Boat Paint

[toddco]

Hello All,
I've been reading everything I can about boat paint (exciting, I know). My O'Day 20 was repainted sometime in the last 35 yrs. White above the waterline and blue-ish below.
I've am not going to leave her moored for anytime more than a weekend or so, and from what I have read, I need a non-ablative bottom paint. I've read all about rolling and tipping, I think I can handle that. I've read all about glazing and filling the scratches in the gel coat, and I think I'm capable there too.
I'm trying to figure out how much paint to buy, and with the two colors if the white needs to be top side paint from the water line up to the rub rail, or all top side paint, or bottom paint on the lower blue and bottom paint on everything up to the rub rail. Can I put top side paint over bottom paint? And is this stuff made out of diamond dust? At forty bucks a quart, I'd hate to mess this up.

 

[Sunbird22358]

If you are not going to keep your boat in the water for more than a weekend, there is really no need to paint the bottom below the waterline with an antifoulant paint. For the topsides (area between rubrail and waterline) you definitely DON'T want antifoulant even if you were keeping her in the water (bottom paint is dull, expensive, and messy above the waterline). I'd use either a good single-part Marine Polyurethane Enamel, or a good exterior enamel (not house paint, I'm thinking more like Rustoleum enamel, or what you would use for outdoor furniture). Obviously, the Marine paints are best, but you do need to follow the manufacturer's instructions completely and stick to one company for all products if possible (cleaners, primer, finish paint).
I read about a guy who painted his entire boat (a 24' Bristol Corsaire) from waterline to the top of the cabin with Krylon Spray Paint, not sure I'd go that route....... but he did and it worked out pretty well! I stil lthink I'd stick to the one-part polyurethanes.
The various Marine Paint companies do make excellant 2-part Polyurethane paints, and they will tend cure to a more durable, long-lasting finish. But are not as "fool-proof" as the single-part paints. Still worth considering.

Below the waterline, that is tough, first you will need to remove the antifoulant paint (unless it is comapatable with the new paint and in good condition)..... the polyurethanes don't work well there, they tend to buble and blister when constantly wet. The bubbles will flatten out once the boat dries, but that is a weird property of most polyurethane paints (even AWLGRIP). This may be a good time to use Rustoleum or another exterior enamel..... All of my boats have been kept in the water all season, so I'm not sure what works best below the waterline on a trailer boat. An inexpensive bottom paint ($) could be used, or go for a good, quality Ablative ($$$), The newer teflon-based paints could be good, but $$$$.

I'd say that the best place to start is the web sites for all the paint manufacturers (INTERLUX, PETIT, etc)

 

[toddco]

Thanks for the advice, it sounds like you have had your fair share of painted tennis shoes. The PO had removed most of the existing bottom paint, and I think my safest bet will be to use a good ablative paint there. The scratches are along the sides rather high into the white. It looks like the boat was tarped and the straps did a number on the finish. This is where I will need to glaze the scratches. I'd be upset if the paint bubbled up from water. My plan is to hopefully get it wet someday.

 

[Joe11688]

Thanks for the advice, it sounds like you have had your fair share of painted tennis shoes. The PO had removed most of the existing bottom paint, and I think my safest bet will be to use a good ablative paint there. The scratches are along the sides rather high into the white. It looks like the boat was tarped and the straps did a number on the finish. This is where I will need to glaze the scratches. I'd be upset if the paint bubbled up from water. My plan is to hopefully get it wet someday.

If your hull has any gouges where the bottom paint was, you may be better off giving the bottom a coat of ablative bottom paint. Where the PO had used bottom paint on this boat, this may be the best way to go.

If for instance you wind up leaving your boat in the water for longer than a week, you won't need to worry about your hull getting marine growth that can be hard to get off at times.

To be honest, I hate applying bottom paint but I moor my boat and I have no choice. The best bottom I've found for the money is Super Shipbottom Ablative paint.
http://www.supershipbottom.com/PAINT SPECS.htm
The price right now is $149.00 a gallon. One gallon will give you plenty of paint left over for next year's touch up. This paint has a high copper content though and I don't know if it is permissible in your area lakes. You'll need to check this out for yourself. Some areas prohibit boats with copper bottom paint on their lakes and rivers.
This SSB paint can be applied to bare fiberglass or over most bottom paints, and it only requires one coat. It has it's own primer built right into it. Two of our club members use this paint and they like it.
I just put in my order for a gallon of dark blue ablative paint last week and it gets delivered by the US Postal Services. I expect to receive it by the end of March.
You may want to trailer right now but if you should decide to join a yacht club in your area and moor the boat there, at least your hull will be protected for long periods on a mooring.
Joe