Bottom painting - Tips and Tricks

[jg9546]

Spring is around the corner and I decided to bottom paint my 26M. I read the article by Bill about bottom painting of his boat; however, I would like to hear your bottom painting experiences you had. If you would do it again, what would you do differently or things which worked very well.

These are the examples of the questions which are going through my mind when I think about this project.

1. I waxed bottom of my boat last season. What is best product to remove old wax.

2. Should I sand the bottom of the boat or use Interlux No Sand Primer. If sand what sand paper to use and how much of the gelcoat to remove (depth).

3. Should I use Interlux InterProtect 2000E epoxy or there are better products. Bill recomends four layers. Is it very thick on the bottom.

4. What is the best painting tape you used.

5. I am planing on using Vivid Bright Colored Had Antifouling paint which supposed to be designed for trailered and dry stored boats. How much did you used

6. Any recomendations on painting supplies, such as best size and type of rollers etc.

7. Any other suggestions?

I hope this tread might help others who are planning to do this job by themselves, since professional job would cost me around $2,000 here in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Thank you for your help.

Jacek

[James V]

Made sure that you get the paint that you can keep the boat out of the water. Clean well as there is mold release on the hull.

Are you going to keep the boat in Fresh water?

I would use the Black/Tar Barrier coat as it flexes.

[jg9546]

I am going to keep my boat in a fresh cold water mountain lake (Bear Lake in Utah).

[Tahoe Jack]

We have had no problems in fresh water with just an annual wax job and no bottom paint. We do use a squeege-mop tool to wipe off any green slime if we're on the water for more than a few weeks. Jack

[beene]

Hi TJ

What is the longest time you had her in at one time?

G

[jg9546]

I keep my boat on the water for 4 to 5 months each year. We have a slip in the marina. To be completely honest I was getting tired of scraping slime and algee every weekend (especialy when days were very hot) and thinking of posible blisters which might develop on the hull, so I decided to bite the bullet and bottom paint my boat and relax this comming season.

Here is a picture of the Bear Lake Marina.


Jacek

[beene]

I have heard many say that they have that problem despite applying bottom paint.

I will be in from May to Oct, fresh water, and was planning NOT to paint and see how it goes.

I plan to take her out at least 2x in that time and let her dry out while going to other lakes in my area, cleaning the bottom each time.

G

[Tahoe Jack]

Beene....thinking five months max...however, Tahoe (6200MSL) is cleaner than drinking water and cold as hull....so we don't get much more than a bit of green slime after a couple months. My hull is like new...no hint of bubbles etc. Bear Lake is likely about 4500 MSL, so Aug-Sep shallow water temps understandably will generate more stuff. Jack

[beene]

Hi Jack

What wax do you use?

Do you use a chemical to assist with the cleaning of your hull?


I get zebra mussels all over my hull every year. They are a bit** to get off. I can hold the nozzle of my pressure wassure at 3000 psi right in front of those little bas***** and they wont let go. Scraping them off is the only way.

Cheers

G

[cuisto]

BEENE,

Where do you live? Where do you sail out of?? I've got mine on lake huron, just north of sauble beach in Oliphant (Chief's Bay) (Murdoch Mackenzie Marina) Although at sauble Beach the sand if littered with tons of zebra mussel shells I have never seen one on my boat. I do have a coat of bottom paint very old and mostly worn away, maybe this is keeping them off maybe i'm just lucky.

[Alex]

I used Starbrite ''Instant Hull Cleaner" I like it !! Last year I bought it from Dowsar marine. It was hard hand work, but the hull now looks as brand new. I think previous owner never cleaned, just spreaded by water after end of season. Now no any yellow stains. My boat is 1994 year
Web www.starbrite.com

http://www.starbrite.com/sproductdetail.cfm?ID=1054

[beene]

Where do you live? Where do you sail out of??

I live in Barrie, Ont. and keep my at the Barrie City Marina on Kempenfelt Bay, Lake Simcoe.
My other sailboat, with old bottom paint that is wearing off, would pick up those mussels every year.

I have not had the long enough to comment on it, but I am worried about the same thing happening. I plan on waxing the bottom the first season and taking her out a couple of times to dry her out.

We will see how that goes.

G

[beene]

I used Starbrite ''Instant Hull Cleaner"

Hi Alex

What size/amount did you buy at one time to do the job?

It sounds like good stuff to me.

Was it expensive?

Did you have to wear PE to apply it?

Cheers

G

[pokerrick1]

beene"][quote]
I live in Barrie, Ont. and keep my at the Barrie City Marina on Kempenfelt Bay, Lake quote]

G

I remember as a teenager (maybe 14) going up to that lake in Barrie when it was frozen (a trip from Buffalo, NY) for a speedskating meet and becoming more frozen than I had ever been in my life I said to the meet director "screw this" and went back to the bus; where I remember the inside temp of the bus was under 32 degrees and I could not get my skates off until I got back to Buffalo and inside a building for an hour or so. Fond memories indeed I'm sure it's great there in the summer

Rick

[jg9546]

I see almost 300 people reading this post but nobody is willing to share any tips with rest of us who will be doing it first time.

Jacek