Steel boat knowledge

[N.C.V.88]

Recently purchased a 45ft steel (mini) yacht I guess, but anyway, there is rust built up in the hull/keel, but I can’t reach all of it I’ve pulled out as much as I can with what I got, the the question I have is has anyone ever tried doing a vinegar soak to eat all the rust, is this a good idea/bad idea? Unsure of what to do about the rust any suggestions could help
Thanks

[hpeer]

Look into Ospho.
But there is much more to be said than that.
There are a number of good steel boat threads here. But you do need to read past the haters, those who condemned out of hand, and find people with experience.

[Fore and Aft]

NCV88 you need a long needle gun to get rid of that rust scale. I wouldn't recommend using it while in the water in case you put a hole in the hull.
Cheers

[jorxster]

I've had a steel boat for two years now -- I do my reasonable best to clean it and then put in a special "Rustbond" 2part epoxy paint by Carboline.
(Altex in New Zealand) This is a pretty incredible product, they have a tech support help line and the expert advised it actually works better if the surface isn't absolutely 100% clean. It's extremely runny and finds its way into every crack.

I do use a fair bit of acetone first with rags though to make sure it's as grease free as possible. 2 years on, my what-was-the-nastiest bilge still is holding up squeeky clean.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by jorxster

I've had a steel boat for two years now -- I do my reasonable best to clean it and then put in a special "Rustbond" 2part epoxy paint by Carboline.
(Altex in New Zealand) ...

Evidently, Carboline [Altex] has introduced two new coatings since mid-2020.

The first, Rustbond PS, is a low-VOC primer, that came out in December 2020. It’s a major upgrade of Carboline’s earlier Rustbond coating, that’s been available for many years.

Rustbond PS utilizes an advanced resin technology, that allows a topcoat to be applied faster, and cure faster, at lower temperatures. It cures down to 35 degrees Fahrenheit.
Rustbond PS was designed for vessel owners who need to be able to apply a topcoat the same day as the sealer. The fast-drying Rustbone PS primer allows them to do that, especially when having to work in colder temperatures.

RustBond PS’s low-VOC formulation and penetrating properties comes in handy when there’s only a minimal amount of time and, maybe, money, to prepare surfaces, beyond removing loose coatings and corrosion. Apply the coating right over that. You don’t have to take it down to the bare metal.

Rustbond PS has really low stress. It doesn’t tend to pull on coatings, so they don’t start to lose adhesion in the future. Thus, it can be applied over old coatings, and tightly adhering rust, and prevents delamination, and peeling of old coatings.

Carboline’s second new coating,Carbocoat 75, was introduced in May 2020. It’s a high-gloss alkyd finish coat, that can be applied directly to metal, without a primer.
With corrosion inhibiting properties, it can be its own self-primer for steel or aluminum plating, though in that case two coats are recommended.