coppercoat/gel shield advice.

[atlowers]

Boat out of water for 12 weeks to complete some significant jobs. 20yr old grand banks. Intention to remove back to gel and subject to moisture readings, considering applying gel shield 200 prior to coppercoating. following scraping and sanding, hull appears to have had an epoxy type product applied from new which I have started to remove in places. No signs of any osmosis. My questions are:
1) Anybody any experience of applying coppercoat over epoxy and are there any compatibility issues?
2) any known issues with coppercoat and electrolysis
3) should Coppercoat be seperated from hull fittings and p brackets etc

Any feedback on success of coppercoat apllications also gratefully accepted.

thanks as ever.

 

[Sans Bateau]

Coppercoat is an excellent product. I have just tidied up some of my Coppercoat which was first applied 8 years ago. We applied ours over a water based epoxy called ME100, no problems at all. I believe that Gel Shield is solvent based, not that sure.

You would do well to contact Elessar of this parish, I know Fireball had him do his Coppercoat work, he will give good advice and probably a good price for the job too.

 

[pappaecho]

There is a lot of difference between Gelshield 200 and Coppercoat. Th gelshield product can be applied months apart coat on coat, whereas Coppercoat must be applied all in one day, usually 4 or 5 coats.
You keep Coppercoat well clear of metal fittings, shaft props etc.

I did a similar job in Sept/Oct 2010 and applied Coppercoat in March 2012. Boat comes out tomorrow, so we will see how she has fared

 

[Bosun Higgs]

coppercoat is usually applied over an epoxy and it is an epoxy itself. I used coppercoat's own me100 epoxy but regret now not using Blakes under the coppercoat as my yard suggested. No reason other than a vague feeling that it would have been a better water barrier.

Miond you the guys applying it at the yard commented on how easy it was to apply compared to the epoxies they normally used.

 

[macd]

There's no reason at all why Coppercoat can't be applied up to and even over hull fittings (except anodes ). Check the Coppercoat site: the copper is insulated and not galvanically active. That's the reason it canbe applied to aluminium and steel hulls.

Reason for special care applying over Gelshield is that Gelshield is a solvent-based epoxy. Anything applied on top must be after all the solvents have thoroughly evaporated, oherwise it can "blow of".

Coppercoat's own ME100, mentioned by Bosun, is brilliant stuff (not to mention miles cheaper than Gelshield). It goes on thick, and stays green enough to form a chemical bond with the next layer (be it Coppercoat or any other epoxy) for up to 48 hours. Coppercoat recommend a less viscous epoxy for initial coating of hull.

Suggest the OP refers his queries to Coppercoat themselves. They're very helpful.

 

[Elessar]

Thanks Galadriel!

Macd beat me to it though and he is 100% right.

Atlowers - simple compatibility check, nick some of your wife's nail varnish remover pads. If the substrate stains the pad, get it off. Otherwise, assuming it is sanded smooth, you can coppercoat over it.