Bottom paint cost
- Thread starter Audrius
- Start date
I usually buy a gal. of Petit Hydrocoat ablative bottom paint on sale or with coupons for about $100. Can paint my H285 with about 3/4 gal. Why not just do it yourself and save a grand? (Typical gal covers 400 sq ft. Figure how much paint you need as follows: LWL x max beam x .85)
So if it is "impossible" how is your painter doing the job? And why can't you do what he is doing? For saving a grand, I think I would try real hard to find a way before I wrote a check. But that's me.
Here's my story:
I owned two Pearson Ensigns 22 ft keel boat. I used 3 qts of bottom paint.
I owned a Pearson 30. I used 1-1/2 gal bottom paint.
I owned a Pearson 39. I used 1-1/2 gal bottom paint and 2 qt thinner to get 1 coat.
I now own a Hunter 44. I use 1-1/2 gal bottom paint and 3 qt thinner, plus a $100 dive clean off mid season.
The freaking paint is so expensive that I am considering this year using 0 gal bottom paint, 0 qt thinner and 2-3 diver clean offs.
I owned two Pearson Ensigns 22 ft keel boat. I used 3 qts of bottom paint.
I owned a Pearson 30. I used 1-1/2 gal bottom paint.
I owned a Pearson 39. I used 1-1/2 gal bottom paint and 2 qt thinner to get 1 coat.
I now own a Hunter 44. I use 1-1/2 gal bottom paint and 3 qt thinner, plus a $100 dive clean off mid season.
The freaking paint is so expensive that I am considering this year using 0 gal bottom paint, 0 qt thinner and 2-3 diver clean offs.
Some years ago when I first joined this site there was a ton of posts on people painting their H23s while on the trailer . Some ideas good , some not so good . I painted our hunter on the trailer for 15 years . Many people found temporary supports of various kinds and used them to support one side of the boat while dropping the bunk on that side and then doing the other side . Doing this if not careful can be hazardous so take care . I am thinking of getting two boat stands and chaining them to the trailer in a manner that will preclude their movement . I have found boat stands in the $100.00 range . Two of those will pay for them selves many times over . I do know my h23 rested partially on the keel . Not sure how far back the archives go , but worth a check , good luck Mike
I used to own a 260. If your boat has no bottom paint on it now it will need to be sanded. If the gel coat is sanded you need a barrier coat before the bottom paint goes on. If the boat already has bottom paint then presumably it had the barrier coat applied at that time.
As the boat does not have a keel to set it on you will need a lot more stands. The hull can not be supported with 4 stands as one might expect. Be sure the person doing the work understands this.
If the bottom only needs to re painted with little sanding it could be done on the trailer. If you look on the 260 mods page on this site a fellow on there shows the whole procedure he used.
Good luck, be careful, Bob
Ps I have an album on my profile page of some mods I did on my 260, some might interest you, have a look
As the boat does not have a keel to set it on you will need a lot more stands. The hull can not be supported with 4 stands as one might expect. Be sure the person doing the work understands this.
If the bottom only needs to re painted with little sanding it could be done on the trailer. If you look on the 260 mods page on this site a fellow on there shows the whole procedure he used.
Good luck, be careful, Bob
Ps I have an album on my profile page of some mods I did on my 260, some might interest you, have a look
I just read an interesting thread describing using a carpeted long 2x 6 under two jacks as a support while lowering the bunks on this site . Any Comments ?
I had a Precision 23 years ago and painted the bottom on the trailer. It sat on the keel/centerbard trunk, keel rollers and bunks under hull on each side of the rollers. I ran a line from each of the cabin top winches to each side of the trailer frame to keep it from tipping, then used a floor jack with 2 x 6 (to spread the load) under the stern to jack it up about 10". I blocked it in a few places for safety, then sanded, painted, let it dry and lowered it. Used the jack to lift the bow a little to paint above the front rollers. I used plastic to keep paint sheeting off the bunks and trailer frame. Two coats of Trinidad lasted 3 years in the slip. I did remove the outboard, gas tank and drained water tank before lifting. Seems like it took just one Saturday start to finish. I got the idea from a sailing buddy who used to do his Chrysler 22 that way. Saved a nice chunk of change.