bertram31.com

What is the latest thinking from those in the know on products for bilge paint?

I'm hoping for a one or two coat paint that I can apply directly to rough Bertram fiberglass, after some sanding and cleaning of course. I seem to remember someone here did just that and had good results

This is what I painted my engine compartment with. While not rally the "bilge" and not covered constantly by water it has performed great. I have used it on other farm and heavy equipment with good results.

http://www.por15.com/WHITECOTE/productinfo/WCG/

http://www.por15.com/Data%20Sheets/hn_w ... ctions.pdf

white "Bilgekote"by Interlux?

Ah I've heard that the POR 15 stuff is good, thanks I forgot about that one.

In your experiences with it, did you notice if it resists petrol well?

I didn't have much luck with it 10 years ago when I tried it, but it may have been improved since then.

I always used Ply Tile from MAB for repowers unless customer insisted on something else.
Not sure if its still available. Two part mixed together gives you 2 gallons of paint for 100 bucks a few years back.

I tried bilgekote once. :-(

Okay so no Bligecoat, thanks fellas.

Do you mean the Ply-Tile 520? I looked on the MAB Store locator thing and it sent me to a Sherwin Williams shop. Called them, and they didn't seem to know anything about that product, but were willing to recommend a SW substitution (no thanks). Google search didn't lead to anyone selling it anywhere, so I'm thinking it isn't available anymore.

So I guess the POR-15 is it. Looks to also be a 2-part epoxy.

Thanks again. What a great website!

Sean: The stuff is really slick, almost like resin. I haven't noticed any problems yet. I think it is a two part moisture cured urethane, but I could be wrong. Read the intro to the directions. I would suggest using some of their Marine Clean to get the Fiberglass squeaky clean before painting. If there are any corroded fittings hit them with POR 15 as a primer to seal the rust first.

Well I talked more with the local Sherwin Williams guy... the product they have (which they tell me was the Ply-Tile before they bought MAB) is SW Macro Epoxy 464.

Two-part epoxy, comes in a two gallon kit that you mix 1:1, for about $100. Sounds like the same stuff. Also they have it on hand locally, so I will give this a try.

Thanks again. I'll post back about my impressions/results on this product

Another SW product that Ian was using for tanks/bidge on his 20:

Tile-Clad

http://protective.sherwin-williams.com/ ... oduct-6857

Okay this is getting annoying.

My employee goes down to local SW store to pick it the kit I ordered on account from them. Being the thorough fellow that my guy is, he reads the can at the counter, and calls me saying he doesn't like the Macropoxy because it says nothing about putting it on fiberglass.

I call SW technical support, girl on line tells me no way, the stuff will peel off if the fiberglass flexes at all. I think briefly about educating her about how Bertrams do not flex....

So much for local knowledge.

Sooo - back to the POR-15. Jeez.

While perusing their website I found an interesting thing that may interest gas-based boaters: an Ethanol Test Kit

It must not be the exact same stuff because I never had a peeling problem.

I always love the substitution game,

Customer: your sure this is the same as the discontinued stuff?
Retailer: yes its the same.
Customer: then why do the instructions read different.
Retailer: They improved the product.
Customer: so its really the same........only different.
Retailer: (scratches head)

Yes it's like the old Radio Shack marketing campaign: You've got questions... we've got blank stares.

I've been dealing with Sherwin Williams a lot in the past two years, and I should've know better than to listen to their Reps. They must work on commission because they seem willing to tell you anything that would get you to leave with product in-hand. You can't trust hardly anyone anymore

Painted my bilge with a Rustoleum product called epoxy mastic. Two part, paints well, been down for eight years. Still looks good, cleans up like new with soap and water or solvent. Hasn't peeled at all. Think it was about $100.

Honestly, I've never had a problem with bilgekote. It may need to be touched up once in a while, but come on...its the bilge!!!

Dug

Ill second Dug...I've had great luck with Bilgekote.

Sean

More work but I used Interprotect in White. 3 coats, then the Bilge Coat. Interprotect seals the bilge from water oil and anything else.

I used the mab ply mastic back in 2006 when I did I gas to diesel repower. Back in 2006 they changed the formula from oil based to water based. I spoke with MAB tech support who insisted it would work just as good. I found a MAB store in Delaware who had a few gallons of the oil based stuff drove 90 miles and bought it. Stuff worked great, sold the boat to a friend and it still looks great. Shines like awlgrip yet it is tuff as nails. It is used primarily as bridge paint. I am sure S/W still makes it only now it is water based.

Sean the SW tile clad epoxy worked great.

Designed for being used on the inside of water tanks. I also used it to coat my aluminum tank. Needed special primer, etcher for the aluminum.

The link that Cam posted is the same that I used.

Ian.

Well Sean, you could go with a million different products, from a thousand different manufacturers.

If you wanted, you could put a 2 part epoxy primer, then a hi build primer, then three coats of imron.

Or on the flipside,

You can brush on a coat of Interlux no sand fiberglass primer, then brush on a coat of bilgekote.... or just two coats of bilgekote.

I go thru about 4 gallons of SW Macropoxy 646 a week. It is basically an epoxy barrier coat... similar to Interlux EpoxyBarrierKote. It'll work just fine on the inner hull, but it is a true epoxy and will yellow. You can get it tinted with their 844 pigments though, but call ahead and speak to the manager- not many of the employees will be able to do that, kinda a special gig. Or you can topcoat it with their HiSolids Polyurethane (2prt) which would be incredibly durable (think really thick awlgrip)
The SW reps on the phone wont approve it's use for a glass hull because the application hasn't been thouroughly R&D'ed and there's waaay to many variables for them to approve.
On the hull bottom of my skiff, I used Macropoxy 940 as a primecoat, then 4 coats of Macropoxy 646, topcoated with a two coats of VC Performance Epoxy... hope that works out for me.

Tile Clad is good too. It's not to be spec'ed for immersion, and is not used for internal tank linnings, but Tank Clad is...

Sean,
I used BilgeKote when I refinished my 28' 2 years ago. I think it turned out well. Used 3 coats after all the prep. Followed all the instructions for prep, I think that's the key. Took a good long day to clean the 38 years of grease and grime out. I used purple power and a ss wire brush and took it down to bare fiberglass. Then soap and water until it was clean. Let it dry out - I let it sit a week as I was doing on weekends - and used wet vac to get ALL the water out of the bottom. Then per directions, I washed it all with 202 Solvent wash using good towels throwing them out as they showed dirt. When I was done, I didn't want to put the new engines in as it looked to good. With all the banging around during engine install, I only dinged it in a couple of spots. As we all know, you can't bilge out that last inch or so of water in the bilge and my float switches don't kick in until I have about 3 inches in bottom. This leaves a water ring after manual bilge. I quick spurt of water and soft brush and my bilge looks new.

I stop by and ck out your boat every time I'm at Ichabod's. Let me know if you want to peek in my bilge.

Paul J
1973 B28 - Paladin

I ended up buying a gallon of the POR-15, so I will give that a shot, and will report on the results. I am doing the insides of the hullsides prior to installing new cockpit side panels & doors. Assuming I am happy with the product I will start working on painting areas of the bilge with the leftovers.

PaulJ wrote:I stop by and ck out your boat every time I'm at Ichabod's. Let me know if you want to peek in my bilge.

Paul J
1973 B28 - Paladin

Holy crap - a local!?! Did you buy that B28 that had languished in the harbor corner by our Bertrams? When that boat left the harbour it messed up what had become known as "Bertram Corner." One of the Owners of Ichabods has the B35 that lives next to me, and (as has been the case with so many others) we have become friends because of the shared appreciation for these boats. Someone needs to keep a B31 in Melbourne Harbor though, as it is not represented here. Where do you keep your boat? Damn small world.

Well I need to give you the full tour sometime. Last year's boat Projects were all about the engines... this year it is interior and exterior makeover. I have completely gutted all the built-in furniture inside the boat and am already much happier with all the open cabin space. They tried to jam too many things in there. I haven't put in the new gallley yet as I *think* I will tackle the dreaded rub rail replacement project first.

You mentioned 3" in the bilge... I have same problem... but I found a small pump/switch assembly that is supposed to detect and take bilge water down to 1/4". Going to install two of these in my wet areas (one forward, one by engines) as secondaries. If we meet up some time I'll show you the pumps I found. If that works, I then plan on piping all the deck drains into a collection box, in hopes of a dry bilge. Something about carrying around all that water bugs me.

Here is my email: Sean@StrongBuilding.com

Sean: Let us know how that pump works out!! I'm interested.

A mate I fish with has a day job as a SW commercial /contractor salesman, repeat business year after year is how he survives, he recommended the kits previously described, I used 4kits in my bilges , the FB tub, fuel tank, cossa deck framing, inside all lockers and vee berth area, it's epoxy which is flexible, degreaser the areas well, fair in the rough fiberglass matting etc, roll on this self leveling stuff after you have thinned it out, a Matt finish, cleans easily , an off white, sanitary look. Bilge pumps in all tyree compartments controlled by a floatswitch /hi water system invented by the dude that also invented tefgel, Capt Patrick can probably supply the name, I left all that info Florida, routed all pump hoses, sink hoses, a/c pump discharge, live well , into a 2" pvc flexible drain on the strb side ot the boat that exits on the stern water line, made sure that we created traps so we would, not get any sea water in when backing down no thru hulls on the sides of the hull, clean look, this is the way Rybovich and Merritt build their boats, used basic plumbing fittings and design for flow, swimming pool supply stores has the PVC tubing

Rawleigh wrote:Sean: Let us know how that pump works out!! I'm interested.

This is what I bought


It's a "Whale SuperSub Smart 650 Bilge Pump," about $60 from Defender. I also got the one-way valves for the hoses. Have not put them in yet though, but they are "on the list"