 

[Quandary]

If it is a real boot top you will want it quite wide but if it is above the static waterline you can go for style. If its on a reasonably vertical surface at the mid point perhaps 2" widening slightly to less than three at the bow and if it runs under the hull at the stern it will widen perhaps to 9-10". I helped paint the topsides on a steel hulled Dutch boat last week where the boot top was min.6" with a parallel cove stripe above to disguise highish freeboard. Imagine projecting a standard width vertical stripe on to the hull shape or where the water line would come up to if the boat sunk by a couple of inches. We once used a dumpy level to set up a line that had been lost but you still need to use your eye, its probably sexist to suggest that some girls have a better eye for this.
Worth experimenting with some tape then standing well back to view.

You need to get it right if you can, because a wrong one looks awful, if you are not certain keep it narrow it is easy to add width next year if needed.

 

[VicMallows]

I think a nice wavy boottop could look good .... but then I'm not known for good artistic taste. Why not be different and not have one at all.

 

[Cloven]

On my boat it is about 10cms from stem to about 3/4 of the way towards the stern. Then it starts to widen and by the time it gets to the stern it must around 30/40 cms. However, it must depend on the shape etc of your hull.

 

[concentrik]

Laser level? They can be had for under twelve quid - you could line it up to your 'known' line, then drop (or raise) it by the required amount. The line would mimic the actual water level and take account of your hull shape(I think, but it's been a long day and I'm very happy to be put right!). At the stern end of my boat the boot top is about 8 inches wide, two at the bow.

 

[Bodach na mara]

A lot depends on where you keep the boat. When I got Wight Dawn, there was no boot-top. Just blue antifouling underwater, or actually to a point about 2" above the actual waterline. After the first year (in a marina) I painted a red boot top that was from the waterline and up 2" midships and 4 at stem and sterm. I kept it on a mooring and by mid-season had a problem with fouling up onto the white topsides. The next winter I removed all the old antifouling and changed the colours over (now a blue boot-top and red underwater.)

What I really wanted was a boot-top from waterline to the rubbing strip but my wife said that would look daft. In stages, the width of boot-top has increased until it is not 5" midships and anout 9" at the bow. At the stern it is now a band of 3" across the transom and the upper edges meet this under the curve of the bilge. The waterline on a Renown should be 3" below the lowest point of the transom. Even so, lying on a swinging mooring, I still get growth on the topsides midships.

 

[Caer Urfa]

However I have no idea how wide it should be, and whether or not the width should be the same throughout its length (ie, should it taper).

Hi Alisdair

Just put the boat back 'in' last week and had the same thoughts, The antifoul is Micron Extra (self eroding antifoul), but after checking with and discussion with International Paints the 'Boot Topping' is Interspeed Ultra which is a hard antifoul, but it is also 'scrubable'.

I went for an 8" wide band all around of which 3" is underwater.
Hope this might help.
Mike

 

[alisdair4]

Boot tops

Thanks all, for the input. Like most things on boats, there seems to be no "right" answer. However, the advice to "start narrow and work up" appears sound. I am overpainting an area of topside that the previous owner had antifouled, due to the boat being heavily laden (ie, deeper in the water).

 

[Ex-SolentBoy]

If you get a proper side view of your boat it is quite easy to mock this up on a computer drawing package.

We did that and eventually decided 10 cm was the right width. We used this up to the centre of the boat and then sloped up so it was 20 cm at the bow.

No need for a laser line. There are some very neat little hand held measuring guides with offset arms and a spirit level built in that can do the job.

 

[Bodach na mara]

I tried to find some photos of the boot top at the stern yesterday and could not locate them. I have now found them and they are attached. They show that the width at the transom is a bit more than I thought it was and also show the annoying growth of weed on the topsides amidships. This is the result of rolling on the mooring.

 

[Poignard]

Here is a picture of mine, which I think improves the appearance.

The boot topping is wider than it was when I bought the boat because I had to extend it downwards as she now floats higher out of the water. Presumably the previous owner carried more gear than I do.

 

[alisdair4]

Thanks Ken, that's very helpful.

 

[Bodach na mara]

Glad to be of assistance. I have always found that the stern is the hard bit when it comes to marking off the lines. At the bow, the near-vertical topsides allow you to see the effect more easily.

 

[KINGFISHER 9]

A wise man recently told me that the upper boot top line should rise at the bow at half the angle of the sheer line.