BottomPaint
Home Up

  • Starting point as she was just after haul-out.  It was clear that bottom work need.  What I did not realize was how much work was needed.  I thought a little scrape, some stripper and a wipe down and all would be good.  NOT!
  • I first scraped off the loose stuff, then used stripper (never again, too messy), then a high carbon 3" scraper.  Two weeks later, my right hand still hurts.  The scraper did not get it all off.  The previous owner applied epoxy paint or fairing compound between previously unscraped and scraped portions.  Plus he painted over over bottom paint with epoxy paint.  What a mess!  Next to impossible to scrape.  The bottom paint was moldy and kind of gooey.  The fouled the sanding disk had to be scraped or brushed off with a wire brush.
  • Sanding needed to be done with care so as not to penetrate the gelcoat or go above the painted area.
  • After 4 full days of sanding and about 12 80 grit sanding disks, the old paint is gone.  I did not focus to much On the keel.  It will be redone next year.  The hull needed to be barrier coated but the keel does not (no blisters on an iron keel).
  • Thursday morning, I help my 7:30 staff meeting with my Boston, China and Princeton teams from the picnic table next to the boat via aircard, video camera and conference call/  It was a virtual office occasion.  This is the boat just before the first coat of barrier paint was rolled on.
  • I used 3 coats of Yacht Paints Interprotect 2000E barrier coat paint.  First white, then gray, then white.  This enabled me to see where one layer ended and the next one started.  Then after moving the jacks on the following day, I could apply the barrier coat where the jack was placed.  I ran out of white for this part, but that was not a problem.  I could see were the layer needed to be applied.
  • Once the second coat of bottom paint was applied, and dry for 5 hours, the crane came along and life the boat off her keel.  This was the only part of the boat that did not get a full 5 hours before hitting the water.  If barnacles attach here because the bottom paint came off, it is not a huge issue to repair.