Bottom paint on your inflatable?
 

Hi,

This year I had to leave the dink in the (salt) water. I was advised not to
paint the bottom, but I am constantly cleaning it.

What's the general feeling on this for rubber duckies?


Bill

Hi Bill,
does the stuff come off easy ; can you give some comments on the growth
(what kind) and how do you clean it?
thanks mikl
"Bill" wrote in message
...
Hi,

This year I had to leave the dink in the (salt) water. I was advised not
to paint the bottom, but I am constantly cleaning it.

What's the general feeling on this for rubber duckies?


Bill

I have been painting my West Marine inflatable for the past 3 seasons
(actually only repainted it this season).

The first time I painted it with a Pettit paint system, especially for
inflatables. It contained a surface prep cleaner. It was rather strong but
seemed to make the actual paint bond very well.

I put on two coats of AF and still had enough left for a third (next season,
my plan). The next season it didn't seem to need a recoat so I left the
remainder in the paint locker. This last spring I wanted to do a recoat but
found this left over paint had gone hard in the can.

I went to my marine supplier and purchased another brand (sorry I don't
remember the brand). It was about $18 for a quart and was the only product
they had for soft bottom inflatables. I painted over the original and there
didn't seem to be any problem.

There were a couple minor problems with both paints. The Pettit paint
stained the unpainted portion, in areas of contact, when I rolled it of for
winter storage. I wasn't able to remove these stains.

I haven't rolled up this inflatable with the current brand and don't know if
it would do the samething. If I were to roll it up again I think I would
roll it with a small blue tarp between the rolls.

Second, both paints abladed rapidly on the aft area of the tube extentions
due to a lot of towing under way. (my dingy rides on that area while being
towed at about 6 knots. I guess that's to be expected.

I never notice any evidence of cracking or crinkling of either paints. The
both have excellent AF properties and I have no problems with fouling, even
though I leave my dingy in the water about 9 months of the year. Over last
winter I actually left my inflatable stored, upside down on my fore-deck.
The paint held up very well most likely provided some UV protection (if that
were needed here in the PacNW.). I plan to do the same this winter.

As a final note. I purchased my West Marine inflatable use for about $400,
like new but without oars. I research for oars I found that it was actual a
Force (something or other) from NZ. I have used and abused it for 4 seasons
now and I can say that it doesn't owe me anything. A dock mate has just
offered me $200 for it I get a RIB or solid dingy next season.


--
My experience and opinion, FWIW
--
Steve
s/v Good Intentions

I painted my inflatable for years. Started with a quart of inflatable
bottom paint from West Marine... poured out a bit, made a slurry of
Cayenne pepper and water, and added about 1 oz. of pepper to the can
along with a vial of Starbrite's compound X. Mix that up well, then add
as much of the paint you poured off as it will hold and mix again. This
works great! I have left the dink in for a year straight, with nothing
but a little slime and maybe 10 barnacles on it.

The straight dinghy bottom paint isn't worth a flip. The first time I
tried it, I had several hundred barnacles within 8 weeks. Be sure to
add at least the Cayenne pepper.

I simply have my rigid dinghy bottom painted with any leftover hull bottom
paint and it's worked great. I use Micron CSC and I haven't had to scrub
it at all, and I leave it in the water in the Caribbean for 7 months at a
time.

-- Geoff

"Bill" wrote in
:

Hi,

This year I had to leave the dink in the (salt) water. I was advised
not to paint the bottom, but I am constantly cleaning it.

What's the general feeling on this for rubber duckies?


Bill