Anti-foul?

The bottom of the orkney I bought is in bad need of a paint job. The stuff that was put on before comes off with a wipe of your hand and has practically disappeared from most of the hull. What should I use on the hull and should I prepare the surface before painting :?: I tried a bit of ordinary paint on a small patch but it would really adhere and kept running. Cheers for any advice.

Pete

Pete,
Has the boat been painted or antifouled? Is it painting or antifouling you want to do?
We painted below the waterline of our Orkney and had no problems. Firstly the hull should be prepared. Sand lightly removing all old paint. Prime the hull with an "etch" primer and paint with "toplac" marine paint or high quality alternative. Talk to somebody in the panel beating game as there are various alternatives for paint and primer, there are different costs as well! stress to them that it's fibreglass and that there will be a degree of flexing. This will ensure that paint and primer are compatible and will not react with each other.
If the boat is moored for any period of time it will have to be antifouled. Check this out as well as the different types can react. I would still think that you will have to give the hull a good sanding and test some antifouling if that's what's needed.

Jim

Good man Jim, I'd say your spot on about the sanding. Thanks so much for the advice.

Pete

Pete,
if you plan to launch and reteive the boat there really is no need to antifoul. Indeed you actually reduce the value of your boat by doing so. I moor my boat and so antifoul. Basicly sand yhe hull lightly. You then prime it using primer bought in a boat shop. Then put two coats of antifoul in the desired colour over this. Use the same brand for the antifoul and primer and you will not go wrong. Then each year you will get away with using just one coat after washing the hull down and removing any barnicles etc. This is what ive done with both my boats and has proved to be fine. Note also that antifoul paint does not last forever. By the end of a season, April - October you will find that things are starting to grow on the hull anyway. This is the time to take her out and let the offenders die. Once they do they are easy to remove. Also when painting it is worth spending a little extra time to stir the paint and indeed give it the odd stir as you go because the copper that is in the paint tends to settle to the bottom over a short period. Failure to do this can result in little patches of growth in spots that did not receive their propper quota of copper oxide. Just a little tip :wink: .

Our boat wasn't antifouled last season and I fully expect to find half of the Irish Sea clung to the bottom when we take her out in a few weeks.

What is the best way to remove the mess I'm likely to find? How can it be scraped off without damaging the gel coat?

Dirty fecker,
Cheers for the tip. I'm going to have a good think about the mooring/towing option. Eh, do you have a name? Calling you 'dirty fecker' seems a bit strange :lol:

Pete

Guest,

What :!: You haven't heard the Dirty Fecker story :!: :!: :!: :shock: :shock: :lol: :lol:

You've been away during the summer haven't you :?:

Luke,
Re your comment:
"if you plan to launch and reteive the boat there really is no need to antifoul. Indeed you actually reduce the value of your boat by doing so."
Is it the damage done by constantly launching and retrieving or the antifoul which reduces the value of the boat??

Ah, Luke seems much more civilised! Is 'Dirty Fecker' like your middle name?

I'd also be curious as to why the anti-foul would reduce the boats value? Ta for the rest of the advice mate.

Pete

N 'The Dirty Fecker' is the name of the boat in the picture! :P :P :lol: :lol: You devalue the boat in the sense that it now no longer has its origional gel coat finish. It is officially 'Not New' anymore. Some dealers will take this into account as should you if purchasing from a dealer... Getting the growth off the hull is a Job and Colm, I do not envy you. I hate to say i told you so but... When you whip her out, leave the boat a few days for all the weed and barnicles and mussles and god knows what else is on her at this stage to die and dry out. Then take a power hose and an old sweeping brush and go at it. After this get under there with a fridge scraper and chip away at the barnicles. When they are dead they will pop off easily but you will have a lot of them! They can leave little bits of shell behind and a bit of a stain so how far you want to take this is up to you. You can then paint over the last coat of paint directly. One other thing, swabbing down the hull after first sanding it with white spirit is recomended. There will be a lot of fibreglass dust from the sander. this will help remove it before painting it into the coat... Try not to breath in this dust as it will destroy your lungs. A mask is recomended. Use inter speed paint rather than the displacement stuff.

How do you paint underneath the skids?

Just release some of the tension on the winch and shift the boat a little. Get in there, let it dry and then winch in tight again...

I don't think that would work for me: The skids are about 5 feet long, and the boat is too heavy (2000lbs/900kgs off the trailer- is that heavy?) to move anyway.