Ideas for refinishing boat bottom

[Hofty]

Hey folks,

So this is an old boat approx. 1967 or so. I want to apply a new coat of paint on the bottom. The boat will stay in the water for a maximum of 3 days at a time before being returned to the trailer. I tend to beach it over night for boat camping. I have read numerous forums with applying a gelcoat or bottom paint etc. There is also feedback about applying epoxy primer then painting.

Looking for cost effective ideas given that I only expect to get another 3-4 season aout of this boat before she is sold. I have made some progress to the interior but want cost effective ideas to finish the bottom. Preferably to also make it abrasive resistant to a point.

I included some interior rubber flooring which was applied to waterproof the floor and provide for a non slip flooring but this information request is purely for the bottom. I have read about flex seal and gluvit etc. Flex seal comes in white so might I be able to get away with sealing the bottom with that and painting the sides?

 

[zool]

I just finished the bottom of my Checkmate with Interlux VC performance epoxy, very happy with the results. Its rated for below the water line, but has no anti fouling properties, which u dont need for 3 days in.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Layer of gel and a keel guard because you beach it

Nothing short of a keel guard will hold up if you plan on beaching short of a stainless steel plate

 

[Baylinerchuck]

I second the keel guard. They work great. That boat looks like she’s had a rough life……

 

[Chris1956]

If you want a nice looking bottom, you need to sand, fill and sand smooth the gouges, open weave and other stuff. You can then apply gel coat or even topside paint, as she is a trailered boat.

 

[tpenfield]

As you get older, you tend to care less about what your bottom looks like . . . but I digress.

As for the boat . . . sand and gelcoat would be my choice. Probably should have been done earlier in the restoration process, but with enough ingenuity, you can get the boat safely in the air to work on it. Maybe one side at a time, tilting the boat about 45˚ degrees for access.

 

[zool]

Gel is a fine choice, but its much more labor intensive. Not only do u have to do the normal precoat fairing, but theres significant post coat finish work needed for a smooth bottom, even with 50/50 duratech. The more duratech u use, the less final abrasion resistance youre left with. Even with the rough slings I used to flip it back, no marks were left in the epoxy. You can apply it and walk way, or burnish if u want it really slick.

The gel has better UV protection, so theres that if using white.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Gel is a fine choice, but its much more labor intensive. Not only do u have to do the normal precoat fairing, but theres significant post coat finish work needed for a smooth bottom, even with 50/50 duratech. The more duratech u use, the less final abrasion resistance youre left with. Even with the rough slings I used to flip it back, no marks were left in the epoxy. You can apply it and walk way, or burnish if u want it really slick.

The gel has better UV protection, so theres that if using white.

I just sprayed the gel/904 and left it on the bottom as it had only a slight amount of orangepeel

 

[zool]

I just sprayed the gel/904 and left it on the bottom as it had only a slight amount of orangepeel

yeah that probably fine for normal use, but for mine, smooth equals speed. The gunwales on my CC I sprayed with the 904 did require a bit of work to look right next to the factory gel.

 

[Scott Danforth]

yeah that probably fine for normal use, but for mine, smooth equals speed. The gunwales on my CC I sprayed with the 904 did require a bit of work to look right next to the factory gel.

Did have to DA the sides from 320 to 800 before buffing