Gloss below the waterline

[JumbleDuck]

I am about to strip all the paint off the underneath of my wee Hunter to deal with hat looks like osmosis and then refinish. As she lives in fresh water, there is no need to use antifouling, so I'd prefer just to give her some gloss paint there. But what? Toplac and Perfection both say "above the waterline only" - is there anything shiny which can safely be used for six-month immersions in fresh water?

 

[Rigger Mortice]

I am about to strip all the paint off the underneath of my wee Hunter to deal with hat looks like osmosis and then refinish. As she lives in fresh water, there is no need to use antifouling, so I'd prefer just to give her some gloss paint there. But what? Toplac and Perfection both say "above the waterline only" - is there anything shiny which can safely be used for six-month immersions in fresh water?

If you don't need A/F why bother with paint at all? From your other thread it sounds as if the problem is with the existing paint rather than the gell coat.

If you must paint then epoxy is the way to go;

 

[reeac]

As she lives in fresh water, there is no need to use antifouling,

Really?

 

[JumbleDuck]

If you don't need A/F why bother with paint at all? From your other thread it sounds as if the problem is with the existing paint rather than the gell coat.

If you must paint then epoxy is the way to go;

The gelcoat is boring grey, and will soon be bring grey with little spots of filler all over the place, so I'd like to smarten her up a bit. Is there any particular epoxy paint you'd recommend?

Really?

Where I am, yes, really. The rudder isn't antifouled, stays down all season and needs no more than a wipe over with a sponge when she comes out.

 

[clyst]

I am about to strip all the paint off the underneath of my wee Hunter to deal with hat looks like osmosis and then refinish. As she lives in fresh water, there is no need to use antifouling, so I'd prefer just to give her some gloss paint there. But what? Toplac and Perfection both say "above the waterline only" - is there anything shiny which can safely be used for six-month immersions in fresh water?

Hi JD ....."As she lives in fresh water, there is no need to use anti fouling " That's what I thought when several decades ago when we kept a boat on the Avon at Bath . How wrong I was, in a very short space of time it was horrible ,loads of jelly like creatures similar to leeches . come to think of it they may have been . Remember the African Queen !
If I remember correctly there is special freshwater A/F available .

 

[charles_reed]

Hi JD ....."As she lives in fresh water, there is no need to use anti fouling " That's what I thought when several decades ago when we kept a boat on the Avon at Bath . How wrong I was, in a very short space of time it was horrible ,loads of jelly like creatures similar to leeches . come to think of it they may have been . Remember the African Queen !
If I remember correctly there is special freshwater A/F available .

Not all fresh water is the same - you'd expect high levels of pollutants in the Avon but relatively little in less overpopulated areas like the Finnish and Scottish lakes.
I'd suggest 2-pot polyurethane rather than epoxy, both relatively impermeable but the polyurethane forms a hard gloss and isn't quite so difficult to take off.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Not all fresh water is the same - you'd expect high levels of pollutants in the Avon but relatively little in less overpopulated areas like the Finnish and Scottish lakes.

The fresh water in my case is Loch Ken, which is really a wide bit of the River Dee. Perhaps the steady, though slow, flow helps reduce fouling? In any case, as I said, t never seems to be more than a wee bit of slime. I've no particular objection to hard antifouling, except that it's rather expensive.

I'd suggest 2-pot polyurethane rather than epoxy, both relatively impermeable but the polyurethane forms a hard gloss and isn't quite so difficult to take off.

That's what I was thinking of, but I as a little put off by the International Paint website saying that Perfection two-pack was for above-waterline use. Is there different stuff which can be submerged?

 

[macnorton]

I once painted the underwater hull on a 27 ft cruiser with Dulux ext gloss with a couple of Asprin mixed in, that worked ok on a non-tidal river for a season.

 

[clyst]

The fresh water in my case is Loch Ken, which is really a wide bit of the River Dee. Perhaps the steady, though slow, flow helps reduce fouling? In any case, as I said, t never seems to be more than a wee bit of slime. I've no particular objection to hard antifouling, except that it's rather


That's what I was thinking of, but I as a little put off by the International Paint website saying that Perfection two-pack was for above-waterline use. Is there different stuff which can be submerged?

Do others use A/F in the area ? Will be great for the environment and for your pocket if you can get away with out using the stuff.

 

[William_H]

I can't imagine why any 2 pack polyurethane should not be suitable for underwater areas. Look for a commercial type 2 pack still quite expensive but very tough. I also can't imagine why a poster would describe it as easier to remove than epoxy. good luck olewill

 

[oldsaltoz]

You could apply a nice white Gel-coat by using Flow-coat.

Flow coat is Gel-coat with a wax added so it cures without having to be covered like Gel coat does.

Check out You tube.

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=...owcoat&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&spell=1

Good luck and fair winds.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Do others use A/F in the area ? Will be great for the environment and for your pocket if you can get away with out using the stuff.

I don't think anybody on Loch Ken does. Certainly the people at the centre where I have my mooring don't on their fleet of Wayfarers, Drascombe, Skipper and so on, and they don't seem to have any problems. I sometimes have to shake American signal crayfish, with which the loch is infested, off my mooring rope, though.

Three litres of Removall 620 now ordered. Could be a messy weekend.

 

[Pasarell]

You are the best judge of whether you need antifouling. I can't understand why others are suggesting it if your experience shows it is not necessary. Be cautious about putting any gloss paint on where it will be immersed for long periods. It doesn't matter if 2 pack or single pack they are designed for atmospheric and UV exposure, not immersion. You may get away with a 2 pack polyurethane provided you apply enough coats / dry film thickness. Probably at least 6 coats by brush which makes it rather expensive. If the dry film is too thin it will blister through osmosis and trap moisture directly against the hull. Won't necessarily cause osmosis blisters in the gel coat but could accelerate that process. It will also be unsightly and the paint film will be easily damaged

 

[Lakesailor]

I always used Blakes (Hempel) Broads Freshwater Antifoul on my boats. You will do a Hunter with a 1 litre tin.