Power wash hull w/ bottom paint on?

[ccave04]

Hello All,

I am getting ready to pull my boat out of it's mooring for the season and am wondering the best way to clean the bottom of the boat once I get it to my house.

The boat has bottom paint on it currently (I believe anti-fouling done by PO), but it is starting to wear away and I think it will need to be repainted before next season or at least touched up regardless.

I pulled the boat out and took it on a trip mid-summer and even on the paint there was some "green" build up that I tried to hose and wipe off, but didn't really work to great. I am assuming the bottom paint has lost all effectiveness.

Is it okay to pressure wash the bottom of the boat this year when I get it home?
Will that take off enough of the old paint so I can just reapply paint next year?
Should I use any sort of specialized cleaner or acid?

I have a little 1100 PSI electric power washer, is that enough power or should I borrow someone's with a higher PSI?

Just curious, I am sure I will get a couple of different opinions just looking for what may be best...

Thanks guys!

 

[RxBoat]

Re: Power wash hull w/ bottom paint on?

I can address the power wash part of your thread. Last week I took my boat to the car wash and power washed it. It is important to note here that my boat is old and needs restoring. Your boat sounds like it is in much better shape. My boat outside hull's gel-coat is in fair condition, probably because it was stored for years outdoors on the trailer in the normal position, so the underside was not as weathered as the top. The power washing removed grime and surface oxidation, which was desirable since it will be re-painted eventually. The external surface of the hull looks better now after the washing. As for the inside of the boat, the power washing removed the paint that was loosened and chipped but still left a lot of scattered areas where the paint still adhered to the FG. I will have to do more scraping and sanding before painting, but the power washer saved me from having to do a lot more of this. The closer I held the sprayer to the surface, the more it removed, so I'd be careful how you handle the sprayer distance.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Power wash hull w/ bottom paint on?

first, you don;t have to remove the old paint to repaint

second, don't be so sure it needs repainting just because there are worn spots (you can touch up) or you had some growth. At $200 a gallon, make it last!

Almost any bottom paint will permit some growth. Most wears off as you run it, so is what you saw after it sat a while, or after a good fast run?

I like using a long-handled scrub brush better, but if you use a PW just back it off so you get the slime but not the paint.

 

[ccave04]

Re: Power wash hull w/ bottom paint on?

Yeah, I would much rather just touch up and for as old as the paint is (I assume it is old because it was the PO of the PO who put it on so probably about 5 yrs now) it actually still looks somewhat decent. When I used my little PW on it this summer it didn't seem to get much of the growth off. I am wondering if there is a chemical that can help get it off without completely stripping off the bottom paint so I can touch up the bottom paint rather repaint the whole thing?

Or once it is bottom painted is it basically water and soap only on the paint?

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Power wash hull w/ bottom paint on?

I use a brush and hose to get the slime off. Lots of folks powerwash their boats. A good powerwasher will take lots of the paint off, maybe some gelcoat as well.

You do not want antifouling paint build up on the hull. So if some of it comes off, that is fine. You will want to paint the entire hull next year or the new paint will be a different color.

 

[partskenn]

Re: Power wash hull w/ bottom paint on?

I have always power washed mine. I just adjust the nozzle to the widest pattern that will take off the crud, without taking off too much paint. I usually touch it up every spring, although the touch up spots may look a little different at first, within a week of being in the water it all looks the same color again. Bottom paint is really expensive to be putting on a whole new coat if it doesn't need it.

 

[mr 88]

Re: Power wash hull w/ bottom paint on?

If the paint flys off when you hit it with 1100 psi then it was going to come off anyway. Most, if not all of the algae growth is where the sun penetrates. When painting concentrate on the waterline and stern area above the bottom of the boat,the area that you can see without crawling under the boat.Hit the bottom where the gel coat is exposed and you should be good to go without dropping a ton of cash on bottom paint.I see your in the Finger Lakes so the boat is in the water for about 4 maybe 5 months if your a fisherman,I would not bother painting the bottom of the hull,do you see any growth in that area ?

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Power wash hull w/ bottom paint on?

however, five year old paint may need repainting.

also it's a whole lot easier to get growth off while it's still wet. If not give it a good soaking. next time, try to get it while still at the ramp.

And if it's real bad, around here we say the best thing for removing barnacles is a checkbook.

 

[Thalasso]

Re: Power wash hull w/ bottom paint on?

Just power wash the bottom. No soap or anything else needed.You don't need a brush for the bottom paint. It is activated by water. Scrubbing with a brush will remove the paint to a degree. The Green will come off provided you didn't leave it set to long.The best way is to do it when you are at the ramp at the marina just when you pull it out.If it dry's to long the green color isn't coming out

 

[ccave04]

Re: Power wash hull w/ bottom paint on?

No wash station at the ramp, but I have heard the sooner you get it off the better chances you have. I was thinking of pulling it to a carwash nearby and blasting it down there. I only live about 15 mins. from the launch but it will likely dry up quite a bit before I get to my house.

I'll do my best to get it off with a pressure washer and then touch up the bottom paint next year in the few faded spots that need it worse than others..,.

 

[Thalasso]

Re: Power wash hull w/ bottom paint on?

15 min, you will be okay. It's the ones that take it home and say ahhh, I'll get it tomorrow.