Bottom paint or awlgrip?

[Terrulle]

I'll try to make this brief. I bought a boat ('03 39' Donzi) used. The bottom paint is peeling off. It was in a slip most of the time. Now it is on a lift. It is used 2-3 times a month. A boat yard told me to awlgrip the bottom at an outrageous price. I just want to re- bottom paint it. Are there any suggestions as to what bottom paint to use as it will be out of the water most of the time? I don't thik it's a good idea to awlgrip below the water line especially after it has already been bottom painted.Thanks for any help.... Oh, ... warm, salty water..... T.

 

[stevieray]

Re: Bottom paint or awlgrip?

T - part of the beauty of keeping it on a lift is you don't need any anti-foulant bottom paint. I think your boatyard is figuring on removing the peeling paint all the way to bare glass & doing a good prep job before the awlgrip (which constitutes most of the high dollars). That is the absolute best thing to do - especially on a performance rig. If you want to just touch up the peeling paint so it looks good from a distance, you can do that, but you should use the same kind of paint that's on there now.

 

[flashback]

Re: Bottom paint or awlgrip?

I would use a chemical stripper such as peel-away and see what it does.. strip off the bottom paint and see what you have.. I would bet that the gelcoat is in good shape and you would need nothing more.. if not, then talk about painting it with awlgrip... the fact that the bottom paint is not sticking well is a good thing.......it means the previous owner didn't sand the gelcoat before applying the bottom paint........good luck......

 

[Terrulle]

Re: Bottom paint or awlgrip?

I would use a chemical stripper such as peel-away and see what it does.. strip off the bottom paint and see what you have.. I would bet that the gelcoat is in good shape and you would need nothing more.. if not, then talk about painting it with awlgrip... the fact that the bottom paint is not sticking well is a good thing.......it means the previous owner didn't sand the gelcoat before applying the bottom paint........good luck......

 

[Terrulle]

Re: Bottom paint or awlgrip?

Thanks, for the response.. So once it's stripped, see what the gelcoat looks like? So...... it's possible to sand the gelcoat progressively (80gr-600gr) then buff out to a deep finish? If this is the case, it would increase the performance and be much cheaper. Thanks for the input.d , I appreciate it. If anyone else has any comments....please submit. Thanks again T.

 

[Buttanic]

Re: Bottom paint or awlgrip?

I would strip the old paint and repaint with something like Interlux VC Performance. It is a hard bottom paint for high speed boats that are trailered or kept out of the water.

 

[stevieray]

Re: Bottom paint or awlgrip?

So once it's stripped, see what the gelcoat looks like? So...... it's possible to sand the gelcoat progressively (80gr-600gr) then buff out to a deep finish?

T - this is a possibility. However, once you strip off the paint, you may find blister repairs or even major fiberglass work that the paint was put on to hide. Or, you may luck out & find it wasn't even sanded & all you need is a good polishing. Won't know until you strip it - lots of work on a 39 - glad it's not me

 

[Terrulle]

Re: Bottom paint or awlgrip?

SR... Well.... It's an '03 so I'm hoping that the prep job wasn't that good and blisters haven't had time to get that far. I guess we'll see? I do have some experience bottom painting boats. When I was a kid my dad and uncle had shrimp/work boats......so.... I was always got nominated to do the job. Seatanic's comment is actually what I was looking for. I'd rather re-bottom paint than sand and buff. This boats killin' me.....:'( I can't believe an '03 is in as bad of shape as it is!) Thanks again to all... T.

 

[Terrulle]

Re: Bottom paint or awlgrip?

Just to be clear... I've bottom painted before... but..... I didn't choose the paint. So I didn't knoiw if there was a type of paint that would suit my conditions. Thanks again