Bottom Paint

[jray]

Has anyone used or have information on Pettit Vivid Antifowling paint products? Due to blisters I've got to put the boat back upside down and redo the bottom this fall. I'd like to stay with the paint scheme I started. As far as I can tell Pettit is the only company making yellow bottom paint. Thoughts, ideas. Sucks reworking the bottom but it has to be done.

[jray]

That makes me more comfortable using their products. The blisters were water line and below, nothing through the epoxy primer just the top coat. If I was launching and retrieving each time the paint I used would have been just fine. It took four weeks in the water before I saw the first blister. Water conditions here are excellent. Cold fresh water, so far no zebra mussels or other invasive critters, just a slight film on the hull and strut when we pulled out for the season. Note: the bulb and strut coating held up great, Interlux 2000.

[Chad]

I'm a freshwater newb, but I'm a huge fan of vc performance epoxy:

http://www.yachtpaint.com/usa/diy/produ ... epoxy.aspx

It's really hard, really slick, and comes white. It's not "antifouling", but it doesn't sound like you need that. I'm gonna try mixing a batch with a dribble of utc tint and see how it behaves.

[jray]

Ok, with the definite chance of sounding crazy I'm going to post a new technique for working epoxy bottom paint. After sanding the bottom again and fixing some of the little things I missed the first eight or nine times, I wiped everything down and applied the first coat of primer, rolling it on with a 1/4" nap roller. All went well as with the second coat. I did notice it didn't lay down and left a textured surface, thinking no problem I'll just thin the last coat some and it will all lay down, didn't happen! As others already know epoxy primer is next to impossible to sand, I tried and ended up using the side of a flat file to scrape all the surface down to almost flat. Not smooth enough to apply the bottom coat which I found out with a test strip is not a filling paint. What I did tonight with the last quart of primer was applying it with the same masonry 14" trowel I used for applying fairing material. I've never applied paint this way before and can't tell you exactly where the idea came from (thinking about the boat while working) what's is crazy the results were awesome. Only the low areas filled in and the surface smoothed out to the point that a light sanding and I'll be ready for the bottom paint. And with luck won't be here again for some time.

[micah202]

jRay,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,'trowling' primer isn't as absurd as it sounds,,though usually it's done on the first application over your fairing compound--a very effective way to get rid of inevitable pinholes that rolling or spraying just doesn't fix
......there's a bonus to sanding primer as early as possible,,depending on temperatures,,apply one afternoon,sand the next morning--so long as it's not bogging the sandpaper.....get it before it's FULLY cured!
.......'DA'(dual-action)sanders are a gift from god,,,,PorterCable makes a very good variable speed electric one for ~$170,,,,,,,,most important powertool after a jigsaw!

...all the best,,,,wear a carbon mask!!!!

[Kevin]

I did lots of primer sanding. Basically I set to work with the random orbital sander and 220 grit paper and just went to town. Long even strokes so that I didn't make any low spots. The stuff is so hard that it's not easy to mess it up once it's cured. I used e2000 personally. I had added tint to each of the 3 layers so I knew when I was getting to the bottom layer and needed to let up. But I put on 3 layers so I had plenty of paint to work with.

I'll try the trowel on my next boat

Kevin.

[ryderp]

These questions were probably answered somewhere else on the forum, but:

What type/brand of primer did you guys use?
Do you recommend putting primer on the deck before flipping the boat over or after it is flipped back?

Phil

P.S. Here is a picture of the hull 381 after glassing the deck

[micah202]

I'd recommend a 2 part epoxy primer,,definitely the toughest going,,so it helps to do any sanding the next day if you can,
,,,anything less is an attempt to save money....and may cause a re-do after a while like I'll be having t'do on my boat!

....that cabintop's -begging- t'be clear-coated,,,very beautiful!
...sand the wood smooth,,glass-over it,,,use either a clear epoxy or varnish for UV protection!

[ryderp]

Thanks. My plan all along has been to leave the cabin top natural. The cabin top has already been glassed inside and out but it needs more coats of epoxy and then varnish. I was planning on doing the final finishing on the top last. I've been using West 207 hardener, which costs a bit more but is much clearer than the 205 or 206.

Phil

[jray]

Bottom redo is done! I have decided that it is smooth enough and don't plan on sanding any more to get that perfect racing finish. All I need now is a crew back to get it flipped and on the trailer for the rest of the winter. Time is getting short as the snow is piling up, well over 14"and still comming down. Anyway I'm happy with the results and counting the days until launching again next spring.

Bottom x2.jpg

[Chad]

Looks good, as always Jon.

Had some "groppel" (father-in-law's word) fall here yesterday, but no accumulation. Awaiting the first big snow with apprehension....

[Kevin]

Looks great Jon. May can't come soon enough for me, that's when the launch will open again for the 2012 season.

Chad, It's be here before you know it. Usually get some that hangs around by mid December I bet.

Cheers, Kevin.

[jray]

Thank you both, my only wish is that I didn't have the boat upside down again re-finishing the bottom. My mistake in the below water line product I used. Kevin, the thought of spring and getting back on the water will help keep the winter short. I hope! Chad, time for more gas powered equipment. I see a snow blower in your future.