sanity oh sanity where for art thou sanity

[ssanzone]

there are days where, while driving away from the yard where all i can think about is if there is something (seriously) wrong with me.

among the 384703472 boat projects i have going on right now is preparing for paint. the cabin top, cockpit and hull are all primed and ready for paint (just stalled due to logistics).

the other day i was looking at the waterline and noticing how crappy the 94 layers of bottom paint look all chipped and whatnot.

i put it out my my mind today until i grabbed a sander and some 60 grit and started sanding down the the gel coat.

i mean... when will i have the chance again? once i start cruising, i dont want a 'simple haul out' to get up taking weeks and costing a fortune (easy way to decimate a sailing kitty). i figure, i am on the hard and in a bit of a stall on what i can tackle right now anyway AND do i really a boat with new decks, hull / cabin paint, bronze ports and new rigging with a crap bottom?

it is too late to ask if i should do this but am curious if anyone has any advice.

dos or donts?

considerations?

i will roll on some 105 over anything that isnt gel coat and spray on 3 coats of (different colors) bottom paint and then auger new thru hulls and subtract 1 from 384703472.

i only have about 5' of starboard done so far.

[minaret]

Why spray bottom paint, unless you are going to burnish it and it's a race bottom? Have you done it before? It requires an airless rig and is a nightmare to do. Not legal in many places too.

[ssanzone]

SEE!!! in the back of my mind i knew that it required an airless set up but it totally escaped me while i was formulating my master plan.

-s

[RaymondR]

I would be careful with sanding old bottom paint, some of that stuff had some real nasties in it and in addition you may damage the underlying gel coat and some vessels were coated with coal tar epoxies to help prevent osmosis. If it is old style, hard anti foul there are chemical removers which soften it and allow it to be scraped of without damaging underlying coatings.

[CaptTom]

Two words: Soda blasting.

[Bash]

Originally Posted by ssanzone

i will roll on some 105 over anything that isnt gel coat and spray on 3 coats of (different colors) bottom paint and then auger new thru hulls and subtract 1 from 384703472.

Three coats seems problematic. That's how you get all that buildup in the first place.

My boat gets two coats on the waterline, the rudder, and the leading edge of the keel, but one coat everywhere else. That way, the next time I haul, a light sanding will do before the next coat is applied.

[ssanzone]

bash... welcome to my world of inheriting 'presents'.

i was going to do 2 everywhere and 3 on the keel, rudder, nose and waterline.

capt tom,

i have never soda blasted. any insights?

-steve

[barnakiel]

Layers of old antifoul can be removed blasting with sand/pellets. If you want to apply any epoxy layers, this is the fast road to a clean hull.

I think wet blasting is adequate in your case.

Our 26' boat is some 10 days of boatyard projects every 2 years. I actually like being in boatyards and working on my boat.

b.

[rebel heart]

If those projects are keeping you from sailing, skip the ones that aren't related directly to steerage, rig stability, propulsion, and water intrusion.

Our cabin top has two different paint colors on it, and did when we left the USA. I should have painted it one color (the new color) before we left; I had only been using the new color when a repair was completed or something of the sort.

Fast forward a year, and I'm repairing a few things again, and I would have been busting through my new paint job. I think I'll finally get around to the new paint job this winter.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by ssanzone

there are days where, while driving away from the yard where all i can think about is if there is something (seriously) wrong with me.

among the 384703472 boat projects i have going on right now is preparing for paint. the cabin top, cockpit and hull are all primed and ready for paint (just stalled due to logistics).

the other day i was looking at the waterline and noticing how crappy the 94 layers of bottom paint look all chipped and whatnot.

i put it out my my mind today until i grabbed a sander and some 60 grit and started sanding down the the gel coat.

i mean... when will i have the chance again? once i start cruising, i dont want a 'simple haul out' to get up taking weeks and costing a fortune (easy way to decimate a sailing kitty). i figure, i am on the hard and in a bit of a stall on what i can tackle right now anyway AND do i really a boat with new decks, hull / cabin paint, bronze ports and new rigging with a crap bottom?

it is too late to ask if i should do this but am curious if anyone has any advice.

dos or donts?

considerations?

i will roll on some 105 over anything that isnt gel coat and spray on 3 coats of (different colors) bottom paint and then auger new thru hulls and subtract 1 from 384703472.

i only have about 5' of starboard done so far.

My opinion?

Do what you need to do to meet a couple of goals.

First, that she will survive the normal wear and tear of cruising well. So you want your standing and running rigging in decent shape. your sails shouldn't feel like a baby's diaper when you handle them.

You should have a reasonable supply of the backup parts you might need. If your elbow is 4 years old, have a new elbow in your stash, for instance.

You should have the topside looking well enough that you're happy when you look at her on the water (on the water, not on stands).

You should know your bottom paint will do what it needs to do for you.

If your canvas needs repair, do that or have it done.

Then go SAIL!!!!

[Jim Cate]

G'Day ssanzone,

Minaret, our local REAL boat maintenance expert, has posted lengthy advisories on bottom pain removal. You would do well to peruse them.

Cheers,

Jim

[Cheechako]

Soda blasting is expensive. If you really want a fresh-start-clean-bottom then maybe worth it.
Keep in mind with your boat projects... everything doesnt have to be perfect... especially the bottom! 3 weeks anchored in the DR and you will have literally thousands of barnacles attached. When you scrape them off you will have little rings left where they were. SO what? who cares?!!
Trying to keep a cruising boat in Bristol Yacht condition just means you will be a slave to your boat. Fix the important stuff. go sailing.

[zeehag]

off you decide to go down to bare glass--do place barrier coat---of a different color than your bottom paint--it will not easily come off and you will know when to paint again.

if you are on west coast of usa/mexico, the haul yards are few and fairly far between..... unless you count the yards with incredibly high prices and mega yachts waiting in the ways.
the small stuff is doable underway=== there are sailmakers down the coast---one not to use is in banderas bay.
also here in mexico is a paint availability issue---unless you are willing to use mexican paint---omg my poor YACHT is gonna suffer---rodlmao---you will be using paint from comex. is similar in pricing to usa paint -- paint from usa is over 300 usd while comec is 2000 pesos. peso is about 12.9 to one usd. i will be using comex paint.
if you wanted to delay painting--shrimper yards in mazatlan are excellent places to have blasting and painting done.

remember--there is no NORMAL wear and tear on cruising boats.

if you cruise outside of usa--make sure you are not attractive to bandidos---shiny attracts rats. be safe out here.
i see you are on same coast as i am--hope to meet you as you venture south...

btw--each lil place to stop over in mexico has a different specialty as to repair capability. have fun and hope to meet you soon!

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by zeehag

off you decide to go down to bare glass--do place barrier coat---of a different color than your bottom paint--it will not easily come off and you will know when to paint again.

if you are on west coast of usa/mexico, the haul yards are few and fairly far between..... unless you count the yards with incredibly high prices and mega yachts waiting in the ways.
the small stuff is doable underway=== there are sailmakers down the coast---one not to use is in banderas bay.
also here in mexico is a paint availability issue---unless you are willing to use mexican paint---omg my poor YACHT is gonna suffer---rodlmao---you will be using paint from comex. is similar in pricing to usa paint -- paint from usa is over 300 usd while comec is 2000 pesos. peso is about 12.9 to one usd. i will be using comex paint.
if you wanted to delay painting--shrimper yards in mazatlan are excellent places to have blasting and painting done.

remember--there is no NORMAL wear and tear on cruising boats.

if you cruise outside of usa--make sure you are not attractive to bandidos---shiny attracts rats. be safe out here.
i see you are on same coast as i am--hope to meet you as you venture south...

btw--each lil place to stop over in mexico has a different specialty as to repair capability. have fun and hope to meet you soon!

[ssanzone]

this is not keeping me from the water but i certainly could be focused on other projects (also not keeping me from the water.

i, finally, have all the info i need to begin modifying and glassing in the ail drive bed and should have a schedule for when my painter is available to come spray within a day or 2.

those are the only things keeping me out of the water so i am taking advantage of my time in a holding pattern (waiting on paint).

-steve