After my first season in salt water with an H260 I found that there were a few areas not sufficiently covered with anti fouling paint: The top of the centerboard and the the trunk above it, and the stainless steel water ballast valve plate. These areas have considerable marine growth including mussels. Planning for next season's launching chores, it is obvious I need to scrape away these remnants then apply anti fouling paint. This brings up some questions that I am hoping other Hunter 26/260 owners can help with. First, with the boat up on jacks and the board lowered nearly all the way, is there sufficient space to get my hand, tools, paint brush etc. up in the areas that need additional attention? I have seen this area only laying under the boat on the trailer and cannot envision what it looks like with the board partially lowered. If not, ny suggestions on how to get these areas cleaned and painted? Secondly, it looks like there might be some metal (SS) hardware in place as part of the center board pivot assembly. If so, is there any special preparation needed to prevent corrosion between the copper in the bottom paint and the SS hardware? Ditto for the bottom of the SS water ballast valve. Any suggestions on tools, methods, problem areas to watch out for, etc. to make this job easier would be appreciated, too. Thank you, Tom
- Status
centerboard paint
We have a 1995 26 and ended up with a million barnacles last year at the gulf coast. We got them scraped and jacked the boat up (very slowly-doing it ourselves) and took the center board out totally. There is not really enough room to get your hand in there.
We have a 1995 26 and ended up with a million barnacles last year at the gulf coast. We got them scraped and jacked the boat up (very slowly-doing it ourselves) and took the center board out totally. There is not really enough room to get your hand in there.
Jacking boat up and removing centerboard?
Stacie, Thank you for your reply. If you don't mind providing more info, how did you go about jacking the boat up off the trailer? How high did you need to lift it off the trailer to remove the board? The centerboard looks heavy. How difficult was it to remove and get back in place? After thinking about it a few minutes, by removing the board, you can get access to the trunk and board without having to jack it as high as if you were going to lower the board most the way to get access. Again, thank you for any advice you can provide. Fair winds, Tom
Stacie, Thank you for your reply. If you don't mind providing more info, how did you go about jacking the boat up off the trailer? How high did you need to lift it off the trailer to remove the board? The centerboard looks heavy. How difficult was it to remove and get back in place? After thinking about it a few minutes, by removing the board, you can get access to the trunk and board without having to jack it as high as if you were going to lower the board most the way to get access. Again, thank you for any advice you can provide. Fair winds, Tom
Can be dangerous
Jacking the boat off the trailer can be dangerous. You don't want to work under the boat without it being held up securely. I would suggest finding a yard that would hang the boat for you for an hour or so until you paint the centerboard trunk. I used to use one of those small diameter rollers and a long stick. I also just painted over the metal pieces holding the pin. It wasn't a Hunter, but I did it like this for 5 years and never had one barnicle grow (used Micron CSC) Roc
Jacking the boat off the trailer can be dangerous. You don't want to work under the boat without it being held up securely. I would suggest finding a yard that would hang the boat for you for an hour or so until you paint the centerboard trunk. I used to use one of those small diameter rollers and a long stick. I also just painted over the metal pieces holding the pin. It wasn't a Hunter, but I did it like this for 5 years and never had one barnicle grow (used Micron CSC) Roc
TRAVEL LIFT
Ditto on the travel lift and Micron CSC. I painted my 240 last year with the Micron while it was on jack stands. I had the yard put it in the travel lift at the end of thier business day. This left me change the positions of the board giving me access to everything. By using the Micron you will only have to do this every other year. The yard charged me $100 for putting it on jack stands for 3 days as well as the use of the travel lift.
Ditto on the travel lift and Micron CSC. I painted my 240 last year with the Micron while it was on jack stands. I had the yard put it in the travel lift at the end of thier business day. This left me change the positions of the board giving me access to everything. By using the Micron you will only have to do this every other year. The yard charged me $100 for putting it on jack stands for 3 days as well as the use of the travel lift.
Ditto on jacking up the boat
Pardon me for being blunt but I think anyone whojacks up their boat off of the trailer without the proper jacks is NUTS. I admit I considered it when I last did mine but was too scared that I might damage the boat first by it falling second by the jacking itself. My wife thought I was nuts because she was certain it would fall on me. I have seen folks use the tralier as a lever to get their boats up but I would not want to try it on one as large as this first. As for paining the well I just take a 1" paint brush and tape it to a stick and glob it in. I also considered putting some in a spray bottle but the stick worked well.
Pardon me for being blunt but I think anyone whojacks up their boat off of the trailer without the proper jacks is NUTS. I admit I considered it when I last did mine but was too scared that I might damage the boat first by it falling second by the jacking itself. My wife thought I was nuts because she was certain it would fall on me. I have seen folks use the tralier as a lever to get their boats up but I would not want to try it on one as large as this first. As for paining the well I just take a 1" paint brush and tape it to a stick and glob it in. I also considered putting some in a spray bottle but the stick worked well.
Brush on a stick
At first I did use a throwaway brush on a stick. But I found that those tiny diameter rollers made to paint the wall behind a toilet bowl fit inside the trunk with the centerboard down. Was able to paint the trunk alot quicker than the brush. Just mount the roller on a stick. Roc
At first I did use a throwaway brush on a stick. But I found that those tiny diameter rollers made to paint the wall behind a toilet bowl fit inside the trunk with the centerboard down. Was able to paint the trunk alot quicker than the brush. Just mount the roller on a stick. Roc
I may be sticking my neck out but here goes...
I am not familiar with the centerboard setup on the H260 so bear with me in case I goof. Is it possible to pull the board all the way up, close off the trunk from below with tape and then fill it from the top by pouring the bottom paint in until it reaches the top? A funnel would help if the opening was really tight. This is how I used to paint the board and the inside of the trunk on my daysailer, right through the hole for the line to raise the board. No brush and no waste. After waiting a few minutes, I would pop a hole in the tape and let the excess paint run back into the can, where I could use it to finish the rest of the bottom. Peter Suah "Raven"
I am not familiar with the centerboard setup on the H260 so bear with me in case I goof. Is it possible to pull the board all the way up, close off the trunk from below with tape and then fill it from the top by pouring the bottom paint in until it reaches the top? A funnel would help if the opening was really tight. This is how I used to paint the board and the inside of the trunk on my daysailer, right through the hole for the line to raise the board. No brush and no waste. After waiting a few minutes, I would pop a hole in the tape and let the excess paint run back into the can, where I could use it to finish the rest of the bottom. Peter Suah "Raven"
Neck stuck out too far 
Very clever, but I think you'll get paint all over the rope. When I painted the centerboard trunk, I was always very careful not to get any speck of paint on the rope. I used to use albative paint (Micron CSC) and it would always get on your hands if any was on the rope. Also, if the cockpit got wet, the paint would bleed out of the rope fibers and get onto the fiberglass. Don't know if non-albative paints would be better. Roc
Very clever, but I think you'll get paint all over the rope. When I painted the centerboard trunk, I was always very careful not to get any speck of paint on the rope. I used to use albative paint (Micron CSC) and it would always get on your hands if any was on the rope. Also, if the cockpit got wet, the paint would bleed out of the rope fibers and get onto the fiberglass. Don't know if non-albative paints would be better. Roc
Painting
Tom; I have reviewed the responses to date but let me put in my two cents worth as I have painted many 240's and 260's. First, it is extremely dangerous to try jacking the boat off the trailer. I can remember years ago someone who tried that with another brand and unfortunately, the boat fell and his arm was pinned between the trailer bunk boards and the boat. Result was a broken arm with permanent damage. Please do not do this for your own safety as well as others reading this. Do what Sean did and go to the yard and let them lift it off for you and place it on stands. Sean, good thinking. Bottom paint is toxic and should be treated cautiously. Wear gloves at least. If you do get paint on them, use hand cleaner as it will get the paint off. I like using the Micron CSC for good results. To explain the center board housing, the area that the rear and most portion of the centerboard goes up into is under water and can be painted easily when the centerboard is fully lowered. Paint the head of the centerboard when down as far up as you can go using a 1inch chip brush attached to a stick as suggested. The top portion of the centerboard is above the water line and the only time water will get into the upper most part of the trunk housing is whil the boat is in motion or you have alot of people staying on board causing the boat to sink lower into the water. If painting yourself, do use caution as we would like to have you around for a long time
Tom; I have reviewed the responses to date but let me put in my two cents worth as I have painted many 240's and 260's. First, it is extremely dangerous to try jacking the boat off the trailer. I can remember years ago someone who tried that with another brand and unfortunately, the boat fell and his arm was pinned between the trailer bunk boards and the boat. Result was a broken arm with permanent damage. Please do not do this for your own safety as well as others reading this. Do what Sean did and go to the yard and let them lift it off for you and place it on stands. Sean, good thinking. Bottom paint is toxic and should be treated cautiously. Wear gloves at least. If you do get paint on them, use hand cleaner as it will get the paint off. I like using the Micron CSC for good results. To explain the center board housing, the area that the rear and most portion of the centerboard goes up into is under water and can be painted easily when the centerboard is fully lowered. Paint the head of the centerboard when down as far up as you can go using a 1inch chip brush attached to a stick as suggested. The top portion of the centerboard is above the water line and the only time water will get into the upper most part of the trunk housing is whil the boat is in motion or you have alot of people staying on board causing the boat to sink lower into the water. If painting yourself, do use caution as we would like to have you around for a long time
Thank you for the replies...
Thank you for all your ideas... The boat bottom was prep'd and painted last year by the dealer with Woolsey HydroCoat and it has held up well in Boston Harbor for the 4 months it was in the water this season. It needs touching up in a few locations. I am hoping to get 2 to 3 years out of the two coats that were applied. There are a few areas missed by the dealer including the water ballast valve (easy access) and the upper, aft portions of the center board near, if not at, the top. My plan to gain access to the board and trunk is to float the boat, use the club's Hydrolic trailer (handles boats to 45 feet) to lift the boat from the water and put it on stands. I have some very experienced people to help. Once on stands I can lower the board and get a better look at what needs to be done. I was intrigued by the idea of jacking it directly from the trailer, and have been thinking of ways to rig a system to do that **safely**. I plan to be sailing this boat for years to come. I am sure it can be done, but at what expense and effort fabricating a rig? Again thank you for your replies. Fair winds and happy holidays... Tom
Thank you for all your ideas... The boat bottom was prep'd and painted last year by the dealer with Woolsey HydroCoat and it has held up well in Boston Harbor for the 4 months it was in the water this season. It needs touching up in a few locations. I am hoping to get 2 to 3 years out of the two coats that were applied. There are a few areas missed by the dealer including the water ballast valve (easy access) and the upper, aft portions of the center board near, if not at, the top. My plan to gain access to the board and trunk is to float the boat, use the club's Hydrolic trailer (handles boats to 45 feet) to lift the boat from the water and put it on stands. I have some very experienced people to help. Once on stands I can lower the board and get a better look at what needs to be done. I was intrigued by the idea of jacking it directly from the trailer, and have been thinking of ways to rig a system to do that **safely**. I plan to be sailing this boat for years to come. I am sure it can be done, but at what expense and effort fabricating a rig? Again thank you for your replies. Fair winds and happy holidays... Tom
stands
tom; I was glad that you are going to use a hydraulic trailer with experienced people. Please use enough stands minimum of six but 8 would be better for this boat as there is no fixed keel to support the weight of the boat. You do not want to dimple the hull and tear up the bond of the water ballast tank. Merry Christmas to you and to all. Crazy Dave condon
tom; I was glad that you are going to use a hydraulic trailer with experienced people. Please use enough stands minimum of six but 8 would be better for this boat as there is no fixed keel to support the weight of the boat. You do not want to dimple the hull and tear up the bond of the water ballast tank. Merry Christmas to you and to all. Crazy Dave condon
Jacking Up Boat
Just wanted you to know that although we jacked up the boat ourselves-we were extremely concerned with safety. And no I probably wouldn't really recommend most people do it themselves. We didn't just use jacks -we built braces etc. I can't explain it very well as my Husband did it. The boat was never actually free standing from the trailer. We also din't raise it very far. Just enough to get the center board out. We are too far from any kind of marina facilities or yards to make it feasable for us to use a lift. Thanks for the comments though-Safety should be the number one concern when working on your boats.
Just wanted you to know that although we jacked up the boat ourselves-we were extremely concerned with safety. And no I probably wouldn't really recommend most people do it themselves. We didn't just use jacks -we built braces etc. I can't explain it very well as my Husband did it. The boat was never actually free standing from the trailer. We also din't raise it very far. Just enough to get the center board out. We are too far from any kind of marina facilities or yards to make it feasable for us to use a lift. Thanks for the comments though-Safety should be the number one concern when working on your boats.
- Status