Bottom Paint for Hunter 170

[DFD]

I would like to freshen up my 170 hull paint. Not really sure if it needs it as I don't know how to tell if the gel coat is messed up etc.
Since it's out of the water, except when sailing, is there a special paint needed. I've heard some paints are mostly when the boat sits in the water year round. Also any advice on how to access the need to paint is much appreciated.

 

[BobbyFunn]

Is there pain on it now?

 

[DFD]

Yes, it doesn't seem awful, just beat up looking and the blue stripe is quite faded.

 

[rgranger]

Your post title says bottom paint but I'm not sure that is what you are talking about. Bottom paint is the toxic stuff you put on the "bottom" so that stuff does not grown on your hull when it sits in the slip. If you keep your boat on a trailer except to go sailing, I would not put bottom paint on.

Above the water line, the paint is called "top side" paint. Now we get real technical if we want to put it on the deck and we call that "deck paint"...

 

[Justin_NSA]

You want a smooth, glossy bottom. Anything less creates drag.

 

[DFD]

Thanks for the reply. Makes sense since it's out of the water most of the time. What type of paint would you recommend? i sail on the Hudson, so some salt content and on a large lake.

 

[rgranger]

If the paint on the bottom is chalk-like then you already have a coat of ablative bottom paint. It is designed to slough off. You could put a coat of the exact same stuff back on. The blue stripe on the side.... I'd carefully buff it with a hand-held sanding block (the sponge type you get near the paint supplies at Lowes) and then I'd wipe it down with acetone to remove any wax... then using a lot of newspaper and masking tape I would mask off the area around it... and get some high quality (oil based) enamel paint and do a roll and tip job on that. YouTube roll and tip if you have not heard of that... The method is quick, easy and will give you a nice finish. Let it dry.. buff gently and repeat twice more to get enough depth to buff it to a high gloss.

 

[Hunter216]

I would like to freshen up my 170 hull paint. Not really sure if it needs it as I don't know how to tell if the gel coat is messed up etc.
Since it's out of the water, except when sailing, is there a special paint needed. I've heard some paints are mostly when the boat sits in the water year round. Also any advice on how to access the need to paint is much appreciated.

Hull stripe here at SBO or just try to shine it up with some wax.

Hunter 170 Stripes & Decals Parts

Hunter 170 Stripes & Decals Parts

shop.hunterowners.com

You mention GELCOAT. Just be aware that 170 is Luran so be quite careful in what you use on it. I personally wouldn’t use acetone. Just search ACP cleaning for advice.

The surface being Luran is very slippery and non-porous so I’m not sure why people put anything on it on the first place. The original owner of my 216 “painted” the bottom as well and it’s not cosmetically pretty now either but I am choosing to just let it wear off naturally as I don’t want to inadvertently cause any damage trying to remove it.

 

[DFD]

Thanks. I assumed it needed paint on the bottom. Does the hull need any kind of paint maintenance?

 

[Hunter216]

Thanks. I assumed it needed paint on the bottom. Does the hull need any kind of paint maintenance?

As far as I know none of the Hunter boats made with Luran had any paint applied, so “normal” paint - gel coat maintenance isn’t required or perhaps should even be considered. The Luran is the white outer layer of the layup. Think of it as a type of shiny plastic where the colour goes all the way through.

This is a thread on ACP - Luran maintenance. I’m finding that regular gentle cleaning keeps it shiny.

Hunter 216 ACP Hull maintenance

Check with the mfg. VC17 was not on the list. Just say plastic hull

forums.sailboatowners.com

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Luran is nothing more than a plastic sheet molded with construction foam. If leaving the boat in the water, suggest bottom paint. If not, do not apply.
NEVER APPLY ACETONE ON THE BOAT.
Regarding bottom paint, most bottom paints will attack plastic. There is one brand that can be applied but forgot the brand name , so if anyone can advise, check with SBO parts and the owner of this site will know.

 

[DFD]

Thanks for the replies.
The 170 is from 2002. I can't contact the owner to find out why the bottom was painted. I guess he left it in the water.
The paint does feel slightly rough, certainly not smooth.
The other thread mentions NOVUS plastic polish. I'll look into that and maybe just test an area first to see how it works. Seems like it might take a while to remove all the paint.
But thanks to COVID i should have the time.

 

[BobbyFunn]

Strip it off. Polish the luran to a shine. It is softer than gelcoat so it wont shine like factory without professional treatment.

You need a paint stripper that is safe on plastic or elbow grease.

Your best paint job will be from an auto paint facility, collision center, they paint plastic much of the day.

Rustoleum topside is decent for the hull. Use the rustoleum plastic primer. It will look terrible on topside since these small boats have no storage or special "wear" areas. Spray paint for plastic will cover up defects, but cant be polished well.

Try to have just luran, highly polished, with touch up of plastic spray paint.

 

[DFD]

Thanks. I'll probably try the 'elbow grease' method first. Any suggestions on the sandpaper grit? or just start high 400 and work down.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Use wet and dry using water too.

 

[DFD]

Thanks Dave. Will do.