I have started bottom work on a 1987 Catalina 22 that has been on it's trailer for 10 years. The weather has washed the bottom down to a thin layer of ablative paint, and in some places, all the way to the gelcoat. So do I need to sand everything down to the gelcoat,or just sand off the ablative and smooth it all out, then reapply barrier coat and then repaint with ablative. Any advice would be appreciated.
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Bayard Gross
Tough just to sand off just the ablative
As you will need to remove that at least ten year old ablative paint, I think you will find it very difficult not to remove just the abaltive without some damage to the gel coat. Hence, probably just as easy to throughly sand down the entire bottom, apply two or more coats of barrier, and then two coats of ablative anti-fouling paint. An excellent method for sanding is to attach a shop vac to your sander. This nearly entirely eliminates all the dust, although it is still a good idea to wear a good breathing apperatus and eye protection. I use a DeWalt 5 inch radom orbital sander. This sander has five holes for dust collection. Further, if you separate the dust bag form its holder, you will find there is provision for about thee different vacum tube sizes. As one of these is for 1 1/4 inch vacum tube, I am able to attach the small Shop Vac (model 84M200) brand shop vac to the sander. Got the shop vac at Wal Mart, so that was pretty cheap, and the sander at Home Ddepot, again fairly inexpensively. If you do this, don't forget to get a multiple outlet for your electric extension cord. And don't forget to take it with you when you go down to your boat. Been there. Done that.
As you will need to remove that at least ten year old ablative paint, I think you will find it very difficult not to remove just the abaltive without some damage to the gel coat. Hence, probably just as easy to throughly sand down the entire bottom, apply two or more coats of barrier, and then two coats of ablative anti-fouling paint. An excellent method for sanding is to attach a shop vac to your sander. This nearly entirely eliminates all the dust, although it is still a good idea to wear a good breathing apperatus and eye protection. I use a DeWalt 5 inch radom orbital sander. This sander has five holes for dust collection. Further, if you separate the dust bag form its holder, you will find there is provision for about thee different vacum tube sizes. As one of these is for 1 1/4 inch vacum tube, I am able to attach the small Shop Vac (model 84M200) brand shop vac to the sander. Got the shop vac at Wal Mart, so that was pretty cheap, and the sander at Home Ddepot, again fairly inexpensively. If you do this, don't forget to get a multiple outlet for your electric extension cord. And don't forget to take it with you when you go down to your boat. Been there. Done that.
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Louis Plaisance
Don't Sand
I used West Marine's house brand of stripper and got the boat clean in one day. I had sanded for three days and only had a few square feet done. Plus its safer as the sanding dust might be very toxic depending on the paint. Check out the Interlux site for lots of help with barrier coat information. I used three gallons and got nine coats on my boat before three coats of ablative. Search the archives on this site for lots of good information. Good Luck, ljp
I used West Marine's house brand of stripper and got the boat clean in one day. I had sanded for three days and only had a few square feet done. Plus its safer as the sanding dust might be very toxic depending on the paint. Check out the Interlux site for lots of help with barrier coat information. I used three gallons and got nine coats on my boat before three coats of ablative. Search the archives on this site for lots of good information. Good Luck, ljp
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UnBelizeable
9 COATS????????
Ok..silly question..why would you put 9 coats on your boat? I'm new to all this, so fill me in folks! I only have 2 coats of ablative..period..but I trailer my boat in the winter. Sugestions?
Ok..silly question..why would you put 9 coats on your boat? I'm new to all this, so fill me in folks! I only have 2 coats of ablative..period..but I trailer my boat in the winter. Sugestions?
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Bayard Gross
9 of barrier coat, not anti-fouling
Interlux likes it if you put on many coats of their barrier coat 2000E, or at least that is what they reccommend. This is not an anti-fouling paint, but raher an epoxy water proofing for the hull that is applied after the bottom is taken down to the gel coat by sanding or chemicals and needs to be reprotected. It is applied before anti-fouling paint. It is also excellent on C-22 keels aplied after a rust prohibitive paint like Petit 6980 for it prevents water from damaging the keel and also serves as a barrier for anti-fouling paint whose copper would eat away at the iron keel. However, I think this may depend more upon how long a period you keep your boat in the water and how long it is out of the water. Here in Connecticut where I consider it very lucky to get nearly five months in the water followed by at least seven months on land, I only put on two barrier coats of Interlux 2000E this past year when I redid my bottom. This was the same as I put on another boat. In both cases, there have been no problems or any blisters, etc. Now this is not a reccomendation. It is what I have experinced in the area where I sail. However, I think northern boats with less than six months in the water, could safely use less coats than Interlux, or Petit for that matter, tell you to use. But then technically, you are not following instructions so I do not think you would have any recourse if you take short cuts.
Interlux likes it if you put on many coats of their barrier coat 2000E, or at least that is what they reccommend. This is not an anti-fouling paint, but raher an epoxy water proofing for the hull that is applied after the bottom is taken down to the gel coat by sanding or chemicals and needs to be reprotected. It is applied before anti-fouling paint. It is also excellent on C-22 keels aplied after a rust prohibitive paint like Petit 6980 for it prevents water from damaging the keel and also serves as a barrier for anti-fouling paint whose copper would eat away at the iron keel. However, I think this may depend more upon how long a period you keep your boat in the water and how long it is out of the water. Here in Connecticut where I consider it very lucky to get nearly five months in the water followed by at least seven months on land, I only put on two barrier coats of Interlux 2000E this past year when I redid my bottom. This was the same as I put on another boat. In both cases, there have been no problems or any blisters, etc. Now this is not a reccomendation. It is what I have experinced in the area where I sail. However, I think northern boats with less than six months in the water, could safely use less coats than Interlux, or Petit for that matter, tell you to use. But then technically, you are not following instructions so I do not think you would have any recourse if you take short cuts.
U
UnBelizeable
Thanks Bayard...
Now it makes sense... My boat was only painted with antifouling...should I worry? The keel is covered with fiberglass resin and is now bare from hitting a sand bottom this year..suggestions?
Now it makes sense... My boat was only painted with antifouling...should I worry? The keel is covered with fiberglass resin and is now bare from hitting a sand bottom this year..suggestions?
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Bayard Gross
Small repairs to C-22 keel
If a C-22 keel is otherwise in good condition, successful small repairs can be made for those inevitable inanimate objects that suddenly become alive and bite the keel. Of these, rocks and sandbars are among the most popular. Nevertheless, use a wire brush and heavy sanding on the damage to get down to bare metal. Following this, apply a good rust inhibitor. Due to the small area, it is nonsensical to purchase a quart of say Petit 6980, which is an excellent rust inhibitor. Just get a small pint of whatever is good, i.e. has some expense tom it, at your local hardware store. Following this, apply epoxy resin epoxy to the damgage. Do not use polyester resin epoxy,it just does not have the strength and water resistence as epoxy resin epoxy. The epoxy resin epoxy is much more expensive than polyester resin epoxy but it is well worth it. West system is very good, and you should be able to purchase it in relatively small quantities. It will keep a long time in its separate continers and the price is not much greater than epoxy resin epoxy that I have gotten at Home Depot even taking into account the can pumps that you will need to get with the West System. Following this, apply anti-fouling paint, preferably ablative unless you like the torture of removing old modified epoxy anti-fouling paint. Problem here is it is impossible to find a pint size can of antifouling paint. So get a quart, and use the balance of the can for touching up, especially around high wear areas such as the water line and the forward edge of the keel.
If a C-22 keel is otherwise in good condition, successful small repairs can be made for those inevitable inanimate objects that suddenly become alive and bite the keel. Of these, rocks and sandbars are among the most popular. Nevertheless, use a wire brush and heavy sanding on the damage to get down to bare metal. Following this, apply a good rust inhibitor. Due to the small area, it is nonsensical to purchase a quart of say Petit 6980, which is an excellent rust inhibitor. Just get a small pint of whatever is good, i.e. has some expense tom it, at your local hardware store. Following this, apply epoxy resin epoxy to the damgage. Do not use polyester resin epoxy,it just does not have the strength and water resistence as epoxy resin epoxy. The epoxy resin epoxy is much more expensive than polyester resin epoxy but it is well worth it. West system is very good, and you should be able to purchase it in relatively small quantities. It will keep a long time in its separate continers and the price is not much greater than epoxy resin epoxy that I have gotten at Home Depot even taking into account the can pumps that you will need to get with the West System. Following this, apply anti-fouling paint, preferably ablative unless you like the torture of removing old modified epoxy anti-fouling paint. Problem here is it is impossible to find a pint size can of antifouling paint. So get a quart, and use the balance of the can for touching up, especially around high wear areas such as the water line and the forward edge of the keel.
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