So for those of you with fiberglass boats, when and how often do you do a
bottom coat? What are the signs of the boat needing one?

"Chris" wrote in message
.. .
So for those of you with fiberglass boats, when and how often do you do a
bottom coat? What are the signs of the boat needing one?




In freshwater with a boating season of 6 to 7 months the bottom on our boat
would be repainted or touched up every spring. If you still have a good
covering on most of the bottom you need only touch up the areas where the
paint is showing thin or worn away.

You will need to powerwash the bottom and let it dry before you paint it,
using a paint designed for your water type and compatible with what is on
the boat already.

Once every season. This is also based on your wallet.

If you use a cheap paint, it only lasts a year. If you use
a good multiseasonal ablative paint, it can last you longer.

That's why some of the paints are 50.00 and some are 160.00 (or more)
per gal.

Only thing I can recommend to you is that if the boat never had paint
on it b4, seal the hull with a good sealer and then paint on a
nice ablative paint. Epoxy paints are OK, but need to be sand blasted
as the years go on. Ablative ones wear themselves away as time goes on
and
let the owner know when its time to paint again.

Well my fiberglass hull is currently a dull green and didn't come back to
shine by using a cleaning/bring back shine compound. So, given that it's
from the 70's I'd think it was likely due for a coat of something. Whether
a clear coat, or whatever. I do know that when it gets wet then it darkens
and almost looks newer. Likewise, when a drop of resin dripped at the back
on it, that made it look nicer...

If the just get a cheap version from C-tire would that do? Colour doesn't
even matter to me.. a clearcoat would work best.

wrote in message
oups.com...
Once every season. This is also based on your wallet.

If you use a cheap paint, it only lasts a year. If you use
a good multiseasonal ablative paint, it can last you longer.

That's why some of the paints are 50.00 and some are 160.00 (or more)
per gal.

Only thing I can recommend to you is that if the boat never had paint
on it b4, seal the hull with a good sealer and then paint on a
nice ablative paint. Epoxy paints are OK, but need to be sand blasted
as the years go on. Ablative ones wear themselves away as time goes on
and
let the owner know when its time to paint again.

wrote in message
oups.com...
Once every season. This is also based on your wallet.

If you use a cheap paint, it only lasts a year. If you use
a good multiseasonal ablative paint, it can last you longer.

That's why some of the paints are 50.00 and some are 160.00 (or more)
per gal.

Only thing I can recommend to you is that if the boat never had paint
on it b4, seal the hull with a good sealer and then paint on a
nice ablative paint. Epoxy paints are OK, but need to be sand blasted
as the years go on. Ablative ones wear themselves away as time goes on
and
let the owner know when its time to paint again.


Ablative ones go away quick on speed boats.

On true speedboats they dont use bottom paints. It makes
it look cheap and also creates a drag, lowering the speed.

If you are talking run of the mill 60mph boats, I dont think that
it would be much of a problem. Worst case is to paint it
twice initially in the season for that extra protection.

I'd really be ****ed if I would have to pay someone later
on to blast the bottom because I used the wrong paint
for the job.

wrote in message
oups.com...
Once every season. This is also based on your wallet.

If you use a cheap paint, it only lasts a year. If you use
a good multiseasonal ablative paint, it can last you longer.

That's why some of the paints are 50.00 and some are 160.00 (or more)
per gal.

Only thing I can recommend to you is that if the boat never had paint
on it b4, seal the hull with a good sealer and then paint on a
nice ablative paint. Epoxy paints are OK, but need to be sand blasted
as the years go on. Ablative ones wear themselves away as time goes on
and
let the owner know when its time to paint again.


Epoxies are meant as a barrier coat, not antifouling. Antifouling paint
goes over the epoxy barrier coat.

Here is a nice article on bottom paints:

http://www.boatus.com/boattech/paint.htm

Not all antifouling paints are ablative. Cheaper ones generally
aren't. After a few years, it can really start to build up on you.
At that point you have to hire someone to blast it off.

When I look at my old boat, I would say it's green, but sure doesn't look
like any paint had been on it.
Unless its only green pigment in the gelcoat, then I'd assume some kind of
regular run of the mill green paint was used.

Hmm, if I could figure out how to get a quick picture of the bottom of it
visible here for you all then I could get suggestions..


wrote in message
oups.com...
Not all antifouling paints are ablative. Cheaper ones generally
aren't. After a few years, it can really start to build up on you.
At that point you have to hire someone to blast it off.