Masking tape under transom

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RJJ

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Hello - hoping (shortly, fingers crossed) to do my antifoul for the first time. Some of you were kind enough to give me some tips a few weeks ago before we were all put on hold.

Any thoughts please on how accurately to mask the waterline where it curves around under the sugar scoop? The masking tape will be bending nearer the horizontal plane than the vertical. Thanks in advance.
 
I find that for shallow curves you can stretch one side or other of the masking tape to follow the curve as you lay it on.

For tighter curves of any length I've found it best to buy narrow (e.g. 1/4") masking tape as this will bend more readily, and then either brush particularly careful nearby, or lay on a further width of tape over its outside edge. (I have struggled to find such narrow tape more recently, though.)

For short sharp curves I've either torn normal width masking tape into short lengths - say 2 or 3 inches - and laid each one successively on a tangent to the curve, close enough together to form a curve (at least when viewed from further away than close-up), or cut with scissors or a knife a narrow width out of a medium length of normal width tape to proceed as per the previous paragraph, making sure I use the machine cut edge against the paint line.

The tape doesn't mind whether the curve is vertical or horizontal, but lines on the underside of a boat are literally a pain in the neck (especially for those of us who wear vari-focals), and should only be allowed on boats with a draught which puts the underside of the transom 6" higher than the height of the owner. Anything lower or higher being a pain in the backside, too!
 
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Clancy Moped said:
Lots of little bits is how we used to do it.
Click to expand...

This is how I usually manage the curve, it's back- breaking applying it though.
What is remarkable is how masking tape will stay stuck on even after months in the water, a few years back when I came to re-do the antifoul, I found a 6" strip of masking tape that I had missed during the previous antifoul, it had stayed in position for a whole season including a sail from Wales to Spain and back.
 
Praxinoscope said:
This is how I usually manage the curve, it's back- breaking applying it though.
What is remarkable is how masking tape will stay stuck on even after months in the water, a few years back when I came to re-do the antifoul, I found a 6" strip of masking tape that I had missed during the previous antifoul, it had stayed in position for a whole season including a sail from Wales to Spain and back.
Click to expand...
You are overthinking it! JFDI.
 
Well I have the same problem on the little boat. The actual water line when on the mooring is about 80cms forward from the transom. It is a big curve. I use the old stain line as a guide and just do it by eye. As said no one ever sees it. ol'will
 
LittleSister said:
I find that for shallow curves you can stretch one side or other of the masking tape to follow the curve as you lay it on.

For tighter curves of any length I've found it best to buy narrow (e.g. 1/4") masking tape as this will bend more readily, and then either brush particularly careful nearby, or lay on a further width of tape over its outside edge. (I have struggled to find such narrow tape more recently, though.)

For short sharp curves I've either torn normal width masking tape into short lengths - say 2 or 3 inches - and laid each one successively on a tangent to the curve, close enough together to form a curve (at least when viewed from further away than close-up), or cut with scissors or a knife a narrow width out of a medium length of normal width tape to proceed as per the previous paragraph, making sure I use the machine cut edge against the paint line.

The tape doesn't mind whether the curve is vertical or horizontal, but lines on the underside of a boat are literally a pain in the neck (especially for those of us who wear vari-focals), and should only be allowed on boats with a draught which puts the underside of the transom 6' higher than the height of the owner. Anything lower or higher being a pain in the backside, too!
Click to expand...
Fortunately mine is just that sort of height, and yes, the technique you describe would also describe mine. Multiple small pieces applied tangentially work also around the curvature of the stem. I also wear varifocals?
 
I had been advised not to leave the tape on too long but with the weather being not so good and occasionally too cold earlier in the year and with two coats required the tape was on three weeks.
The final result was fine.
Now the boat is back in the water all that work is substantially hidden.
 
Thanks everyone for your help. I found some modellers masking tape on Amazon from Tamiya, it comes in various widths from thin to very thin. I will report back!
 
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