Bottom Paint

[Trev]

Well I finally broke down and started the bottom repaint job. Choosing to do it myself, I started with an environmentally friendly stripper, which I was told would be more than adequate to take off the 5 (at least) year old ablative anti fowling paint. Not so lucky, for the last 3 days, my son and I have been hand sanding/grinding the bottom of the boat. My question is, the boat rests on a trailer spending, at the most, 1 month in the water, is anti fowling paint necessary? If not what do you suggest? Also, as the gel coat is old and worn through in some places, what should I do to seal the boat?I will post some before and after pictures when I get them.Thanks

 

[Tim R.]

Seal the hull

with a 2 part epoxy like Interlux 2000.

 

[Phil]

Most Likely

If you are in salt water bottom paint is probably a good idea. Why are you taking off ablative paint if it is still working? If it is that hard to get off are you sure it is ablative paint on the boat?

 

[Trev]

I am not sure that

it is ablative paint, I was told thats what it is. It is tough however to get off. The black stuff under the paint, is like tar. It will be in fresh water the majority of the time. I am told Interlux has a 1 part paint that works for cases like mine where boat is in and out of the water.

 

[Jim]

sanding/grinding the bottom

why? You didn't even need to paint. You could have just sand off a clean layer of the ablative anti fowling paint. You might have sanded too hard and danagered the bottom. You might get blisters. MAC are know for blisters arounf the waterline.

 

[Charlie13958]

VC tar

Very likely that black stuff was VC Tar, a barrier coat most often used with VC17 bottom paint.

 

[Jim]

VC tar

you didn't want to take that off.I dislike VC anything but we know that!

 

[Phil]

KISS

With Ablative paint you can take the boat in and out, in and out, in and out, its not like a hard coat which loses its umf if it sit out on a trailer . As long as the paint is there its working. Might I suggest you change the color and use an ablative, when the color goes away its gone and needs repainting. Being in fresh water for only 30 days I don't know that I would get to nuts up. I would think the most you would see would be a little slime which should brush off pretty easily.

 

[bffatcat]

You didnt tell us if you are sailing in fresh or salt water. For salt/ since youhave already worked on the botton either take it down to bare glass and put a barrier coat on than put ablative paint over that at least 2 coats to start.You dont have to take ablative off it sort of sloughs off in the water thats how it works just keep putting more ablative on each year. If it starts building ridges or gets flaky a light sanding will do to smooth it out b4 repainting. If you cant get it down to glass forget the barrier coat and put at least 2 coats ofablative over whats there You never have to take it off. And it dosent lose itsantifouling power sitting on a trailer. For fresh water your gonna have to ask someone else

 

[cscott]

Question

I do not mean to hijack this thread, but I want to put antifouling paint on my 26S. The bottom has a fresh coat of Poliglow on it. Does the Poliglow have to be removed first?Chuck

 

[Jim]

Yes Chuck it does,,,,,,

and you have to do a GREAT job getting it off too.

 

[bffatcat]

What kind of Paint?

If the paint is powdery and soft and sands off easy its ablative. If its hardand sands like old lead based house paint its epoxy. Either way you have no problems. If its ablative sand the ridges out there gonna come off easy. Ifits epoxy underneath all you can do is sand down to the hard surface and leavewhats left as a permanent barrier. Either way just put two coats of decent quality ablative on and go sailing.