I just bought a 26x a month ago and the bottom paint is coming of. You can tell it was done poorly. My question is
1. Do I need bottom paint since I trailer it home after use?
2. If I dont need it what is the best way to remove it from my hull.
It sands pretty easy but I dont want to scratch the gelcoat.
Thank you
Jim
Bottom Paint (& Blisters)?
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kziadie
- First Officer
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- Location: "Sundancer" 2006 26M Honda 50 MACM1338C606..... BAZS-3601239..... Central Chesapeake Bay
Jim,
You dont need bottom paint if the boat will live on the trailer, and the boat will perform better (smoother bottom) without it. However... getting the old paint off is a bit of a conundrum as most methods/chemicals aggressive enough to remove bottom paint are also aggressive enough to damage your gel coat. A couple years back I helped a friend with a similar project and we used a product called Peel Away with good results. I believe there are several variants... you want the one called "Marine Safety Strip". Whatever product you use, test a small area first to determine the minimum quantity required and the shortest application time to minimize any damage to the gel coat.
Kelly
You dont need bottom paint if the boat will live on the trailer, and the boat will perform better (smoother bottom) without it. However... getting the old paint off is a bit of a conundrum as most methods/chemicals aggressive enough to remove bottom paint are also aggressive enough to damage your gel coat. A couple years back I helped a friend with a similar project and we used a product called Peel Away with good results. I believe there are several variants... you want the one called "Marine Safety Strip". Whatever product you use, test a small area first to determine the minimum quantity required and the shortest application time to minimize any damage to the gel coat.
Kelly
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LOUIS B HOLUB
- Admiral
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- Location: 1999 Mac-X, Nissan 50 HP, Kemah, TX, "Holub Boat"
Jim & Kathy, Im facing the same delema. I posted my problems in the "modifications" forum recently, and received some good advice and tips from the experienced folks in this site. That particular thread may help, and it mentions problems with wax, and other things that I wasnt aware of.
Anyway, I may try to do the job myself. My paint is about 8 months old, and is peeling badly. Since I keep my Mac-X in a Marina, the bottom paint is not optional.
A dealer did mine, and evidently, something went badly wrong.
If you learn any tips of help, please post them. I know little about bottom paint selection, and the choices seem endless. Thanks
Anyway, I may try to do the job myself. My paint is about 8 months old, and is peeling badly. Since I keep my Mac-X in a Marina, the bottom paint is not optional.
A dealer did mine, and evidently, something went badly wrong.
If you learn any tips of help, please post them. I know little about bottom paint selection, and the choices seem endless. Thanks
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James V
- Admiral
- Posts: 1705
- Joined: Sat Jan 22, 2005 9:33 am
- Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
- Location: Key West, Fl USA, 26M 06, Merc 50hp BF "LYNX"
Jimnkathy - just get a lot of sand paper and one of those white coveralls and dust mask and sand away some of it. Don't have to do it all at the same time but you should do both sides evenly and try not to get into the gell coat.
I am a little scared about the solvents that might damage the gel coat.
Do not sand blast.
I am a little scared about the solvents that might damage the gel coat.
Do not sand blast.
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argonaut
- Captain
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- Joined: Sun Oct 24, 2004 8:23 pm
- Location: '97 26X, Yammy 40 4s, Central Fla.
I think you'd be better off wet sanding the old stuff off, bottom paint has all kinds of stuff in it you don't want to take a chance breathing.
Mine comes off easily with a Scotchbrite pad and water.
The tricky bit is all those nasty chemicals will end up win the soil (and ground water) where you boat's parked... so I wouldn't be growing tomatoes out there next year if you know what I mean.
The value to me in having it done at a shipyard is they handle the chemical disposal.
Mine comes off easily with a Scotchbrite pad and water.
The tricky bit is all those nasty chemicals will end up win the soil (and ground water) where you boat's parked... so I wouldn't be growing tomatoes out there next year if you know what I mean.
The value to me in having it done at a shipyard is they handle the chemical disposal.
Ablative?
Do you have ablative paint or enamel/hard shell?
If it is ablative, you can tell because when you rub your hand over it, some will come off like chalk. In the case of ablative paint, if you soak it for a while it should soften up and you may well be able to just blow it away with a pressure washer.
Enamel or some other "hard shell" paint will be a different story. Incidentally, most of the hard paints are not meant for use on a trailered boat because they rapidly lose their anti-fouling properties when exposed to air (a lot of them tell you to get the boat in the water within 48 hours of painting it).
- Andy
If it is ablative, you can tell because when you rub your hand over it, some will come off like chalk. In the case of ablative paint, if you soak it for a while it should soften up and you may well be able to just blow it away with a pressure washer.
Enamel or some other "hard shell" paint will be a different story. Incidentally, most of the hard paints are not meant for use on a trailered boat because they rapidly lose their anti-fouling properties when exposed to air (a lot of them tell you to get the boat in the water within 48 hours of painting it).
- Andy
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tangentair
- Admiral
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waternwaves
- Admiral
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Jimnkathy
- Deckhand
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- Joined: Mon Aug 06, 2007 1:57 pm
- Location: Troy Missouri / St Louis - 26X
I have been thinking of removing all my bottom paint since I trailer my boat. I removed some of it and found my gelcoat in bad shape. It looks like it was sanded for good adhesion for the paint. There is also little blisters in the gel coat. I dont know what to do about it. Should I just paint over it with more bottom paint?
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Frank C
JimnKathy,
Congrats on the new boat. Welcome Aboard! This isn't alarmist, just practical ... sounds as if you've got some work ahead. If you'll be storing exclusively on the trailer, you're correct, paint is a liablility. You might as well get rid of it. But the blisters might entail some work.
There's a Search link at top-center of every page. You'll do well to search on the word blister, finding 30+ hits. Not all of those are applicable to your dilemma, but at least half of those discussions will have good info for you. The thread titles are a pretty good clue.
During a couple hours of background reading, watch for a link to a website by David Pascoe, or just google it. He's a marine surveyor whose site has lots of info on blisters.
I suggest that you first read in these Fora. Prior discussions will give you a good sense of how broad the opinions are, how varied the approaches, and how narrow you'll want to chart your remedy. The more you read, the more questions might arise. Feel free to ask, recognizing that you'll likely find more opinions, but fewer real answers than you'd hoped. That's why reading some history is your best, first step.
Congrats on the new boat. Welcome Aboard! This isn't alarmist, just practical ... sounds as if you've got some work ahead. If you'll be storing exclusively on the trailer, you're correct, paint is a liablility. You might as well get rid of it. But the blisters might entail some work.
There's a Search link at top-center of every page. You'll do well to search on the word blister, finding 30+ hits. Not all of those are applicable to your dilemma, but at least half of those discussions will have good info for you. The thread titles are a pretty good clue.
During a couple hours of background reading, watch for a link to a website by David Pascoe, or just google it. He's a marine surveyor whose site has lots of info on blisters.
I suggest that you first read in these Fora. Prior discussions will give you a good sense of how broad the opinions are, how varied the approaches, and how narrow you'll want to chart your remedy. The more you read, the more questions might arise. Feel free to ask, recognizing that you'll likely find more opinions, but fewer real answers than you'd hoped. That's why reading some history is your best, first step.