Bottom Paint - Trailerable Boat

[Pete1313]

I've searched, but not found an answer...

My GW 248 has old bottom paint...in its previous life, it was kept in a slip...now its being kept on a trailer.

It looks like crap though and I want to re-paint the bottom black....

What should I use? Do I need to sand the existing bottom paint (which is really worn off)?

I don't want to spend $80 per pint for the stuff either!

Help?

 

[magicalbill]

Pete..
I'm not sure what paint to tell you to use, but I CAN tell you that I keep my painted 232 on a trailer. Every time I winch it back on, the bunks rub along the bottom and mess the paint up.
If you launch in-and-out as I do your bottom paint will always have marks on it. Unless you are able to locate some kick-#$@#@@ paint that resists it, it'll be unavoidable.

 

[Tashmoo]

You need to figure out the type of paint that is currently on the hull. If it is ablative DO NOT apply epoxy based paint over it, if you do the epoxy paint come off in large chunks within a year.

You could just apply ablative paint, check with the paint manufacturers at one of the boat shows but I am 99% sure you can apply ablative paint over anything. Problem is it does not hold up that well over time as it is designed to go away with use.

Your next option is to strip the hull to bare bottom but even then you will have to have it sprayed with All-Grip or the like to make it look good. The existing paint will leave a stain and if it was applied correctly in the first place the hull was etched, mechanically or chemically so without paint it will look like crap.

My suggestion is to have a pro look at it to determine the paint type, if it is epoxy put another coat on it and call it a day. The epoxy will hold up pretty well to your trailer unless you have a light color then it will mark. You can replace your rollers with urethane rollers to mitigate the marking. If it is ablative strip it and apply black or possibly white epoxy.

 

[seasick]

I use ablative paint and only haul once or twice a year. My trailer is a roller model and the rollers do not mar the paint. I paint it on the trailer too. I use multi-season Micron CSC and can testify that it does last more than one season. I could probably get three seasons with some touching up but will repaint to be safe. Hard scrubbing, light sanding to revove scum stains and smooth out any chipped areas ( there are a few ), two coats of paint and out she goes.

 

[ahill]

Oven cleaner works pretty good if you want to strip it off. I also used a soybean based product that worked great. Don't remember the name of it but it came from a company Washington or Oregon

 

[Renovator]

Pete,
I just had the bottom paint removed from my '05 282 and it was I believe painted by the original owner, was never maintained and looked like crap IMHO. I tried some chemical stripper and I quickly determined that it was going to be a lengthy and labor intensive task. I took it to a local guy that does excellent work on boat repairs and he simply removed it by sanding and scraping. Still labor intensive but that's what they do. It turned out nearly perfect, the hull looks like it just left the showroom. Buffed and polished out the bottom, gelcoat was in good shape.

Before pic

After his work

I am a happy boy! Work was very reasonable also.

Good luck with it. Ron

 

[Pete1313]

Thanks everyone for responding. Ron...your boat turned out great.

My boat is on a bunk trailer, and will be on and off it every time I use it...so not just a few times a year.

The previous bottom paint was put on by its first owner (I am now the third owner....the last owner had the boat on the trailer but never updated the bottom paint).

My friend has a "trailerable" bottom paint he put on....its ablative.....his has been on for five years now and is good....but he has a roller trailer.....

Anyhow - I need to do something to clean her up. Here are some pics from the survey of what the bottom looks like -

 

[Shamsul Hasan]

Ron,
You did a great job,the bottom looks great.I have been struggling with info on bottom paint removal.I recently bought a GW 300 2008 and i also bought a brand new trailer,the boat is awaiting shipment from USA.I want to remove the bottom paint as i dont keep my boat in water.I really dont know if to take the blasting route or use paint strippers.Labor in my country is very cheap and i dont want to damage my gel coat. can you help me with your advice,as you have first hand experience in doing a great job.
Shamsul Hasan
GW 282 HPDI 200s
GW 300 F 350s

 

[Strikezone]

That looks great! I'm sure there was a lot of sanding and buffing but you could never tell it had been painted.

 

[Grog]

That's one NICE job on the bottom.

 

[Renovator]

Thanks for the kudos, I am very happy with it but I did not sand it myself. Basically my guy started off with 600 grit and moved up to 1000 using an orbital sander. I think some scraping was also done with a blade or something in the tight areas. No soda blasting or chemical stripper was used. Gelcoat was left intact and buffed out well, the pics hardly do it justice. I think he mentioned that he had about 50 or so man hours in it.

 

[uncljohn]

The most important thing for the paint is to look at the "Max Dry Time Before Launch". Many bottom paints (ablative and epoxy) have time limits of maybe a day (like 9-36 hours) between when you paint the hull and when you launch. That means if you pull it onto a trailer and leave it out of the water for a week or a month or whatever, the paint will denature.

I use Petit Ultima SR. Has unlimited dry time. It costs about $200/gal, BUT when you consider you can put 2-3 coats on and get 2 years out of the paint, and then repaint without sanding anything, its well worth it.

 

[3rd Day]

That bottom clean up really turned out great. Nice job.

 

[GOA]

Bottom refinishing

Does anyone know of a service in NY or NJ that does this type of quality boat bottom refinishing
GOA :?:

 

[NOTHING ELSE MATTERS]

Re: Bottom refinishing

Does anyone know of a service in NY or NJ that does this type of quality boat bottom refinishing
GOA :?:

I'm also interested on this. I want to remove the paint on an older boat.

That job looks amazing, what did it cost if you don't mind.

 

[Renovator]

This job also included buffing the entire hull and topsides, repairs to various areas concealed by the bottom paint from the prior owner (poor repairs previously)and repairs to both motor cowlings, also due to previous damage. I think the job should have been in the $3000.00-3500.00 range but I paid a fair amount less than that.

 

[gradyguy2956]

When I got my father's 241, he had painted the bottom black. The main problem with that was the rollers on the trailer left black marks on the white portion of the hull. You could see how the rollers loaded the boat on the trailer, or unloaded the boat off the trailer. The only way to remove these marks was to use that hull cleaner that also removed the wax.
Now the boat is kept on a lift. I have not painted or touched up the bottom for almost 5 years. I still get some streaking from the rollers, but not like when I was painting the bottom every year.
Parts of the bottom look like hell now, with bare spots etc., but are only visible when the boat is on the lift.
The photos of the Grady with the paint removed are beautiful, but not in my future.

 

[billydoos fishing always]

amazing bottom clean up

Hi Ron

Wow looks fantastic,just like new!

I went to the boat show in seattle and ask some paint dealers which paint I should use.I leave my boat in the water but also take it on and off my trailer so he told me to get a paint product named VIVID its the best paint for on off trailer application it comes in 4 different colors I chose black. The other one he recommended was PETTIT horizons,that is a great product if you leave your boat in the water year round good luck with everything and tight lines...

paul

 

[PMCbear04]

Incredible work. Exactly what I'm looking to have done on a 247 advance ('02). Flaking off paint and trailer kept. If anyone around north FL has experience or recommendation, please let me know. The boat is pristine and I don't think much/any under hull repair would be needed after the paint is off. Crossing my fingers for just a good wax and buff. Thanks in advance.
Barrett
903.521.3231
Pensacola, FL

 

[Firenailer]

I leave mine in the water so bottom paint is a necessary evil, but man that clean bottom looks great! Really nice job!