Gel-Coat Prep

[Art Pennino]

Does anyone have any info on the proper way to prep gel-coat for bottom painting? I can't seem to keep bottom paint on my '92 H30. It's OK during the season in the water. It doesn't see to bond to the gel-coat, it lifts and can be easily scraped down to the get-coat.I've re-coated with an ablative paint, which was on the hull when I bought it two years ago. I have a felling the bottom was never preped correctly when the boat was new.

 

[Steve Dion]

I think you hit the nail....

...on the head. Sounds like the mold release was not removed fromthe hull. I suggest that you take it back down to gel coat and start over. Might as well get a barrier coat on the hull too. This looks like a job for a good yard that knows what they are doing.

 

[Ed Schenck]

Interlux says...

After many, many hours of scraping and sanding I am almost ready for that "dewaxing" step. An experienced friend gave me a copy of the Interlux booklet. Says to use lots of rags to wipe entire bottom with "dewaxer" which contains the mold release agent mentioned previously. Then hose it down to see if any spots missed, the missed spots will have water beading because of the wax. The can label says to paint within two hours of dewaxing. I'm going to do three coats of Interlux 2000 barrier coat, then two coats of anti-fouling for my fresh water H37C.