Someone please educate me on bottom paints please...

[further]

My Chris Craft came to me with bottom paint in decent shape but after this season i'm noticing some flaking/chipping. The boat was previously used in salt water and now only fresh water. What are my options? I know there are different types and some that are not compatible so how do I figure out what i have? Once I figure out what I have, can I paint over it, or do I need to strip the old? (hopefully the latter is not the answer).... A couple pics from earlier in the summer (while i was restoring the gel) for a visual.





Thanks in advance

 

[DeepBlue2010]

Your boat is on a trailer, why would you even bother bottom paint it?!


Does she stay in the water for any lenght of time greater than 3 weeks or so?


In any event, this is a good video

 

[Woodonglass]

Are you absolutely certain it's "Bottom Paint"???

 

[further]

Your boat is on a trailer, why would you even bother bottom paint it?!


Does she stay in the water for any lenght of time greater than 3 weeks or so?


In any event, this is a good video

Yea on a trailer always and not left in the water longer than a weekend. It's got paint on it now that was on it when I bought it. Figured in lieu of stripping it which I imagine is a royal pain in the arse, I'd re-paint it?

 

[further]

Are you absolutely certain it's "Bottom Paint"???

I guess I'm not sure. What else could it be? In the areas where it's flaked off I see the original white gel. The outdrive is also painted with antifoul and the boat was kept in saltwater. I'll take some more closeup pics in the morning.

 

[ondarvr]

I have a boat that the PO put bottom paint on, it's ugly and peeling. When it's in the water nobody knows what it looks like but the fish, and they aren't complaining. When out of the water it's in my shop, nobody ever see's it but me, and I don't care because the fish don't care.

 

[further]

I have a boat that the PO put bottom paint on, it's ugly and peeling. When it's in the water nobody knows what it looks like but the fish, and they aren't complaining. When out of the water it's in my shop, noboby ever see's it but me, and I don't care because the fish don't care.

Good point!!

 

[sprintst]

Take a look at Interlux VC performance epoxy. I did the bottom with Interlux NE2000 high build epoxy primer and then the Interlux VC performance epoxy. It's meant for trailered boats. This stuff is indestructable and it's one of the rare products that I'd recommend to someone as it's great stuff.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Ablative bottom paint is meant to flake off. Since your boat is not kept in the water a single coat will probably last for years if you want to touch it up

 

[zool]

Like Scott said, it looks like typical ablative AF paint....and its main benefits are preventing biofouling while at extended rest. The ablatives are activated when wet to prevent growth in salt or fresh water and as the reactive surface starts to wear and be less effective, as soon as u run the boat again it sheds the old surface layer (and any lingering growth) and exposes a fresh activated layer...you typically get 2 to 3 years with normal use.

For your situation, you have a few choices,

Do nothing and wait till it mostly wears off, then clean it back to gel

Scuff it strait again, and apply a new coating

It does keep you from having to clean off any lake stains

 

[further]

Thanks for all the info. Very helpful. I think I will leave it be for now and deal with it when it gets really ugly to look at on the trailer in my yard