Filler for boot-topping

[bromleybysea]

OK, I know that it's time to strip off all the old anti-fouling and start again, but I don't have the time, inclination (knee surgery means I'm well behind on the refit and not as nimble as I would like) or money to have it slurry blasted this season. The anti-fouling extends above the waterline to form a boot-topping and here it is particularly thick, as of course being dry most of the time it doesn’t erode much. It's flaked off in a couple of places and despite a lot of rubbing with wet and dry to attempt to fair-in the patches, it still looks pretty grotty. As a temporary measure for this season I was thinking about filling the flaked areas- maybe with paint thickened with silica powder. Any other suggestions would be most welcome. I obviously don't want to use anything too hard as it will definitely be removed next year.

 

[BAtoo]

Wouldn't bother trying to fill it as I'm sure nothing useful will stick; just slap some more on, don't look at it too often & do the job properly (blast off to the GRP) next year.

 

[lw395]

Plastic padding car body filler.
Reasonable all round compromise.

 

[Lakesailor]

Really. I've always found it goes soft and crumbles if subject to damp.


There is a marine version of Plastic Padding which I've found to be very good.

 

[lw395]

Really. I've always found it goes soft and crumbles if subject to damp.


There is a marine version of Plastic Padding which I've found to be very good.

That stuff is often harder to sand off than the boot top the next year. I probably used an imitation plastic padding, but it seemed to last the season. I know it's porous maybe the boot top held it together?
Whatever you use, either it flakes off taking the a/f underneath it, or bits of the a/f around it flake off, so you are back to square one in three months. The trick is to enjoy those three months....