Bottom Paint

DonGargano

Good Day Fellow Rinker Owners

Have almost finished project #3 on my 1996 Rinker Festiva 212 - that being cleaning up all the oxidation.  Have to say that with the Meguiars Marine/RV Heavy Duty Oxidation Remover, an orbital polisher and many hours, the old gel coat is looking pretty good for its age!  It's been raining the last two days in Eastern Ontario, and forecast for more of the same for the next several days. Hoping to finish up cleaning up the oxidation and then move on to waxing. 

I'm probably going 'overboard' on the projects, but I am contemplating cleaning up the bottom.  I realize that no one sees the bottom when the boat is in the water, but it does look kind of crappy sitting on the trailer.   The old antifouling paint comes off pretty easily with just a power washer.  Since I keep the boat on the trailer when we aren't out boating, I don't think I need to re-apply anti-fouling paint, and can get away with another type of paint.  I've read about the Ablative and Hard bottom paints, but am still unsure about what product to use. 

Any recommendations? 

TonyG13

First question to ask is: Do you know what is currently on your boat? Is it ablative or hard? If you know or can find out the brand from the previous owner, that will go a long way to what you would do next. Based on your photo it does look like ablative.

Most fresh water powerboaters use ablative, while sailboats use hard, but that's not across the board.

Certain paints are not compatible with others, so short of completely stripping your current paint and starting from scratch you may need to do research as to what is on there now.

If you figure out what is on the boat, most paint companies have a cross-reference guide so you can see what is and isn't compatible - with instructions on how to repaint.

MarkB

Tony is right. The easiest is to patch up with exactly what is on their now. I used an ablative, and it was a quick job to roll on some patches every spring, after a quick rinse and dry.  If you don't know what's on there, you maybe in for a bigger job, because technically you should strip what's on now, and start with virgin gelcoat ... then use appropriate primers. Otherwise, you could spend a lot of money putting on a bottom coat, which starts flaking off after a few weeks or months.

LaRea

Agree, if it's ablative, you probably need to recoat with ablative.  

My standard advice on ablative bottom paint ... if you go through all the trouble of prepping the hull for paint, apply a minimum of two coats.  Ablative paint wears away like a bar of soap.  The thicker you apply it, the longer it will last.  

Since you are using it mostly for cosmetics and not anti-fouling, you can probably find something affordable (~$60/gallon).  No need to spend $250 for the good stuff.  Just make sure the label says it can be left out of water.  

PickleRick

TonyG13 said:

First question to ask is: Do you know what is currently on your boat? Is it ablative or hard? If you know or can find out the brand from the previous owner, that will go a long way to what you would do next. Based on your photo it does look like ablative.

Most fresh water powerboaters use ablative, while sailboats use hard, but that's not across the board.

Certain paints are not compatible with others, so short of completely stripping your current paint and starting from scratch you may need to do research as to what is on there now.

If you figure out what is on the boat, most paint companies have a cross-reference guide so you can see what is and isn't compatible - with instructions on how to repaint.

Fast sailboats use hard. Cruisers who like beer and don't care what time they arrive use ablative.  

DonGargano

Checked with previous owner.  He doesn’t know, as bottom was painted when he bought boat about 9 yrs ago.  

DonGargano

Is there a way to tell by looking or feeling the paint.  I know it flakes off fairly easily.  

PickleRick

If it comes off on your hands its 100% soft paint.  All my boats have had black soft paint.  If you have to swim under the boat to remove something fouled out under the hull and you're white like me you come out looking like a racist cartoon character