Painting project, Need advice (pictures)

[wesleysherman]

Painting project,updated Need advice (pictures)

I have started the awful job of paining my cherub 27. it had or has multiple coats of ablative and much is starting to flake.

So I've started this time consuming sanding job. I estimated 12 hours per side.. what you see there is 4 hours and just over half way on one side. But thinking it will take a bit more hours than I guessed.

Because its new to me or newer to me I have decided to grind all ablative and such down to what I hope is epoxy paint.. (the grey stuff)

Where in lies my need for advice. the blue you see is the original gelcoat. This grey coat is just under the black ablative paint and under the ablative paint is a coat of something very thin is a lighter blue than the gel coat paint.. but its lies between the ablative and this grey? so thin it comes off mostly with the ablative paint..

I am assuming that this grey is a coat or two of epoxy paint.. anyway to deduce this for sure?... because I don't know, do i need to bare to the gel coat? I am doing a Interlux 2000e (two part) 4 coats. different colors for each layer... I have read allot or as much as possible and believe that epoxy will pretty much stick to anything.... Id rather not take it down below the grey.. to the gel coat... its already a time consuming project and worry that sanding down to the bare gel coat might cause some gel damage..

any thoughts or input would be appreciated.

 

[Sailgunner]

If it is barrier coat it is useless now. Not sure of your question but you should put a new barrier coat on. For me, I would go all the way to fiberglass and start with the barrier coat from there. It's like, you have gone so far already, why not do it right. You will not damage the fiberglass by sanding unless you sand too much.

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

I am assuming that this grey is a coat or two of epoxy paint.. anyway to deduce this for sure?... because I don't know, do i need to bare to the gel coat? I am doing a Interlux 2000e (two part) 4 coats. different colors for each layer... I have read allot or as much as possible and believe that epoxy will pretty much stick to anything.... Id rather not take it down below the grey.. to the gel coat... its already a time consuming project and worry that sanding down to the bare gel coat might cause some gel damage..

any thoughts or input would be appreciated.

You MUST sand down to the bare gel coat as you don't want any weak links between the epoxy and the gel coat. You won't hurt the gel coat as long as you stop when you reach it. Sounds like you've got a real grab bag of unknown coatings in there.

The four different colours for each epoxy coat sounds interesting. Didn't know Interlux 2000e came in different colours. It's easy enough to see the diference between the wet and previously set epoxy coats. Where you want different colours is between your first coat of bottom paint on the new epoxy and your final coat of bottom paint. Then you can see when you're wearing thin and need repainting.

I did the same job ten years ago and it's no fun . I was blue (old ablative) from head to foot and could taste copper for a month after. And that's with PPE.

 

[IH82BL8]

I did the same job ten years ago and it's no fun . I was blue (old ablative) from head to foot and could taste copper for a month after. And that's with PPE.

Ditto. I did this last year on our H31. I had about 40 hours of sanding. Took it down to the gelcoat, then 4 coats of barrier coat alternating white and gray, then 3 coat of ablative antifoul.

 

[wesleysherman]

Sanding continues

I have attached a picture of the layers of of paint as I sand..

Question I have is that under the Ablative paint is a layer of grey, under the grey is a layer of Blue.. assuming its barrier coats... it is very hard to sand through but when I get through it there is what I am assuming is Gel coat.. a very dull white and porous product.

I know every one says that i should sand to the gel.. what I am worried about is how thick is this gel coat.. as the Blue layer coat is very hard to sand through with 80 grit.. does not come off with any ease... I am worried I will damage this coat... any idea how thick gelcoat is usually on a boat of vintage 82 hunter 27
I used 40 and 60 grit to get to this point (in picture) should I use a 80 grit or lighter for the last coat of blue to the gel coat?
The undercoats were so good shape I am sorry I didn't just smooth out the ablative and repaint copper... ugh..

Any comments ? information

 

[Dalliance]

You've gone this far. Do it right or you may be doing it over in a few years when the old layers of mystery paint let go. Been there, done that. Like the others said, take it down to gel coat and start over with new barrier coat. It looks like the gray layer might have been a barrier coat, but we don't know for sure, so best to take it off. Are you sure the blue underneath is not gel coat?

Below the waterline, my '82 H30 has a thin layer of blue gelcoat over a thicker layer of white gelcoat. This may be unique to the 1982 Hunters, maybe even just the H30. Other model years don't seem to have the blue layer. Attached is a photo of Dalliance a couple years ago, sanded down to the blue gel coat in preparation for new barrier coat.

If the blue is gel coat in your case, then there is no need to sand beyond that layer. Unless you encounter blisters, which is a whole other discussion. In your photo, the bright white area with dark specks in the center looks like gel coat that has been sanded through to fiberglass. You should probably seal areas like that with epoxy and then build them back up with a few coats of something like InterProtect 3000 or InterProtect HS before applying the new barrier coat. 40 & 60 grit paper are very aggressive. Stick to 80 grit near your gel coat.

Side note - On Dalliance, the top edge of the blue gel coat was very uneven. The red line seen above it is a line 3" above, and parallel to, the actual at rest waterline. Marked at bow, transom and two or three points in between at haul out, then shot at dusk with a manual laser level. Three inches because that was the highest point of the blue gelcoat above the waterline.

 

[woodster]

i took my S2 down to fiberglass and then put on 6 coats of west system barrier coat ...105 epoxy and 205 or 206 hardener depending on the temps out side and two qt s of additive... it gets hot in Ga and it was about 70 to 80 degrees that day....i used 3 gallons of that stuff
i also hired me two helpers to do the rolling while i mixed the west cocktails it took about 5 hrs.... by the time you get it coated one time its time to start again...we worked from one end to the other one guy on each side and then started over again...i went 6 inches above the water line with coating....but you don't look like you need to go that high up the sides... from your pics....hope this helps