Bottom Paint

Audrey II

Audrey II

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Aug 5, 2008
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30499
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6,405
Last Spring I had the bottom stripped to the gel coat sanded not blasted. I spent two very long weekends painting three coats of barrier coat then three coats of bottom paint all petit paint. I followed the instructions to the letter. In the fall when then hauled the boat the boat i looked fine but when they power washed the boat the paint started to chip away right down to the barrier coat. My question is why and what can I do to prevent this from happening again? It's not the whole bottom but several areas.
Any advice welcome
Thanks
 
Sounds like the final coat of barrier coat setup before you got the first coat of paint on.

If so, that just sucks.
 
Isn't ablative paint supposed to wear off?

Have you tried calling Petit to see what they say?

PS - isn't it nice to post your question on a real boating site, where you can get real responses, instead of abuse?
 
Ablative wears off like soap.
It should not chip.
That is the sign of bad prep and adhesion.
 
contact the paint mfg's rep in your area and get a copy of all the installation reccomendations. somehow something got missed the last time around. no sense guessing what it was, as the rep they tend to know their products backwards and forwards and should be able to set you right this time around.
 
I painted the first coat of ablative to the minute as the instructions said the barrier coat had not cured if I recall it was seven hours after the third coat of barrier. It was too tacky to scuff and it wasn't called for unless the barrier had cured.

Hogan yes it is a pleasure here. I posted the same question there just to see if I would even get a response but I don't think anyone is speaking to me anymore no loss.
 
quote:
Originally posted by vic33004

contact the paint mfg's rep in your area and get a copy of all the installation recommendations. somehow something got missed the last time around. no sense guessing what it was, as the rep they tend to know their products backwards and forwards and should be able to set you right this time around.

Click to expand...

My mechanic where I bought the paint has reached out to the Rep and he will stop in when he is in the area. I tried so hard to do this right I'm disappointed that I screwed it up.
 
dave i had some problems with bottom paint a few years ago and one of the things the rep enlightened me about that was'nt on the can was; the paint could not remain out of the water more than 24 hours regardless if it was newly applied or the boat was out for service. My application was Trinidad SR, i don't recall if that was a blanket statement on the paints in that line or mine specifically.
 
That doesn't apply to multi season ablative paint. but thanks for the feed back it is a problem for others.
 
quote:
Originally posted by Audrey II

quote:
Originally posted by vic33004

contact the paint mfg's rep in your area and get a copy of all the installation recommendations. somehow something got missed the last time around. no sense guessing what it was, as the rep they tend to know their products backwards and forwards and should be able to set you right this time around.

Click to expand...

My mechanic where I bought the paint has reached out to the Rep and he will stop in when he is in the area. I tried so hard to do this right I'm disappointed that I screwed it up.

Click to expand...


So quick to blame yourself, always blame everyone else first.

MJK
 
I did all the work there is no one else to blame or I would.
 
quote:
Originally posted by HOGAN

Isn't ablative paint supposed to wear off?

Have you tried calling Petit to see what they say?

PS - isn't it nice to post your question on a real boating site, where you can get real responses, instead of abuse?

Click to expand...


That is what I was going to ask. If you used ablative point do not pressure wash it.

George
 
quote:
Originally posted by Audrey II

I did all the work there is no one else to blame or I would.

Click to expand...


You could blame your buddy, TB...
 
quote:
Originally posted by gcolton

quote:
Originally posted by HOGAN

Isn't ablative paint supposed to wear off?

Have you tried calling Petit to see what they say?

PS - isn't it nice to post your question on a real boating site, where you can get real responses, instead of abuse?

Click to expand...


That is what I was going to ask. If you used ablative point do not pressure wash it.

George

Click to expand...
I didn't the yard did when they pulled the boat but I don't blame them it comes off way to easy and they power wash every other boat without a problem something is wrong. Power washing could take it down a little but not down to the barrier. Jim if you read this I don't blame you it's not your fault Well it better not be just kidding.
 
What was the temperature when you did this job. That can have a big effect on the setup time and curing.

You did this early in the spring when it was colder? What does the manufacturer say for temps?
 
The can gives drying time within temp ranges and I followed them to the letter.
 
I'm not a coatings expert, but I play one on the 'net...I do distribute an industrial epoxy coating, write a spec here and there, do a little training and install a little on the side...
There are a lot of factors which determine product performance. Most of the reputable products on the market do not typically fail and with a legitimate failure, out the retailer, the distributor, mfg'er will try to take care of the client, even when the failure may be to installer error.
With that being said: Upon review of 20 years of case histories, installer error accounted for 80% of product failures.
Starts with determining the proper prduct for your application, i.e where do I boat, environmental concerns - abrasion / chemically / temperature resistant, ease of application, safe to handle, etc.
For recreational boating, the best product and systems are found right here with the cast and crew of BE...Take advantage of the all the bottom paint / painting experiences on this board, can help steer you to the right bottom paint system for your type of boating. There are some who will also provide un-solicited advice as the thread merits.
For the application: Read the Tech Data Sheet - it will give you detailed information on the following points:
Surface prep is key, it the surface properly profiled, free of all bond breakers (dust, grease, oil, wax)
Is the substrate dry / do I have potential hydrostatic pressure issues (not likely on a boat)
Proper mixing of the epoxy / bottom paint coating with the right type of drill, mixing paddle and speed
What are your temperature ranges: ambient air, surface temp and humidty
Produt applied at the proper mil thickness via brush, roller, airless spray?
Application pattern - mfg spec / 2 or more coats applied at 90 degrees to avoid pinholes?
Recoat windows: how long between coats? How is the environment changing cure times?
When is final cure for immersion / non-immersion return-to-service?
Deviation from the application specs can (and do - trust me) affect cure times and inter-coat adhesion failures (top coat does not stick to base coat and flakes, chips, bubbles, etc)
With all that being said, I have never bottom painted a boat, but I am due. I have 3 year old ablative paint and have some chips like Dave is experiencing. I believe most of mine have come from those little hidden submerged suprises I seem to find.
Is Ablative paint referred to as being hard / brittle? Is this the trade-off for a multi-season soap-like wear away surface? I don't know, I haven't done the research on that type of coating.
All I can say when I do re-coat, going with a 100%-solids industrial epoxy barrier coat, haven't decided on the anti-foulant yet.
 
Dave, blame it on Al Gore and global warming and or climate change. Tell the manufacturer, they will believe that one.
 
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