Bottom Paint for Trailer Boat

[ken_23434]

My boat spends most of it's time on the trailer. I never leave it in the water over night. I want to paint the hull and hope to not have to do it for many (5) years.

I have read, that most of the bottom paints loose their effectiveness when exposed to air for very long. I have also heard that most bottom paints do not hold up well with frequent trips rolling on and off the trailer.

I would prefer to use one product from the rub rails down, but would prefer NOT to have the dull chalky look like most AF bottom paints have.

The only bottom paint I have found that does not have AF properties is the VC Performance Epoxy.

Is there anything else out there that will not get messed up by the rollers on my trailer, will be at least semi glossy, and will last for years (5+) vs a season or two?

My boat is an 18 foot fiberglass bowrider with the original gel coat finish (what's left of it).

Thanks

 

[Pez Vela]

Re: Bottom Paint for Trailer Boat

http://www.thehulltruth.com/boating...opside-paint-below-waterline-stick-vivid.html

 

[Douglas Malat]

Re: Bottom Paint for Trailer Boat

Micron Products from Interlux give multi year protection in and out of the water...depending on how many coats you would put on. It polishes as you go along and it comes in many colors also. They also have these clear coats for the rubber bellows of inboard/outboard boats to keep off the marine growth, but I'm not sure how long that would last...Hope this helps! Good Luck.

 

[DYLBOSS]

Re: Bottom Paint for Trailer Boat

I've been doing a ton of research on this very topic, as I'm in the process of doing the exact same thing. After calling Interlux like 10 times and asking them questions, as well as getting advice on this forum and other places, I decided to go with a new barrier coat (Interlux Interprotect 2000E) and VC Performance Epoxy over top of that.

I've already stripped all the old barrier coat off and have the 2000E on. Getting ready to sand next week and start applying the VC. From what I hear, this stuff is hard as nails and will leave a finish as smooth enough as your elbow grease can handle, with some wet sanding after the final coat. I may or may not do that depending on how it comes out.

 

[diesel5599]

Re: Bottom Paint for Trailer Boat

I just have to ask, why on earth would you do that? I go out of my way to never buy a boat with bottom paint, it sounds like you are going to spend $$ bottom painting it then try to get the bottom to look as if its not bottom painted. Why not just leave the bottom alone?

If you are not going to wet dock the boat, then all you are going to end up doing is spending a lot of time and money making an irreversible change and then sit back and watch that paint get rubbed off onto your bunks during repeated launches.

Most boats that have been bottom painted mean they have been wet docked, which is the main reason I stay away from them, not to mention the whole paint rubbing off problem, and in my opinion bottom paint greatly detracts from the appearance of a boat.

 

[ken_23434]

Re: Bottom Paint for Trailer Boat

Well, the boat is 22 years old and the whole thing is starting to look pretty bad. The gel coat I think is pretty much gone now. The bottom has many small scraps and such, so I need to be doing something soon to protect the bottom.

I want to avoid a bottom paint, which is why I asked if there was any other paints or coatings that would work below the waterline that are not anti-fouling paints.

The Interlux VC Performance Epoxy is a glossy white epoxy product with NO af additives. So, my understanding is it will give the look of a new boat (ie fresh bright white gel coat looking finish). It is also something that a DIYer can do at home without all the spray equipment and experience.

The VC Performance Epoxy was specifically designed for trailer boats, so it will not rub off and such from loading and uloading on a trailer.

 

[Woodnaut]

Re: Bottom Paint for Trailer Boat

I've been following the post because I'd like to do the same thing this year as well. One of the reference posts implies that Interlux VC can be tinted. Who and where? Ye Olde Sherwin Williams Paint Store?

 

[DJ]

Re: Bottom Paint for Trailer Boat

I would NOT on a trailered boat.

Interlux and Pettit both make paints that can sit in the water for at least a week or so with no issues.

Even the Interlux Brightside Topside paint states it's OK for 72 hours, below the waterline.

I've left "Topside" painted boats in the water for a week with no issues.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Bottom Paint for Trailer Boat

I agree with not doing it for the reason that it is on the trailer most of the time. Never done ours and never will. Even when I dock ours over the season it is out regularly when we head off to the cottage or a camping trip. I give it an immediate power wash when it comes out and all is well.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Bottom Paint for Trailer Boat

I would prefer to use one product from the rub rails down, but would prefer NOT to have the dull chalky look like most AF bottom paints have.

Ayuh,... Use Rustoleum,... Brushed, or roll & tipped....

For a trailerboat,... You'll be Very Happy with the effort, price,+ Results....

 

[ken_23434]

Re: Bottom Paint for Trailer Boat

I've been following the post because I'd like to do the same thing this year as well. One of the reference posts implies that Interlux VC can be tinted. Who and where? Ye Olde Sherwin Williams Paint Store?

If you read on down on that thread, the person comes back and says they were mistaken about tinting the VC stuff. Someone else stated that if you tinted it, you would need to use another hardener or at a different ratio due to the pigment being added.

 

[ken_23434]

Re: Bottom Paint for Trailer Boat

Ayuh,... Use Rustoleum,... Brushed, or roll & tipped....

For a trailerboat,... You'll be Very Happy with the effort, price,+ Results....

Are you referring to the Rustoleum marine paint? I think I had seen that product at Home Depot or Lowes, but didn't really look into it. Good excuse to go there?

 

[Bondo]

Re: Bottom Paint for Trailer Boat

Are you referring to the Rustoleum marine paint? I think I had seen that product at Home Depot or Lowes, but didn't really look into it. Good excuse to go there?

Nope,... I'm talkin' about plain ole Rustoleum industrial professional Enamal....
The stuff that's $20. a gallon....

 

[ken_23434]

Re: Bottom Paint for Trailer Boat

Nope,... I'm talkin' about plain ole Rustoleum industrial professional Enamal....
The stuff that's $20. a gallon....

Still another reason to go to Lowes.

Thanks for the tip

 

[Lion hunter]

Re: Bottom Paint for Trailer Boat

I used the $20 Rustoleum enamel. I had to spray it on because it was to hot to roll (Did 4 coats). I am very happy with it. Off and on the trailer many times over the last year and no signs of wear. Hard to beat for $20. No experience putting it on fiberglass but on aluminum it worked great.

 

[DYLBOSS]

Re: Bottom Paint for Trailer Boat

I just have to ask, why on earth would you do that? I go out of my way to never buy a boat with bottom paint, it sounds like you are going to spend $$ bottom painting it then try to get the bottom to look as if its not bottom painted. Why not just leave the bottom alone?

If you are not going to wet dock the boat, then all you are going to end up doing is spending a lot of time and money making an irreversible change and then sit back and watch that paint get rubbed off onto your bunks during repeated launches.

Most boats that have been bottom painted mean they have been wet docked, which is the main reason I stay away from them, not to mention the whole paint rubbing off problem, and in my opinion bottom paint greatly detracts from the appearance of a boat.

The reason I'm doing mine is because the previous owner painted the bottom thinking that they were going to slip it, but never did. They left 12 years of old paint just chip away completely unmaintained. The prep work done to sand originally tells me they destroyed the gel coat, so I pretty much don't have a choice, but to put a new barrier coat on and at least something else over that. No need for AF paint, so the next choice/recommendation was VC.

 

[wca_tim]

Re: Bottom Paint for Trailer Boat

if you're going to use rustoleum and roll and tiup, go by tractor supply and pick up a can of their isocyanate based enamal hardener and add it to the rustoleum enamel paint per the instructions (don't worry that rustoleum doesn't say it'll work, same chemistry). it'll make the regular or marine rustoleum significantly more durable and harder - approaching the catalyzed urethanes.

caveat, wear a standard organic vapor cartridge to protect you from any isocyanate fumes in addition to the solvents. Note that if you're not spraying there is very little danger with iso chemistry - it's the aerosolized dropplets that are produced whwen spraying that are the killer and require much more careful handling.

 

[JCNailen]

Re: Bottom Paint for Trailer Boat

I was in Home Depot the other day and spoke with the Behr rep. He told me that if I use the 1-Part Epoxy-Acrylic garage floor paint, I could use it on a boat bottom. It is tintable for several colors, but not the bright sun yellow I am wanting. I have an email in to him asking if they can tint it to any Behr color. I will find out Monday.

HERE is a link.

Now, he said he has never done it, just heard about it being done, but didn't know the result, but it comes out glossy as heck!

 

[JCNailen]

Re: Bottom Paint for Trailer Boat

Also... Home Depot has a Rustoleum Topside paint. It's about $30 for 2-quarts. Go to their web site, it is online order only, but they will ship it to your house in 7 days.

 

[opalized]

Re: Bottom Paint for Trailer Boat

Question One
I spent most of the day removing my engine, scrapping 60% of the top half of my new (very Old 1975) boat's crappy paint job back to gelcoat, now, i have spent 3 nights looking up paint to repaint it, and ive seen all the paints listed above and am having a really hard time accepting these as the only options, can i simply go to my local paint store and purchase a base coat clear coat ppg paint, and paint this darn boat, its a trailered boat that could stay in the water for a week at a time at most. The gelcoat is in great shape for the most part some minor repairs mostly above water, and most of the gelcoat and the horendous paint applied over it will simply be sanded with 220 primed and repainted with ppg under the water line??? HELP

On a side note i know its the wrong forum but ive looked for 2 hours and failed to find the correct forum for this post.
1974 mercruiser outdrive, i removed the transom plate obviously to include outdrive unit, and there was a gasket like seal prior owner indicated he would put a seocnd bilge pump in because it was leaking water at the transom plate.
so i removed to repair correctly as possible with my lack of knowledge in this area, all i can find is a o-ring type transom plate seal, my seal looks similar to the outdrive seal with bolt holes. Mercruiser 1974 serial # 3695975 has the little 4/1/2" by 4/1/2" plate with loop
Any help greatly appreciated

Dave