Laying Up Questions

[Achillesheel]

Its nearly that time of year again. two questions:-

1) The hull is looking a little shabby, blue grp, should I paint it? what are the pros and cons? how easy is it to get a decent, lasting finish?

2) How often do you lot take the mast down to inspect it (I'm not too keen on going up it to inspect) - we have had the boat for three seasons now. Its an old boat. (I think I have answered this one for myself now....)

 

[jhr]

I'm no expert on hull finishes but before embarking on re-painting I'd try cutting back the existing finish with T-cut or a similar marine product and then waxing the gelcoat to see what you come up with - which will depend on what "a little shabby" means. I'm hopeless at DIY and confine my efforts to antifouling, because it can't be seen, but I imagine that getting a good paint finish on old topsides, even with modern 2-pack paints, requires some skill and determination.

If you hadn't answered question 2 for yourself, I think I know what answer I'd have given you.............. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[bobgosling]

Latest PBO has an article on 2-pack paint application.

 

[boatbuilder]

Dark pigmented gel coats do fade but they can be revived, to a certain extent. Try pollishing with Farecla this will cut through the oxidation and bring back the shine. Please do not use car products as they nearly allways contain silicone wich is the last thing you want on a gel coat. Polish with a marine wax.
Try this first as it is much easier and cheaper than a spray job.

 

[Evadne]

Cutting back: Products like Farecla G3 and G10 (available from Screwfix now) are usually the preferred option if you're trying to cut back a matte hull to get it shiny again. You'll need a good polish on top of it as well.

Painting: If the blue colour has gone all chalky then you may well have to paint, and I reckon there are three basic options, in order of increasing cost:
a) 1-part gloss, e.g. Toplac. Apply it yourself.
2-part gloss (Perfection 709, Awlgrip etc.):
b) Apply it yourself, or
c) get a professional to do it.

I use option (a) on my white hull and coachroof. It tends to last about 5 years, I got more life out of it last year by cutting back with scotchbrite and polishing with Mer. It's gone a bit yellow around the waterline again though. The big advantage is that if you get a big scratch, e.g. from the anchor chain on my mooring buoy, you can sand back and touch up with ease.

Dave

 

[abraxus]

As said before it depends upon how shabby.

My dark grey hull was pretty faded, so I washed and scrubbed with Starbrite Easy scrub, then cleaned with 3M restorer wax and finally polished twice with Starbrite premium teflon polish and it came up good as new.

 

[Lakesailor]

Try to keep your gel coat at all costs. There have been a few threads on this and the overall opinion is to avoid painting. Rod for your own back.
I painted mine in single pack , but it's only a tiddler and had some repairs.

 

[copterdoctor]

Sorry to hi-jack your topic. While under the boat (the only time I wish I had stuck to something smaller) anybody got ideas for filling all the pitting in the fin?

Thanks
Si

 

[BlueChip]

I have got a blue hulled yacht and each year we polish it with farecla G10, using a foam mop in a variable speed angle grinder used at a fairly slow speed - Screwfix supply everything you need. Using rubbing compound by hand is a waste of time and innefective, buy or hire a polisher

G10 is a very mild abrasive and as long as you keep the mop wet using a squirty spray bottle of water, you will take very little gel coat off. Even slight marks take a fair amount of effort to remove. For more serious cutting back of scratches use G3 with a lambswool mop. It takes us about 4 hours do our 37' boat, most of the time is spent moving the tressles (don't even think of doing it with a ladder). Holding the polisher is hard work so a tip I got from someone on this forum is to hang it from the main halliard with a few feet of rubbber bungy cord - this takes most of the weight and still lets you cover most of the topsides

Our strategy is this, we do a good wash off to get rid of any grit, then a quick pass with G10 then wash off again. You can then see which areas need more serious attention, either with 1000 grit wet and dry, G3 or G10 depending on the nature of the scratch, always finishing with G10. Then wash off again.

For polishing we use Mer because you can use it wet, (buy it on eBay) if we polish in January then we put a thick coat on but don't buff it up, later just before launching we rub it up and put another coat or two on. It seems to last most of the season and its very easy to use.

When we launch she looks fantastic, just like new - when the fenders have rubbed a few times she shows every mark!

 

[Stemar]

I'd like to second the remark about avoiding silicones. If polishing doesn't work and decide to paint, you'll have a hell of a time getting rid of the silicone and if you don't the paint won't stick.

Basically, if the gelcoat is dull or chalky, but otherwise in good nick, I try and polish. If it's badly scratched or pitted, fill, fair and paint.

 

[Fill]

If you're serious about getting the pitting gone, then have it blasted then before the metal has had time to rust (probably about 10 nanoseconds after blasting has finished) a rust preventer paint, then epoxy primer, several coats, then filler: use West system or similar and not David's Isopon, which I am told absorbs water rather quicker than the marine stuff. Use an old credit card or similar to fair it into the holes, a few more coats of epoxy primer to get a smoother surface and antifoul and it'll look beautiful and might last as long a 3 years.

Alternatively, instead of blasting get as much rust out of the pits in any way you can then follow the same procedure as above and it'll last 1-2 years.

One of the great pleasures of sailing.