How to flip the hull over for paint?

[thrillhouse700]

This might be a really dumb question, but how do you fiberglass boat guys flip over a hull for paint?

Right now the deck, and stringer are out, the cap is off, its a bare hull but has a new transom in. I am not sure I want to flip the boat over with no structural pieces inside. I was wondering how you guys are doing this? The sides have a lot of flex to them. We need to patch up the hull and re gel coat some parts and then prep it for paint.

 

[drewpster]

Re: How to flip the hull over for paint?

This might be a really dumb question,

The only dumb questions are the ones that go unasked.

There have been several techniques outlined in the forum. You may want to try the search feature.
The easiest way is to get a bunch of guys and man-handle it over. If you are like me and groups are hard to gather, you will have to suspend it some way and roll it over. I used two farm jacks. The trick is to get it high enough so that the flimsy sides do not get damaged while it turns. It should be somewhat light after stripping all the cores so no major handling equipment should be needed. I have seen temporary gantries built out of 2x4 work just fine.

 

[Numlaar]

Re: How to flip the hull over for paint?

Sounds like you are at about the proper stage for it...

If you have the transom in, you can put the eyelets in the back, and the bow eye in the front, and as suggested make a gantry of sorts to roll it over.

I did my own out of 2x4's and while probably not the most practical, it did work... (I live alone out in the woods, with no help available).

You can check out Oops's hull extension thread (he used a forklift I believe), and a few others for ideas... (my thread is in my signature so you can see what I did).

Hope that helps!

 

[thrillhouse700]

Re: How to flip the hull over for paint?

Cool, yeah I have seen oops thread and a bunch of other peoples threads, I just wasn't really sure if you are supposed to do it without the floor and stringer in. I thought these were the main skeleton of the hull so you shouldn't move it without them installed.

So With just the transom in we can hook some bow eyes in front and rear and flip her over. We were going to use the engine hoist and a few people.

Can the boat be laid on its sides? or should we just keep it suspended?

 

[thrillhouse700]

Re: How to flip the hull over for paint?

Anyone have luck with rustoleum bottom paint? It seems cheap and has some decent reviews but I want to here from the best...........

 

[wca_tim]

Re: How to flip the hull over for paint?

Anyone have luck with rustoleum bottom paint? It seems cheap and has some decent reviews but I want to here from the best...........

How often do you want to paint it? I would use two part urethane... auto or marine paint. you won't be sorry if you want it to look decent and last. I've used rustoleum... soft, not very good gloss, etc... the marine paint is a good bit better and in my opinion as good as interlux brightsides.

 

[thrillhouse700]

Re: How to flip the hull over for paint?

Can you recc some bottom paints? besides interlux? If we are going to paint it do we still need to gelcoat the chips and dings or can we use filler? Thanks.

 

[redfury]

Re: How to flip the hull over for paint?

you don't have to repair the gel coat chips, you can use a marine filler like marine tex for that, and then paint. Lots of choices in bottom paints....interlux, petit easypoxy, Imron...there's another one that I haven't committed to memory that is really good too...was in a video showing how to roll and tip with 3 different paints-never heard of it before, but it was the best of the 3 AFAIC...

 

[oops!]

Re: How to flip the hull over for paint?

hi.....flipping the hull is actually quite easy.....you do not need the strings or deck in to do it....just make sure that you have plenty of hands on it....if your center of gravitey is off....the hull will tend to wanna flip fast.....so the hands will slow down the process......throw some old tires down under it just in case....

as far as paint.....use a good two part paint with the proper thinners (flow-trol) if you are gonna roll and tip.

just search paint....there are lots of good suggestions on here......

cheers
oops

 

[Numlaar]

Re: How to flip the hull over for paint?

Can the boat be laid on its sides? or should we just keep it suspended?

If you don't have any support structure in it at all, I would say no... it would flex the sides too much, and risk deforming them, and that may cause you cap problems when you go to put it back together...

You can however, set some saw horses under it as long as they are high enough to reach to the bottom of the hull on the inside, and keep the sides clear of the ground. This way you can release your support system, and be able to work on it without having to work around the eyelets.

Hope that helps!

 

[thrillhouse700]

Re: How to flip the hull over for paint?

If you don't have any support structure in it at all, I would say no... it would flex the sides too much, and risk deforming them, and that may cause you cap problems when you go to put it back together...

You can however, set some saw horses under it as long as they are high enough to reach to the bottom of the hull on the inside, and keep the sides clear of the ground. This way you can release your support system, and be able to work on it without having to work around the eyelets.

Hope that helps!

"HOLY Santa Claus Sh*t" That's the simplest idea!!! And freaking perfect and cheap. Good call man. That shall be how we do it. Now just need to decide on a paint. Also, gotta finish patching the holes.