Hi...Just picked up a 25 ft Rogue, with bottom paint. It looks kinda crappy, so I'd like to redo it. It there a certain type that is better for performance boats? This will not be sitting in the water for more than a weekend at a time. I would think about taking it off completely if it wouldn't be such a bugger of a job...Thanks...Den
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Slippery bottom paint?
- Thread starter Den P
- Start date
- Joined
- Jan 1, 2000
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- 1702
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no bottom paint is as slippery as a clean bottom from what I know. there may be some high perf paint out there.
If the old stuff is hard paint, it will have to be sanded off. If it is ablative, it can be scrubbed off.
If the old stuff is hard paint, it will have to be sanded off. If it is ablative, it can be scrubbed off.
- Joined
- Jan 1, 2000
- RO Number
- 1702
- Messages
- 1,621
Is it hard paint or ablative?
EPA-wise, it isnt that easy... but in essence, yes.
EPA-wise, it isnt that easy... but in essence, yes.
- Joined
- Apr 21, 2008
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I am no expert by any means but I just put bottom paint on my boat and after the research I did ALL of them I read directions on said to sand the bottom first. That means your gelcoat has probably been sanded with 50 or 80 grit sandpaper and unless you redo the bottom I dont think you will get it smooth. Some of the newer paints will wear smooth (not as smooth as gelcoat) like VC-17. I used interlux micron ultra but I have not went WOT since putting it on so I cannot say about performance. Supposedly many of these (ablative) will wear smooth like a bar of soap. I have noticed that my boat goes up on plane very easy but that could be my perception since at the end of the year last year it was pretty dirty from sitting in the water all year.
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There are twovery general classifications of bottom paint:
"hard" and "ablative"
The hard paint is just exactly that. Rubbing up against it is much like rubbing up against your home refrigerator. It works because it contains biocides that leach out of the hard, smooth paint.
Ablative paint "ablates". That is, it is built to fall apart. If you rub up against it, it will leaves a mark just as if you had rubbed against a piece of chalk. It works by slowly falling apart. ie: the creatures adhere to the paint, and the paint "fails" locally, and the creature falls off, carrying the surface layer of paint.
Unless the paint is extremely worn, you can detect ablative by rubbing a cloth against it. It the cloth picks up paint, it is ablative; if not, hard.
The two types are incompatible. And some hard paints cannot be applied over other brands of hard paint. You -can- apply fresh ablative over worn ablative.
There are a few "ultra-slick" bottom paints, designed for racing sailboats. But they have reduced bottom protection while adding "slick" to the hull. Expensive and mostly useless for other uses.
Mostly, I'd suggest this:
Determine what type of pait you have. ( Even better, find out -exactly what you have! ).
If you know exactly what you have, follow mfg recommendations.
If you have ablative, slightly roughen up the paint w/ sandpaper, then add fresh coats of ablative.
If hard, things can get more complex. You may need to remove it then re-paint w/ the paint of your choice.
imho.
"hard" and "ablative"
The hard paint is just exactly that. Rubbing up against it is much like rubbing up against your home refrigerator. It works because it contains biocides that leach out of the hard, smooth paint.
Ablative paint "ablates". That is, it is built to fall apart. If you rub up against it, it will leaves a mark just as if you had rubbed against a piece of chalk. It works by slowly falling apart. ie: the creatures adhere to the paint, and the paint "fails" locally, and the creature falls off, carrying the surface layer of paint.
Unless the paint is extremely worn, you can detect ablative by rubbing a cloth against it. It the cloth picks up paint, it is ablative; if not, hard.
The two types are incompatible. And some hard paints cannot be applied over other brands of hard paint. You -can- apply fresh ablative over worn ablative.
There are a few "ultra-slick" bottom paints, designed for racing sailboats. But they have reduced bottom protection while adding "slick" to the hull. Expensive and mostly useless for other uses.
Mostly, I'd suggest this:
Determine what type of pait you have. ( Even better, find out -exactly what you have! ).
If you know exactly what you have, follow mfg recommendations.
If you have ablative, slightly roughen up the paint w/ sandpaper, then add fresh coats of ablative.
If hard, things can get more complex. You may need to remove it then re-paint w/ the paint of your choice.
imho.
quote:
Just sand it off until I see gel coat show, then try to polish the gel? Sounds too easy...
quote:
I am no expert by any means but I just put bottom paint on my boat and after the research I did ALL of them I read directions on said to sand the bottom first. That means your gelcoat has probably been sanded with 50 or 80 grit sandpaper and unless you redo the bottom I dont think you will get it smooth.
Trying to remove all traces of bottom paint and preparation (sanding and/or primer) is about like trying to make a woman into a virgin again. It can't be done.
You can get a pretty good understanding of bottom paint, preparation, and types of paint by reading the West Marine catalog or from bottom paint manufacturer's websites.