Interlux Brightside Urethane Bootstripe

[Honeyman]

Lesson learned...if your topside gel coat is worn and leaves streaks down the side of the boat when it rains or after a good scrubbing, do not bother re-painting your bootstripe with "Brightside" until you get ALL oxidation off the sides of the boat. Any ideas on HOW to clean this paint of "gelcoat stripes" once I get it back home from a bottom job and bootstripe repaint? Boy, I won't do that again!

 

[Rob Hessenius]

What Does Brightside Have to Do With That

Honeyman- What happened? There are fiberglass safe strippers out there that will ease your task. You can also tape off and sand it off. Again I cant vision your problem. Rob Hessenius

 

[Warren Milberg]

I used to get black streaks

on the topsides of an old C&C I used to own, but it was not from painting the boostripe. I believe it came from the oxidation of the aluminum perforated toe rail and it always appeared after a rain (aka "acid rain"). The best product I found to remove these streaks was Star Brite Black Streak Remover. See link. It worked for me.

 

[RichH]

Two things 'not correct here' ......

1. If your gelcoat is becoming stained, this indicates developing porosity of the gelcoat --- usually due to not waxing the gelcoat! If you dont regularly wax the gelcoat oxidation will propagate INTO the gel ... with the last stage being 'alligatoring' (micro cracks) of the gel. The streaks are typically dirt being pulled into the porous gel by capillary action. Gelcoat is inherently porous/permeable to some degree; waxing seals the porosity. 2. Brightsides is NOT for bootstripes. It cant stand up to the bootstripe continually 'dipping' into the water. Brightsides will ultimately lose its adhesion quickly (will 'flake' and 'lift'). Ditto - most single part LPU paints. 2-part paints are just a 'little bit better' for such applications. Such documentation & warnings can be found in the 'technical manuals' (you have to special request the tech manuals) for these products.

 

[Warren Milberg]

I've had good luck using Brightside paint

for both bootstripe and waterline painting. The Interlux Product guide in the link below rates it as "Excellent" (5 Brushes) for this task. I guess we all have our favorite products for various tasks. Whatever works, works....

 

[Ross]

Of all the cleaners that I have used

I find that one called "special cleaner by Auto-Magic" is the best. It will take the rain streaks of the boat, the ring out of the bath tub, pet stains out of carpet and oil stains off concrete. It costs about 15 dollars at your favorite auto store and is diluted at least 4:1 and as much as 20:1.For boot stripe paint I use industrial polyurethane machinery enamel. I guess that I figure labor is so expensive that shop managers won't tolerate inferior paint products so the major paint makers work to meet the demand.

 

[r.w.landau]

Collinite's 840 should take out surface

Dirt. I tried it on my dingy that is painted with brightsides and my circa79 fiberglass gelcoat.Honeyman, I am not sure I understand what you mean. My toe rails drain over the side in three distinct places. There is always a blackish residue in that area unless I clean it well. Wax even attracts the black. I am trying the Cllinite Products this year. I am still looking for that easy fix finish. r.w.landau

 

[Honeyman]

One thing "Not correct here" is RichH.

Thanks to Warren for the link to the Interlux Product tech sheet which I did consult and found that they recommended Brightside as BEST for bootstripe use. I knew my topside was slightly "chalky" from oxidation, but planned to take care of that after getting bottom and bootstripe finished. What I learned was, I should have cleaned and waxed topside BEFORE doing bottom and bootstripe. What I was trying to do with post was 1)give people a heads up and 2) ask for ideas on how to get gelcoat "chalk" lines off the freshly painted bootstripe. As usual, my posting should have been more detailed. Ross, I will try the "special cleaner by Auto Majic" if I can find it in my area.

 

[Robert Gainer]

RichH is correct about the porosity and oxidation

RichH is correct about the porosity and oxidation of Gelcoat. If you don’t keep it waxed or painted it will fail.All the best,Robert Gainer

 

[TheBlackPearl]

Interlux is good paint for bootstripes

I'm actually going through a similar situation with painting the bootstripe on my 1980 hunter 37. Thankfully my godparents happen to own one of the oldest Catalina dealerships in the country and i was able to get some good advice from them. Interlux Brightside is a phenominal paint for boot stripes. In fact, i have yet to speak to a knowledgable painter who hasn't recommended it. I'm not sure where the confusion is coming from, but even improperly applied, this stuff is great! When i first picked up the quart from West Marine, i obviously couldn't wait until i painted the stripe to see what it looked like. I used leftover piece of closet organiser material (you know that particle board crap with the plastic-like coating on it?) Anyway... i took a used and not real clean brush, poured some Brightsides into a dixie cup and painted a little stripe on the board. Not only was it perfectly smooth after about 5 minutes, i accidentally touched it before it was dry (after about 2 hours) and it still was able to 'lay out' and become flat before it was dry.My entire hull was re-done in this same paint in the summer of 2001 and 6 years later, still looks 90% of brand new. My hunter had the boot stripe painted some ridiculous color of green back in 01 when it was in saltwater, and even the change in buoyancy hasn't effected the stripe much. I'm even impressed with the waterline moving about 4" higher after moving the boat into Lake Michigan, that the paint dosen't hold more slime and algae. Hope it helps!!