I have been messing with fiberglass boats for many years and before all the current chemicals to remove the mold release wax, I used Acetone to clean the surface before painting. It is the chemical in nail polish remover and much safer to use. It must do a good job because I have never had peeling paint except once when I accidently put on a greasy finger print after cleaning a surface. I wound up with a nice oval of origonal VW "seafoam green" in the black crackle finish I put on the dashboard of my custom '66 VW cabrio. Because it is much safer than many of the harsher chemicals, I still use acetone. I just finished repainting a "Hurricane Rita damaged" Boston Whaler Harpoon and used acetone to clean immediateloy before painting the topsides. All I have to do now is put on the origonal equipment Boston Whaler decals and re-attach all the teak seats and trim (8 coats of spar varnish) and it is ready to sell. Next comes the barrier coat and bottom paint on Griselda's hull and cast iron fin keel. The wife demanded that I get the the Harpoon and the Capri Cyclone to ready sell before I could start on Griselda's refurb beyond a good cleaning. I am over the "6 boat limit" she allows me to have at one time and she is rather narrow minded about my having more than that. I don't really mind the delay in getting Griselda finished because it is too hot to enjoy sailing in Texas in July and August. The target is to pull Griselda this week, do the botton and have her back in the water by October 1 when the weather gets really nice. It may be a real challenge to retrieve her since the fixed keel draft is 39" and the trailer sits a bit high. I am lucky to have a nice deep community boat ramp right next to the house but it is rather steep and I think it will take the big 4wd pickup (F250 Super dity) to pull her out. She launched pretty easily behind my compact SUV (with the 16 foot tongue extension on the trailer) but, coming out may be a different story. I will take photos of the process to put on the MSOG website. It may be like a Laurel and Hardy routine. Ron M17 #14 (fixed keel) Griselda
To: montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Date: Mon, 25 Aug 2008 11:49:52 -0400> From: paint4real@aol.com> Subject: M_Boats: Bottom paint/barrier> > > Several new owners have commented on getting barrier coats or paint onto their hulls.> > I just did this, reluctantly but necessarily, due to a gelcoat blister problem.> > I was a first-timer and, so, studied up on it for a long enough time that folks probably wondered if I'd ever wade in.? One important bit of instruction came fairly late in my reading, but I was able to take advantage of it.? I've forgotten now whether it was West or Interlux or both, but recommendations were to not only sand (if and as necessary -- with several hundred small blisters, it was necessary in my case), but to clean the area of the hull to be painted, with the strong solvent intended for the purpose of dissolving the waxy component in the surface of the?gelcoat, as well as any residue of fiberglass mold release agents.? Interlux' version is Fiberglass 202 Solvent Wash.? I believe West's is called "Thinner and Dewaxer."> > Otherwise, you're applying your expensive barrier or antifouling coats over a slick, waxy surface, to which they may not adhere reliably.> > Maybe this is widely known, but the references here?to getting paint on the bottoms haven't mentioned it, so I thought I would, for those whose work is still ahead of them.> _______________________________________________> http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats
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