Bottom Paint Questions

[chuck]

I have a 2007 26M, and am thinking of putting bottom paint on. It has never had bottom paint before, only wax. The usage this year will be 4 weeks in the PNW, (San Juan IS, and Canada), after that in the Columbia River. I am planning on using PETTIT VIVID, white for speed, and PETTIT 6998 Skip Sand Primer. Does anyone have experience with these products? If so have you used them on a 26X or M? How many quarts of each? What other products would you sugest, and how did you apply them?

Thanks,
Chuck

[yukonbob]

As per most paint manufacturers recommendations and having no previous bottom pain I would be doing a proper epoxy coat before you paint. This is the absolute best time to do it. As for paint a gallon of interlux bottomkote gave me two and a half good coats applied with a roller. I stopped at two only because I had previous paint which was in relatively good shape and we don't get a to. Of growth up here.

[mastreb]

Definitely do a two-layer epoxy barrier coat first.

[chuck]

I talked to the manufacter and technical departmen of PETTIT this morning, and they recomended the procedure that I mentioned. They never said anything about an epoxy barrier. What does that do? Are both of you, (Mastreb and Yukonbob), talking about using PETTIT product or Interlux products?

[mastreb]

I talked to the manufacter and technical departmen of PETTIT this morning, and they recomended the procedure that I mentioned. They never said anything about an epoxy barrier. What does that do? Are both of you, (Mastreb and Yukonbob), talking about using PETTIT product or Interlux products?

Mine is also Interlux.

An epoxy barrier coating prevents water penetration into the fiberglass. GRP is not actually waterproof, it will wick moisture through it slowly over time, resulting in a wet hull. When wet, H2O will react with the volatile organic compounds in the polyester resin, resulting in weakening and possibly in large blisters of reacted fluids. This happens slowly over the years.

Epoxy is the most water-resistant of all hull coatings, and it dramatically slows water penetration into the glass reinforced polyester, thus lengthening the service life of the GRP hull. Ablative bottom paint doesn't really resist water penetration at all--that's not it's job.

Typically the gelcoat is sanded rough for adhesion, a barrier coat is used to prevent the raw fiberglass from wicking water through it.

It's not necessary to use an epoxy barrier coat, it's just best practice to achieve the longest life hull and fewer problems down the road. A GRP hull without an epoxy barrier coat will have a service live of about 30 years. With it, the age limit remains unknown.

[yukonbob]

X2

Also check reapplication of your selected paint. Is it compatible with other brands in case you can't find that specific brand again? Does it have to be completely removed prior to reapplication? Ect ect. I went with interlux fibreglass bottomkote due to the fact that a) I didn't know what brand ablative was on and fg bottomkote can be applied over top almost any existing paint and b) the fact that it is a harder more trailerable anti fouling. I do know that mine does have an epoxy coat just not the exact brand of bottom paint.

[seahouse]

So Matt - what does one put on the hull of a new Beneteau 38?

-B.

[Sea Wind]

I used sea hawk, it took a full gallon for two good layers of epoxy and almost a full gallon for three coats of bottom paint and some leftover for touch ups.

[mastreb]

So Matt - what does one put on the hull of a new Beneteau 38?

-B.

Epoxy barrier coat and bottom paint of course

Because it's a keelboat it comes from the dealership bottom painted. The boats ship via cargo ship sans keel, and the dealership has that bolted on and painted before they touch the water for the first time. This boat's hull is good old fashioned hand laid cloth GRP, made just like a MacGregor. The deck is balsa core though. They give a ten year hull warranty which includes coverage against blistering. All the systems are pass-through warranted from the OEM.

[seahouse]

Interesting. The dealer caulks and fairs the joint between the keel and hull, part of the whole process done in one fell swoop.

-B.

[dlandersson]

Nice points

I talked to the manufacter and technical departmen of PETTIT this morning, and they recomended the procedure that I mentioned. They never said anything about an epoxy barrier. What does that do? Are both of you, (Mastreb and Yukonbob), talking about using PETTIT product or Interlux products?

Mine is also Interlux.

An epoxy barrier coating prevents water penetration into the fiberglass. GRP is not actually waterproof, it will wick moisture through it slowly over time, resulting in a wet hull. When wet, H2O will react with the volatile organic compounds in the polyester resin, resulting in weakening and possibly in large blisters of reacted fluids. This happens slowly over the years.

Epoxy is the most water-resistant of all hull coatings, and it dramatically slows water penetration into the glass reinforced polyester, thus lengthening the service life of the GRP hull. Ablative bottom paint doesn't really resist water penetration at all--that's not it's job.

Typically the gelcoat is sanded rough for adhesion, a barrier coat is used to prevent the raw fiberglass from wicking water through it.

It's not necessary to use an epoxy barrier coat, it's just best practice to achieve the longest life hull and fewer problems down the road. A GRP hull without an epoxy barrier coat will have a service live of about 30 years. With it, the age limit remains unknown.

[kurz]

I put on copper coat 10 years ago.
Did not touch the underwater boat yet!

The boat sits all year in the water. Lake of Zürich.
for me the perfect product.

Yesterday I anchored in 1 meter water. With a brush I cleaned the underwater bottom. Little things I can whipe away easily.