The object was to pull the boat, inspect the bottom and put some paint on it.
The haul out was tricky, cross winds, placing the boat where it will travel safely and making sure there were no overhanging wires. Price tag: $32 a mile. The 7-hour day included a drive on from the water trailer with a 28-mile delivery and assisting in offloading on to stands. All in a day's work for some. Nerve racking for others.
Next pressure wash. 4000lb pressure made short work of all hanging objects.
Fortunately, my boat was in good shape, no blisters, the Interlux bottom paint had done its job for 4 years and the quarterly diver clean had made a difference.
Next step is an 80-grit sanding of all the bottom to scuff and smooth in preparation for the next step. I was fortunate to hire 2 brothers that were eager to learn and made my supervisory role easy!
2000E was next. At $140 a gallon. I wanted a 7-10mil coverage so when applied we did not work the paint but let it flow. My estimate was 2 gallons but in reality, it took 4 gallons to go around 2x and extra on the waterline and then touch up when the stands were moved.
We applied as instructed, using a ratio of 1-part Hardener to 3 parts E, applied and then gave it a day to cure.
Our next step was bottom paint. So why not the best? Of course I said!
Petitt Trinidad Pro. Then I saw the invoice. Almost $400 a gallon. That 66% copper content was then upgraded to my definition of liquid gold.
It rolled on beautifully, even coverage with very little working. My 31 took about a gallon for one coat, and then we spent the second gallon for the desired coverage. Really, considering the warranty, copper content and the fact that coverage was excellent the price sting slipped into the justifiable column. I am accustomed to 1 1/2 gallons of the other types of hard paint in the past for 1 coat.
In summary, not a bad experience. I made sure we had good tools, a concrete pad to work on, and boat stands that were in good shape. Also blessed with Texas nice weather. The plus for me were helpers that enjoyed what they were doing. I paid them hourly and promised a bonus if they finished the job. (Part time help is notorious for getting a sick mother in the middle of a job resulting in a no show. I have learned to sweeten the pot for job completion on my terms.) Time for the bottom job is around 48-50 hours split between 2 guys whose ages have barely experienced two decades.
Included in those manpower hours we buffed the complete boat with a rubbing compound and applied a coat of paste wax. I had planned this activity to do while we waited for paint to dry. It dries much faster when you are busy doing something else.
As a Commander owner, I love this site. I get so much support, good information giving me the courage to learn and do. I wanted to pass my experience on just in case there is another one like me in the club thinking about doing the same.
loading after fighting cross winds, making sure we don't exceed 14' high
Inching the trailer from underneath after starting the blocking process
almost finished with setting the stands, next put a wedge under keel
pressure wash 4000 psi. Slow and steady, watch what you are doing!
the canvas is ready, now to start the painting
2000E epoxy. first coat white, second coat grey. simple way to insure coverage.
2nd coat 2000e resting so paint can cure.
Trinidad 2 coats, waited about 3hrs between coats, 70 degrees temp.
Be sure to take your tape off, don't let it stay on for days!
Impressive!! Great job, thank you for documenting the process.
Phil,
Not to diminish all the hard work and expense you just went through but there are some very important steps that were omitted on your bottom.
Before a fiberglass boat is going to be barrier coated ALL previous coatings MUST be removed to complete bare gel cote.
This is most usually done by media blasting or soda blasting .
It can also be manually sanded but that takes WAY longer than blasting.
Before barrier coat can be applied you must let the bottom dry out throughly . It's wise to check the moisture content with a moisture meter . It's not unusual for this process to take a few weeks or more.
It's extremely important that you don't trap moisture under the barrier coat as you can auctually cause blisters to occur. Its a lot like putting on a rain coat over top of wet cloths!
2000E requires a DFT (Dry film thickness) of 10 mills to do its job.
On average a coat OF 2000E applied by a roller will yield about 2- 2.5 mills DFT . So let's say to play it safe you only yield 2 mills DFT per coat. This means you Need to apply FIVE COATS in order to end up with the 10 mills of thickness that this barrier coat requires to do its job.
For reference, here's a link to the full list instructions for proper application of 2000E directly from the Interlux website.
https://www.interlux.com/en/us/boat-paint/primer/interprotect-2000e
Thank you, Jeremy, for reading the tale of my adventure. Your remarks are very correct, confirmed by the makers of the products. They also reflect the dedication and artistry you apply to your craft when restoring your customers watercraft. Your information, comments are always appreciated.
There is a reality in life that sometimes needs to be tinkered with and adjustments made in order to find the right compromise to make it work for you. My boat has been in the water for over 50 years, 35 in salt and 15 in fresh, it would take at least 3 years to dry her out. I also drive her weekly, happy for each year I get to use her as I know that there is also a time when it will be over. Joints go bad, balance fails, electrical issues cause headaches and other things we humans suffer let alone the issues a 56-year-old boat succumbs too. To prolong the pleasure, compromise is our best friend.
My decisions and my actions take into account my life, my expectation for the next 5 years of my boats life and the risk I am willing to take, and the financial investment allowed.
My bottom job probably broke some rules from the side of the can and yes, the next owner in 5 years my find some blisters, and no soda blasting was not considered, because of location guidelines. My yard was donated to me by a kind friend, and I won't take advantage of his working space. I bought the best, counting on it to perform its best. Knowing that I did my best for my estimated timeline. Jeremy, I read the side of the cans also, leaned on you and others for research and then had to make the right decision to fit my capsule of time, manpower and budget.
Life's risky!
Phil