Bilge Paint

[Moz]

Hi,
I have just painted my bilges and the paint has not dried and is still sticky to touch, its not because the wood is still oily/greasy because it accepted a coat of undercoat no problem. I had this same problem a year ago with bilge paint which took three months to dry, unfortunately I cant wait three months for this stuff to go off as the engine is due to be refitted.
Anyone got any ideas as to why this happens and what can be done?
Moz........

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[Talbot]

If all else fails, get a couple of fan heaters in there, and raise the temperature to at least 25 deg C overnight, and that should do the trick.

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[sailorman]

more fresh air req. to allow the solvents to evaporate

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[AndrewB]

... and if it is still not touch dry after 24 hours of heat, don't hesitate, scrape it all off and start again. If this was a two-part paint, you are probably wasting your time with the heater.

Touch dry means it really feels dry. Press your fingers firmly against it, then you shouldn't feel the slightest resistance as you pull gently away.

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[diode]

Although I don't have a solution to you problem (except for what the other replies suggest) but I thought you might want to know how I solved my bilge rusting and painting problems. I guess this will only work on steel boats as this is what I have! I suspect that it will have some people shaking their heads (not the boat wc) but it worked for me. After chipping out all the rust I could, wire brushing it all out, deagreasing the whole shooting match and painting it with a primer I then came to the question of what to put on it. Looking at my small paint store and not willing to buy new paint (it's the bilges after all) I discovered a old tin of navy grey paint. This had been sitting for a long time and all the particulates had setlled to the bottom leaving an almost clear liquid on top. Without stiring the paint I coated the floor working it into the rust. This took a few days to go off hard but it is rock hard! The next year I painted it in normal (grey) paint. I have found that the rust comes back much slower and in fewer places, these are similarly treated. This may be unorthadox and not to be recomended by 'experts' but she' just an old boat and it's not rocket science is it. Good luck with your restoration.

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