HELP...Bottom Painting !!!

[Hinesy]

I have just finished two beautiful coats of black bottom paint on my 26 M....NOW...how do I paint the areas under the bunks etc. I was going to give it a solid 24 hours (waited 3 days between coats) then spray down the bottom and bunks with the garden hose then elevate the front of the trailer a bit and use a few strong lads to try to push the boat back off the trailer about a foot. (It already on a slight slope) Then after twocoats... have the same strong lads help to push the MAC back snug to the end of the trailer. OK you veteran painters... will this work or is there a simpler process??? Thanks

[James V]

Most people just jack, brace, cover and paint.

See article - http://macgregorsailors.com/articles/bo ... inting.php

[Frank C]

Hinesy,

Bill MacK gives lots of painting tips in that article, but wasn't very explicit about how to clear the bunks. Your plan sounds too tough ... sounds like you'll need the whole varsity team. I've never done this, but I've seen it described here a dozen times.

• - lower the nose wheel as far as possible;
  
  - assemble a sturdy supporting stand under the transom;
  (old wheels, tires, timbers, & some carpet to protect that new paint, but
  avoid cinder block, can be crushed under the ~ ton you'll be applying)
  
  - raise the nose wheel as far as possible;
  
  - assemble another, similar support somewhere forward;
  
  - now, lower the trailer again to gain about 3 inches of clearance at all bunks;
  
  - STURDY - your life may depend on it, and use caution when running that trailer jack to its top & bottom stops - it's not the "premium" style jack.

[BK]

I leave the boat back 5" (it's there anyway) after pulling it out and after painting just push the boat back and forth while wenching to move the boat forward. Very easy to do it this way. I spray some Liquid Rollars on the carpet to help it move forward
Since your boat is in the snub maybe wiggle the boat barkwards might work but I have not heard of anyone doing it this way.

[bobmonroe]

If you use the method described by Frank ( that's what I did ) don't forget to slack off on the winch line !!!

[Scott]

I built a couple of lumber jigs to mimic the bunks and used an auto jack to lift the boat one end at a time. When I lifted the nose I had to run a cable from the trailer under the jack and bak to the trailer because it would just lift the front of the trailer without it.

[Chip Hindes]

When my Mac was rear ended last year it was pushed forward on the trailer about 15 inches. I was able to do the mac bump in reverse to get it back where it belonged. My tow vehicle was a fairly heavily loaded Expedition; I doubt it would work with a small vehicle.

Be very careful after you've moved the boat back on the trailer any appreciable distance without blocking the rear of the trailer up. You could have negative tongue weight, so that when you pop the hitch lock the tongue will shoot upward and won't stop until something on the stern end hits the ground. Very exciting, and not in a good way; possibly very damaging as well.

[Beam's Reach]

Ouch

I just had visions of one tongue doing painful damage to another.