Barrier coat needed?

laureniac1

I have the same spots/area that need bottom paint every year. I boat on Lake Erie and use ablative bottom paint. I don’t wanted water intrusion and have read on the forum that Rinker changed the hull design in 2000ish and barrier coat is not needed. I believe @Alswagg said Rinker changed the hull design process. Thanks for comments 

PickleRick

Is there a such thing as a gel coat that isnt porous? 

I've never looked at new hulls(anyting post 90s) as they are not in my budget but that's the issue with blisters, water slowly works its way into the gelcoat and then the fiberglass.  If the boat is being wet slipped it needs in my opinion a good epoxy sealer then ablative paint over it.  

MarkB

Yes, I believe Alswagg has indicated that blistering is less of an issue now. I put on a barrier coat to be safe ... don't need to worry about it.

rasbury

How could you take a chance to matter what anyone said? Ruin the boat pretty quickly!

earl1z19

For the minimal cost of the barrier coat it is worth doing right out of the gate with a boat that has no bottom paint and is going to be kept in a slip. You only get 1 chance to do it right without having to have the hull blasted to remove the bottom paint to get a fresh start.

LaRea

You are in the water, what -- 6 or 7 months a year?  I wouldn't worry about blistering. 

earl1z19

Well, i had a brand new 2007 246cc. Kept it in the water 4 months a year. Had blisters after 4 years. The new resins may be better but their no barrier coat

Liberty44140

earl1z19 said:

Well, i had a brand new 2007 246cc. Kept it in the water 4 months a year. Had blisters after 4 years. The new resins may be better but their no barrier coat

Was that boat a Rinker? Rinker uses vinylester gel coat, that mfg may have used something else like polyester. Can’t compare one brand to another. 

earl1z19

It indeed was a Rinker

PickleRick

Im prepping my rinker now for spring painting.  Ive found a few blisters under the mud stains from her former river slip.  Those will need to be ground out now to allow weeks or months of drying before being filled with thickened epoxy.  If you don't allow blisters to dry before repair/paint they will come back with vengeance as they can and do go deeper than gel coat.

I never used 3 coats of epoxy sealer on my sailboat but i roll on the 2 coats epoxy barrier paint so im laying thicker coats. Ive grounded in sand/clay a few times with the shoal keel as well as windy day fall trailer loading paint scrapes but never further damage than scraping off the ablative.  I've been using blue water paints from Jamestown.  For the price i didn't mind oopsy i hit that touch ups but it's held its own well.  Id love to spray but the prep work to take care of overspray is too much and i really dont have the proper cfm compressor at home.

I paint on a trailer outside so it was as dustless as one can get.  

I start with 80 gritt to take off old paint and muck that the power washer wouldnt remove because my arms dont like taking that crap off with 120.  Then i wet sand with 120 once it's off.  

I also prep with acetone.  Every repaired blister gets spot treatment before repair then entire hull before paint.  I sadly live in an area known for drug manufacturing, I'm shocked I've never had the authorities come snooping around when i can be seen waking from garage to garage wearing a full face respirator and protective clothing carrying miscellaneous chemicals and buckets.  

Being that i paint outside I'll use ammonia to clean between dried coats of epoxy to ensure no dust is on the paint.  Don't do that in the ablative!!!