Paint type for the bilge

[sawbones1]

In terms of getting the diesel smell out,I used white vinegar and it worked very well. I cleaned up as much fuel as possible with absorbent and degreaser. Then I let the bilge soak for a good day with a couple gallons on vinegar and then rinsed well with a garden hose. No more diesel smell.

[JBsurfin]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

I recently started a thread asking for help with an old old diesel spill in the boat I purchase a month back. There were some great suggestions for cleaning. One person stated that the smell went completely away after painting the bilge.

In the past, I have met a few people who have painted their bilges. One told me he used Por 15. A urethane product that I have used on machinery. It dries hard and it very durable. Another person on this form said he uses Rustloleum (with acetone thinner and Varathane accelerator) for his bilge and was satisfied with the results.
I have never been convienced that a product labled "Marine" is much different from a "Non Marine" product, other than an exorbitant cost.
I would like to hear what others have tried and the results.

Before jumping to that, I was told years back to take downy fabric softener and dump in a full bottle and then fill the bilge and let sit for a day or two. I didn't belive it would work, but it did. Removed all the smells of desiel. I've since told many others with the same problem and all had good results. For a 3$ try, you have nothing to lose.

[gulfislandfred]

Rustoleum is great, and well proven for fibreglass, inside and out. The surface has to be really dry and clean, for any paint (although I've seen some pretty oily bilges where a couple of coats of rustoleum stuck well and lasted for years.)


Two part epoxies are more expensive, and will stick better in damp conditions. Epoxies will work better if there is normally a bit of water in the bilge sump.

[Sunstone]

Several friends have used standard concrete basement and garage floor paint in their bilges and it has held up extremely well. Just makes sure you clean and degrease before applying, and a sanding would be a very good idea.
Best of luck
- JB

[n5ama]

How do you clean /prepare the bilge to paint? My bilge isn’t all that bad but it still has minor diesel residue on most surfaces.

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by sawbones1

In terms of getting the diesel smell out,I used white vinegar and it worked very well. I cleaned up as much fuel as possible with absorbent and degreaser. Then I let the bilge soak for a good day with a couple gallons on vinegar and then rinsed well with a garden hose. No more diesel smell.

Originally Posted by JBsurfin

Before jumping to that, I was told years back to take downy fabric softener and dump in a full bottle and then fill the bilge and let sit for a day or two. I didn't belive it would work, but it did. Removed all the smells of desiel. I've since told many others with the same problem and all had good results. For a 3$ try, you have nothing to lose.

Originally Posted by gulfislandfred

Rustoleum is great, and well proven for fibreglass, inside and out. The surface has to be really dry and clean, for any paint (although I've seen some pretty oily bilges where a couple of coats of rustoleum stuck well and lasted for years.)


Two part epoxies are more expensive, and will stick better in damp conditions. Epoxies will work better if there is normally a bit of water in the bilge sump.

All these suggestions are great and I really appreciate them. I think a combination is in order here. I am replacing old cruddy water tanks under the sole, so the bilge is well exposed. I will first use (garden sprayer) Simple green and a scrub brush. Let it sit and do it again and rinse. Then I will use the vinegar and rise. Then the downy fabric softener for a few days. Then rinse and dry. Finally I will use Rustoleum with a hardener and acetone thinner on the first coat to penetrate the f/g fibers as much as possible and a second coat there after.

[SVPP]

Originally Posted by guyrj33

painted with Bilgecoat years ago, still looks good.

Me too. Also works inside we lockers

[lituya1617]

After over seven decades of living on and owning boats, I am seldom just completely baffled by a boating issue; however, this issue of painting your bilge and the materials to use managed to do it. Why in the world would anyone want to paint a bilge? What is the upside? Nobody sees the bilge. If there is water in the bilge, you need to fix a leak pronto! Nothing structural is fixed with paint ... so why paint it? On the down side, paint can and will flake off if you have a wet bilge although I am sure some well-prepared bilges can be painted with expensive paints with long-term success, that is an expensive and labor-intense project with no upside. If you realize that solvents and diesel and soap and salt water and marine growth and lube oil and so on will find their way into the bilge and eat most paints, you are going to have paint peeling and flaking in your bilge. These paint particles will eat the seals out of your typical bilge pump and cost you plenty in the long run. Somebody explain to me why anyone would need to paint a bilge?

[Celestialsailor]

#1) To easily identify leakage in a bilge with the white background.
#2) You should have already read by now that the paint (as stated by other people here) have lasted after years and years of use.

#3) It gives a sense of cleanliness.
#4) It is not expensive is you use an enamel with a hardener that is not bought in a marine chandlery.
#5 It give a "finished" look to the bilge. In fact most modern boats now have "pans" that give that effect.

[and4ew]

I was told that Tremclad works great. It's true...as confetti. I dealt with tiny flakes of paint for years.

Moved onto a new boat and PO had done it right fortunately.

[Creedence]

Originally Posted by lituya1617

After over seven decades of living on and owning boats, I am seldom just completely baffled by a boating issue; however, this issue of painting your bilge and the materials to use managed to do it. Why in the world would anyone want to paint a bilge? What is the upside? Nobody sees the bilge. If there is water in the bilge, you need to fix a leak pronto! Nothing structural is fixed with paint ... so why paint it? On the down side, paint can and will flake off if you have a wet bilge although I am sure some well-prepared bilges can be painted with expensive paints with long-term success, that is an expensive and labor-intense project with no upside. If you realize that solvents and diesel and soap and salt water and marine growth and lube oil and so on will find their way into the bilge and eat most paints, you are going to have paint peeling and flaking in your bilge. These paint particles will eat the seals out of your typical bilge pump and cost you plenty in the long run. Somebody explain to me why anyone would need to paint a bilge?

It took me a couple days but I worked up the answer for you. I just did the morning inspection today and found this accumulating in the bilge (disregard the blue PEX plumping you see, I am installing new pressure water plumbing). Because my bilge coated in spotless white Bilgkote, I was able to identify that #1 there is an issue that would benefit from my attention, and #2 was able to identify the source of this little fuel leak in about 12 seconds. Neither of those would have been likely or possible if my bilge was covered in 30 years of sludge/dirt/etc.

I’ll have the length of offending hose replaced shortly after finishing this post.

Condition Based Maintenance is only an effective practice if you can accurately evaluate the condition of systems aboard your boat. Failing that, you’re stuck living a life of reactive maintenance.

[Dsanduril]

Originally Posted by Creedence

...Condition Based Maintenance is only an effective practice if you can accurately evaluate the condition of systems aboard your boat. Failing that, you’re stuck living a life of reactive maintenance.

+1

Most of our boat has raw FRP bilges and tracing drips through them is a pain. I've got the engine rooms painted white and can see in an instant if anything has changed. Also makes it easier to clean up any drips if I make a mess changing filters or bleeding anything. The rest of the bilges are on the list because I would like them to be the same, but not so high up on the list that they will get done soon.

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by Dsanduril

+1

Most of our boat has raw FRP bilges and tracing drips through them is a pain. I've got the engine rooms painted white and can see in an instant if anything has changed. Also makes it easier to clean up any drips if I make a mess changing filters or bleeding anything. The rest of the bilges are on the list because I would like them to be the same, but not so high up on the list that they will get done soon.

Yes...another good point. In the engine room, diesel mixed with dirt and debris gets into the rough surface (usually woven roving) of the hull. If painted, it wipes up easily. I can always see if the belt(s) are wearing prematurely if I see rubber dust on the white paint of the bilge.

[DeValency]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

All these suggestions are great and I really appreciate them. I think a combination is in order here. I am replacing old cruddy water tanks under the sole, so the bilge is well exposed. I will first use (garden sprayer) Simple green and a scrub brush. Let it sit and do it again and rinse. Then I will use the vinegar and rise. Then the downy fabric softener for a few days. Then rinse and dry. Finally I will use Rustoleum with a hardener and acetone thinner on the first coat to penetrate the f/g fibers as much as possible and a second coat there after.

Your cleaning regimen sounds fine. I use dish soap, as it has a good degreasing performance. However, you really don't want to use fabric softener! Softeners act as a sealer and will have a negative effect on the adhesion of the paint. Before painting, a good wipe with acetone will improve the paint adhesion.

I use fabric softener when I wash my sheets and lines and that's great. That's also the reason you should never use softener when washing towels as it blocks their ability to absorb water...

[DeValency]

Originally Posted by Creedence

It took me a couple days but I worked up the answer for you. I just did the morning inspection today and found this accumulating in the bilge (disregard the blue PEX plumping you see, I am installing new pressure water plumbing). Because my bilge coated in spotless white Bilgkote, I was able to identify that #1 there is an issue that would benefit from my attention, and #2 was able to identify the source of this little fuel leak in about 12 seconds. Neither of those would have been likely or possible if my bilge was covered in 30 years of sludge/dirt/etc.

I’ll have the length of offending hose replaced shortly after finishing this post.

Condition Based Maintenance is only an effective practice if you can accurately evaluate the condition of systems aboard your boat. Failing that, you’re stuck living a life of reactive maintenance.

A big +1 on that! When I was buying new boats, I would generally walk away from a boat with a dirty/unclear bilge, same with a dirty engine...

This is why in the Navy the strict command is "You should be able to eat from the bilge, otherwise it isn't clean!"

People, in general, have different cleaning standards...