Bottom Chip Repair

Project_Mayhem · May 3, 2023

I'm guessing you used a 0 degree nozzle on your power washer? That's pretty much what my hull looked like after I tried it once. Not good!

Anyways, the blue is most likely gelcoat. Bottom paint generally isn't needed for trailer sailors that spend less than a couple weeks in the water at a time. I'm guessing the white is bottom paint that has poor adhesion and it might need to come off.

PS - Don't use a pressure washer on the deck. It will blow the sealant out from deck fittings, windows, etc. Rebedding everything is very labor intensive

Ward H · May 3, 2023

When building the hull, the mold is masked off where the stripes will go. Then white gelcoat is sprayed on the entire hull. The striping mask is then removed and the stripe color gelcoat, in this case blue, is sprayed on.
So if there are chips in the white gelcoat the blue gelcoat will show.
So your seeing blue gelcoat where the white gelcoat chipped away.
If your looking for a perfectly smooth hull, IE: your going to race the boat, then you could fill the chips, sand smooth and then bottom paint.
If you don't need perfection just go ahead and bottom paint. You won't see the chips when the boat is in the water.

IF the chips were thru to the underlaying fiberglass yes, you definitely would want to fill them in but they are not.

LakeShark · May 3, 2023

@tailboom My guess is someone painted the hull as I don't believe that Blue color is stock. Then then likely reapplied Gelcoat below the bottom so your seeing the blue paint coming tough. If you want to apply bottom paint I would sand and prep as normal and fill in large divots to make the smoothest final product. That being said if it were me and I trailer sail it... I would just leave it as it does not appear to actually reach the glass layers underneath. Time is better spent on the water than under the boat IMHO

shemandr · May 3, 2023

The OP didn't say he isn't racing the boat.
Nevertheless, sailing with a smooth bottom is a pleasure like sailing with new sails. It is a kinetic sport. And it's no fun to fight a crusty bottom. The boat doesn't go fast but it doesn't point as well and it doesn't glide as well. Wondering why your boat stops when the wind goes light? Would you have made it to a new tack if your boat would carry its speed through the tack? Can't pick up that mooring buoy fast enough?
This boat has a pretty gnarly bottom. Not terrible, but not smooth. It needs a lot of sanding and some fairing. It's a 22' boat. You're only about 4 hours from a smooth bottom.
I think it will be far easier off the trailer.

LakeShark · May 3, 2023

tailboom said:
Thanks to all. Still trying to figure out this sight and owning a boat…experimental aircraft were easier!

If your new to the C22 I highly recommend the Tech manual form the Catalina 22 Association. Its hundreds of pages of great ideas and repairs from over many years. Online forums are great but the manual provides tried and true solutions.

https://www.catalina22.org/index.php/technical-manual

As for bottom paint if leaving the boat in the water. The process will look a little different in fresh vs salt water. Most of the time though if you are starting at gelcoat its sand, barrier coat, and then 2 or 3 coats of the paint you choose. In the north on large freshwater lakes VC17 is the favorite and does not rub off as easily as the Ablative stuff.

But talking bottom paint here is like opening Pandora's box... so Ill let others chime in on that one.

Mechanically make sure your volcano tube is in good shape, Keel is looking fair and is painted, and that you leave the keel down in the slip. Many a boat has been damaged by a failing keel cable while floating in the slip. Side to side movement is addressed by the use of shims if it bothers you. But above all else remember... Go sailing!

Far too many boats sit in a state of perpetual projects and never make it back to the water. I suppose its like a lot of old planes and kit builds that all start with the best of intentions.

Project_Mayhem · May 4, 2023

Are you able to scrape off the white paint or is it adhered too well to do so?

Gene Neill · May 6, 2023

LakeShark said:
Far too many boats sit in a state of perpetual projects and never make it back to the water.

Ain't that the truth. I've been the owner of one such boat for five years. Probably gonna be another five before she splashes, if she ever does.

Jacktar · May 6, 2023

True sail it til it breaks, repair and sail it again.

captcoho · May 8, 2023

tailboom said:
After power spraying the bottom, I found the pictured “chips” in several places below the water line on the bottom of my ‘84 Cat 22. Being new to gel coat, I'm not certain what the exposed blue paint is. I'd appreciate any expertise to explain what I'm looking at.
Can I simply sand the bottom, fill the chips with gel coat putty and then apply bottom paint?
Any advice appreciated. Thanks.

View attachment 215249Thanks.

It's difficult to tell from the picture. But it almost looks like a hard bottom paint applied over a blue ablative paint.
Almost like someone put Petit white Vivid over an existing blue paint from the pic.
Can you more fully describe what the blue feels/looks like?