Barebottom or Repaint?

[Bryan]

I have recently changed from a slip owner to a trailer sailor.My 10 year old bottom paint on my Capri 22 is wearing away and I have noticed that the manufacturer "Catalina" used a gray colored fiberglass for the bottom of the boat.My question is whether or not to just remove the old bottom paint and smooth out the bottom or repaint what is already there?I am not sure if the gray gelcoat is protection enough for stays in the water of a week or so?I would like the smoothest bottom as I race in an association.Thanks for any help.

 

[Jim Willis]

I would use Epoxy undercoat and then LPU

After making sure that the gelcoat is properly prepared (degreased with Prep Sol or req) and wet-sanded, apply a good barrier undercoat of epoxy (not glossy). Then a nice smooth shiny LPU like two-part interlux.You can always apply something like Aurora bottom wax or our Superwax for further protection and temporary growth inhibition. Seagrass etc comes right off barnacles take longer and don't like smooth "oily" fiishes. I have even heard of people using baby oil!If it's a trailer boat why boather with anti-fouling paint.I not the greatest expert on this. how about other readers?Jim W

 

[R.W.Landau]

Bryan

I don't know of any manufactures that use gray gelcoat on the bottom. I think that maybe the boat was barrier coated with Interlux 2000 before the bottom paint. The interlux 2000 is gray. If it is, I would put antifouling paint back on to cover the barrier coat.One way to check if it was barrier coated is to sand the bottom paint off at the water line where it stops and the topsides begin. You are looking to see if the gray has thickness above the gel coat at the water line. I'll try to make this clearer. When a bottom job is being done, they use masking tape as an edge to paint and also to barrier coat. When the tape is removed the paint is as high or higher than the tape was. this causes a sharp edge right there. Hope this is clear. if it is not I will try again.r.w.landau