Bottom paint

[Mikered3500]

So i bought a '75 sea ray 20 ft center console A few years ago. I think it should be running faster than what it is. It seems to have some sort of rubberized material almost similar to bed liner on the bottom in leu of bottom paint. would this have anything to do with speed? Planing time, fuel consumption, ect.

Thanks

 

[roffey]

I could be wrong but anti fouling paint keeps the sea critters away and will slowly start to come off over a period of time. Never heard of a rubberized bottom paint but maybe I just never heard of it, lol. If it were truck bed liner paint then I would think you would have significant performance problems and likely it should be removed for the correct bottom coating. Just my two penny's worth.

 

[garbageguy]

With the above, now you've got 4 cents - I agree, but not sure if whatever you have on the bottom is causing "significant" performance problems. If it's a trailer-boat, maybe just remove what's on there and leave it at that

 

[Mikered3500]

Ill take pictures tomorrow and post. But its definitely a hard rubber texture to it. Thanks guys

 

[Bob_VT]

Just FYI I had a tri hull about 20 years ago that had a thick coating of black on the bottom...... it was not paint but it was scum from the lake. The previous owners NEVER cleaned the hull and I actually had to sand it off. Mine appeared like a black tar like coating.

 

[Texasmark]

I guarantee you a slick hull vs contaminated makes a huge difference. I recall on vacations where I would leave my boat in the water for a couple of weeks....raw, slick fiberglass gel coat. By the time I closed up and came home there was a significant rpm and speed loss with the crud buildup. Even recall some summers washing the boat, especially the underside, in the water....bathing suit, numerous deep breaths for the hard to reach areas and all.

 

[Mikered3500]

Its definitely a rubber coating. I haven't had a chance to get out there to get pics of it but i appreciate all of your information. How would one go about removing rhis coating? Im totally at a stand still, should i use some sort of scraper, i plan on sanding and re gel coating the boat anyway...thanks!

 

[Texasmark]

Never saw an aluminum Sea Ray. What you have is a non-reinforced, slick, "gel coat" which is poured into the boat mold before the woven fiberglass matting that makes up the boat's hull is laid and glued in. It is easily gouged, whereas the glass matting and chemical curing resin that makes it what it is is hard to damage. Inverting the boat and sanding down to the gell coat would work then come back with a good, slick bottom paint....doesn't need to be antifouling if you aren't leaving your boat in the water. Interlux used to be a good marine paint house; may still be.

 

[Mikered3500]

All of my boats live on trailers. Its getting to be my busy season for work so I doubt that I will have time to do much sanding any time soon and our winters are hit or miss in the mid Atlantic region. There are numerous scratches and gouges from previous ownership and i was thinking about just re coating the boat with new gel coat after i get the botton sanded off. Any preference on methods of applying new gel coat or paint?

 

[dingbat]

Bottom paint is considered a hazardous material by the EPA. The best way to remove bottom paint is to have it soda blasted. Leaves you with a half way decent surface to prep.

If you sand, plan to take proper precautions. Use a respirator at a minimum. The guys at the marina wear hazmat suits.

Applying gel coat to an entire boat isn’t a DIY project. Using a 2 part marine grade paint isn’t much easier but doable if you can make a spray booth of some sort.

Imron and Awlfrip are the two most popular brands of paint