Painting Underwater Metals

[GaryG]

Howdy,

I am out of the water getting the bottom painted... While I have always prep'ed and painted the underwater metals (bronze struts, rudders; stainless trim tabs, stainless swimstep brackets), the yard is advising me to not paint the bronze.

The boat is in the water year round in San Diego CA. I have a diver clean the bottom monthly.


What do you all think ?

If the bronze struts/rudders should be unpainted, how about the stainless ?

Gary

[CaptPatrick]

Gary,

I would paint them myself... Thoroughly clean with a degreaser, soap and water, followed by an alcohol cleaning. Dry & prime with a good epoxy primer, (2 coats), & then use Trilux for metal as the bottom paint.

Br,

Patrick

[Rawleigh]

I had good luck with the Petit 6627 Tie coat primer clorinated rubber primer (alternatively Interlux Primcon) over Interlux Vinyl-lux primewash two part epoxy primer. Follow the instructions carefully as to recoat times. I then put two coats of Petit Ultima SR ablative bottom paint over it. After two years in the water I still had bottom paint on all of the running gear, including most of the props!! No apparant galvanic reaction between the bottom paint and hardware. There were a few large barnacles, but overall very, very satisfactory. I'm located on the Chesapeake Bay in a high fouling area. I have picture I can email to you if you want. Boatyards don't like doing it because it takes a period of several days to do, and you should check up on them to make sure they apply per instructions. The metal needs to be very clean before application.

[GaryG]

Ever hear of Propspeed (running gear anti-fouling coating) ?

Its a silicone Polymer that appears to be a flexible (hard-wax like) coating.

A boat in the yard I am hauled at (80' crewed sailing yacht), uses this stuff on their running gear and claim it works well in terms of longevity and antifouling.

I have never seen this material before and am curious if anyone else has or had any experience with the coating.


Gary

[nic]

Gary,

We use Propspeed. It really stays on where other paint has blown off. It comes with the caveat that you have to use your boat a lot so it washes clean, the yard that puts it on for us swears by it and so far, 7 months, it seems OK. They tell us not to touch it but I've had to clean the props, 85 hours in 7 months might not be enough use.

Nic

[kscheben]

I'm experimenting with propspeed this season & have put it on all the running gear on my 28. Won't know how its doing until later this season. The guy on Ship-Shape TV gives it a pretty ringing endorsement. Not sure how much that's worth but it caught my attention. The stuff is quite expensive but if it lasts a couple of seasons & is effective, it's probably worth it.

Ken