What to do with my bottom?

[mogfisher]

Hey all. Not sure if this is the best forum for this but we will see. I have an Aquasport 175 osprey center console and it has bottom paint on it. (mostly) The PO said he did a fresh coat just before I bought it but that was 2 seasons ago. It is flaking/peeling off so obviously wasn't done all that well. Underneath I see a white bottom and some black paint. I think the terrible condition of the paint is ugly and also slowing me down as it is quite rough.

The question is, what should I do with it? I'm already committed to stripping it and sanding it but I have zero hope of an acceptable finish when that is done. I trailer the boat but it will stay in the water for a week or 2 at a time. I need to coat this with something but I'm just not sure what. I'm not terribly excited by the look of the typical green ablative paints but if that's all can realistically do then it is what it is. I know there are a select few urethanes that are OK below water line but I think if I go that far, I need to pull the motor and all hardware and do it completely. This is not something I want to do to this boat.

The goal is a smooth, attractive hull that wont make performance suffer as much as I think it is now. Can yall give some advice on paints, layers, primers, etc?

Thanks!

 

[harleyman1975]

I like interlux fibercoat but you need to sand it down to the gelcoat and apply an epoxy barrier coat first then apply the fibercoat. it comes in several different colors. Any anti-fouling paint is going to be a rough surface.

 

[alldodge]

I trailer the boat but it will stay in the water for a week or 2 at a time

With only a 2 week or even 2 month sitting at one time, I don't see it being an issue for the need or bottom paint.

Now the issue of current bottom paint, your correct it was not put on correctly. So the paint needs to be removed, once removed it can be re-gelcoated or epoxy painted. I would suggest to use 80 grit sanding to remove, then paint 3 coats of Interlux VC Performance, which is epoxy white paint.

I'm doing the remove and VC my self this season

 

[Woodonglass]

Yup, NO bottom paint needed. Real Bottom Paint is Designed to flake and peel off over time. It's not easy to do, but my recommendation is the same as AD's, Scrape, Grind, Sand it off. Then either re-Gel Coat it or paint it with a good Hull Paint. NOT Bottom Paint.

 

[mogfisher]

That sounds like exactly what I need. I don't need bottom paint. I just need to paint...the bottom. Not sold on the white though. Is there another color available? Guess it's time to google.

 

[Woodonglass]

Just about any color in the Rainbow. SuperMarine make a heck of a good Hull Paint.

 

[mogfisher]

Thanks for the info. I'll look into that. I figured there must be something out there that would be good for a while in the water but would not be as ugly and require the maintenance of "bottom paint" The more I think about it, white wouldn't look bad and I like what I read about the interlux. Thanks again!

 

[hotdog atw]

Good advice, maybe new member but been boating for a long time, 50 plus years with boat on the trailer most of time but leaving boat in the salt water sometimes up to 3 or 4 weeks. You need hull paint only. Good luck, good prep work means everything.