bertram31.com

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

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

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.

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

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

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