I recently traded up to a "new" Mac 26x without a mark on it and almost no use. I will slip it at Lake Strom Thurman nearly year round. Does this being in freshwater nearly year round require any special paint/epoxy mositure barrier to prevent blisters? Have been advised to consider an anti-fouling paint(?). Any help is appreciated.
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Steve Paul
Epoxy Barrier coat
Burl, practically every fiberglass boat that sits in the water will develop blisters eventually. That said, formulations change and differ with every boat and others will tell you they don't have blisters. I recommend an epoxy barrier coat on the bare fiberglass. The glass needs to be sanded and de-waxed or prepared for the epoxy. When cured you can then put a fresh water ablative antifouling paint over the epoxy. Fresh water has feweer dissolved solids than salt water and will osmose more quickly than being in salt water. I believe after owning many boats, mostly fiberglass and one aluminum one that the epoxy coat is the way to go. You can wait a season to "roughen" up the bottom and then sand and prepare later if you like. Now if you want to trailer each day, keep her out of the water it won't blister. there is a lot of literature on this, look around and read up on it. Steve Paul
Burl, practically every fiberglass boat that sits in the water will develop blisters eventually. That said, formulations change and differ with every boat and others will tell you they don't have blisters. I recommend an epoxy barrier coat on the bare fiberglass. The glass needs to be sanded and de-waxed or prepared for the epoxy. When cured you can then put a fresh water ablative antifouling paint over the epoxy. Fresh water has feweer dissolved solids than salt water and will osmose more quickly than being in salt water. I believe after owning many boats, mostly fiberglass and one aluminum one that the epoxy coat is the way to go. You can wait a season to "roughen" up the bottom and then sand and prepare later if you like. Now if you want to trailer each day, keep her out of the water it won't blister. there is a lot of literature on this, look around and read up on it. Steve Paul
B
burl lane
Thanks!
Appreciate the responce. Have been out of town so please accept this delayed "Thanks". Have been reading up on this and you are Right on. Will likely put her in water now and wait until June, pull her, and put an epoxy barier coat on when its warmer and can cure faster. Again, Thank you for your reply.
Appreciate the responce. Have been out of town so please accept this delayed "Thanks". Have been reading up on this and you are Right on. Will likely put her in water now and wait until June, pull her, and put an epoxy barier coat on when its warmer and can cure faster. Again, Thank you for your reply.
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Steve Paul
G
Greg
Prepping
Just thought I'd throw this in. Don't sand before dewaxing. It just moves the wax into the gelcoat. Cheap dewaxing can be done with a solution of amonia, and a dash of dish washing detergetnt in a bucket of warm water. After washing it down with this you can sand. To make sure all of the wax is gone, after sanding wash her down again with the same solution and rinse well. If you really want to make sure it's wax free then you can wipe her down with acetone and clean rags for one last prep. then put on your barrier coat. some people don't like using the acetone because it can soften the gelcoat, but even if it does, it will only make the connection between the gelcoat and the barrier coat that much more bonded. Barrier coat is not bottom paint. It is a barrier between the gelcoat and the water. As far as bottom paint goes, I find that almost any bottom paint works in fresh water, while you do need more anti fouling protection in warm salt water. I like the ablative paints that can be out of the water with out getting too hard. Like Pettit Hydrocoat. These paints don't need sanding to put the next years coat on. If enough is left, they don't get too hard sitting out of the water and you can even skip a year of bottom painting. It even works when you trailer the boat. All of the bottom paints have a time period they need to dry before putting the boat in the water for the paint to dry. And many have a maximum drying period before the paint gets too hard to work. Ablative paints don't have to be sanded. Just power washed to ready for a new coat. Sanding bottom paint is a nasty job. The paint is toxic! That's what makes it work.
Just thought I'd throw this in. Don't sand before dewaxing. It just moves the wax into the gelcoat. Cheap dewaxing can be done with a solution of amonia, and a dash of dish washing detergetnt in a bucket of warm water. After washing it down with this you can sand. To make sure all of the wax is gone, after sanding wash her down again with the same solution and rinse well. If you really want to make sure it's wax free then you can wipe her down with acetone and clean rags for one last prep. then put on your barrier coat. some people don't like using the acetone because it can soften the gelcoat, but even if it does, it will only make the connection between the gelcoat and the barrier coat that much more bonded. Barrier coat is not bottom paint. It is a barrier between the gelcoat and the water. As far as bottom paint goes, I find that almost any bottom paint works in fresh water, while you do need more anti fouling protection in warm salt water. I like the ablative paints that can be out of the water with out getting too hard. Like Pettit Hydrocoat. These paints don't need sanding to put the next years coat on. If enough is left, they don't get too hard sitting out of the water and you can even skip a year of bottom painting. It even works when you trailer the boat. All of the bottom paints have a time period they need to dry before putting the boat in the water for the paint to dry. And many have a maximum drying period before the paint gets too hard to work. Ablative paints don't have to be sanded. Just power washed to ready for a new coat. Sanding bottom paint is a nasty job. The paint is toxic! That's what makes it work.
Permiability barrier needs secret ingredient
I had the extreme displeasure of doing a complete bottom blister job on my last boat. After grinding out the blisters and filling with epoxy filler, I painted the bottom with an epoxy paint that was specially formulated for impermeability. It had a special ingredient: bentonite. Yes, bentonite is a phenominal barrier to water. Once mixed with wqater, it takes forever to dry. Even the thin layer provided as a paint ingredient will greatly reduce permedability and the risk of blisters.
I had the extreme displeasure of doing a complete bottom blister job on my last boat. After grinding out the blisters and filling with epoxy filler, I painted the bottom with an epoxy paint that was specially formulated for impermeability. It had a special ingredient: bentonite. Yes, bentonite is a phenominal barrier to water. Once mixed with wqater, it takes forever to dry. Even the thin layer provided as a paint ingredient will greatly reduce permedability and the risk of blisters.
K
Kaizen
Interprotect 2000
The yard recommended Interprotect 2000, a two part epoxy barrier coat. I followed the instruction to the letter 4 seasons ago. Not a bubble in sight yet. It's grey so I choose Interlux CSC (blue) for antifouling paint. That's very nice because if a spot turned grey, I just have to sand that area and apply more blue. Works for me in fresh water. Good luck and enjoy sailing. No need to sweat the small stuff.
The yard recommended Interprotect 2000, a two part epoxy barrier coat. I followed the instruction to the letter 4 seasons ago. Not a bubble in sight yet. It's grey so I choose Interlux CSC (blue) for antifouling paint. That's very nice because if a spot turned grey, I just have to sand that area and apply more blue. Works for me in fresh water. Good luck and enjoy sailing. No need to sweat the small stuff.
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