No Bottom Paint for Decade +

J Hopsalot

J Hopsalot

New Member
Dec 29, 2020
18
Texas
Boat Info
300 Sundancer 2005
Engines
320 Mercruiser w/Bravo III Drives
Newby question here ...
Looking at SD 300 boat that sits in lake water (no lift). Has not had bottom paint since bought new 2006. Bottom black lower portion of hull deteriorating but does not look terrible.
Should I be concerned about the durability of a Hull that sits in such an environment for such an extended period of time?
Thank you.
 
It was painted when new. Blue Hull, black on the bottom portion of hull.
 
Is it outdrives? I would be less concerned with the bottom and more concerned with drive condition and whether they had ever been serviced and corrosion. When you pull the boat to inspect the bottom you will know quickly if any issue with the bottom.
 
Make sure you get a good surveyor and haul it out. If there are major issues that can't be repaired easily, you can walk away. If the issues are manageable, you have a great negotiation tool to work the price down to account for the repairs.
SeaRayHO2.jpg
 
i haven't done anything but touch ups on my bottom paint for quite a long time. Freshwater, 5-6 months. No ill effects.
 
C3B49088-512B-4AB9-94F5-014A419D1003_sRGB.JPG

I'd be more concerned with the condition of the stringers and transom in that boat than the bottom. I kept a new 1979 26' Express in fresh water for 7 years with out painting the bottom and it was fine.
 
Sea Ray used vinylester resin for the 2006 Sundancer 300 (see attached spec sheet). Vinylester resin is not permeable to water and does not blister like polyester resin. An epoxy barrier coat/bottom paint is not required on a vinlyester resin boat that's in fresh water.

While hull blisters should not be a concern, water intrusion into the transom can still occur at the outdrives. A good survey is definitely required to determine the condition of the transom. We looked at a 2007 Sundancer 260 but didn't buy it because the surveyor found that the transom was delaminating from water intrusion. On a sterndrive boat of that age, transom delamination is a real possibility.
 

Attachments

  • 2006 300 Sundancer Spec Sheet.pdf
    505.5 KB · Views: 113
Last edited:
“haven't done anything but touch ups on my bottom paint”

ditto for us, fw also. Saves time, $$$, and a lot of work. Imo, the chemistry/biology of the river water has changed. We don’t get same type of growth on the hull we did 10-15 yrs ago. Using the boat 2 or 3 times a week, it’s just a green brown slime in spots that easily wipes off in the water.
 
My first Sea Ray a 1988 230Wk. spent its life in Lake Erie it's whole life every season at a slip never painted. The last year the PO had it it never moved. The Zebra snail were as thick as Wasp nest. Now the only thing was it had dime to quart sized places where the gelcoat came off under the water line no bear glass more cosmetic then anything. The Zebra snail had the white hull stained pretty bad with a whole winter to dry on the trailer. Nothing would touch the brown stain acid or store bought. So I went to the other extreme I hit it with caustic Easy off oven cleaner and off it came. Like I said no raw glass fibers showing . I had the boat for 3 seasons I just spot painted it with white epoxy paint . The person I sold it to had it bottom painted and keeps it in the water with no problems.
 
Thank you all!
This forum provides such a valuable resource.
Very interesting about the Vinylester resins.
I did look at the drives and they were a bit of a mess and have concern about the transom.
Moving the boat down the list of potentials.
 
Chip S said:
Sea Ray used vinylester resin for the 2006 Sundancer 300 (see attached spec sheet). Vinylester resin is not permeable to water and does not blister like polyester resin. An epoxy barrier coat/bottom paint is not required on a vinlyester resin boat that's in fresh water.

While hull blisters should not be a concern, water intrusion into the transom can still occur at the outdrives. A good survey is definitely required to determine the condition of the transom. We looked at a 2007 Sundancer 260 but didn't buy it because the surveyor found that the transom was delaminating from water intrusion. On a sterndrive boat of that age, transom delamination is a real possibility.
Click to expand...

Where can you find the type of resin used? I’d like to know what my 08 310da has.
 
Coz said:
Where can you find the type of resin used? I’d like to know what my 08 310da has.
Click to expand...
I found that information on the Year & Model spec sheet. You can download one from the official Sea Ray website. Search for that site, click on owners tab, scroll down to resources and find your year and model. I would place the link but responding from my phone and it’s being finicky (or I’m just showing my age ;)
 
Coz said:
Where can you find the type of resin used? I’d like to know what my 08 310da has.
Click to expand...
If you go to the Sea Ray website, click on "Owners", then click on "Recent Models". Find your boat and then click on "Download Spec Sheet". The spec sheet for the 2008 Sea Ray 310 Sundancer lists "Resin, High-Performance Vinylester" in the Hull and Deck Features section (see attached).

The 2021 Sea Rays no longer list vinylester resin in the hull and deck features. I believe they are now using a vinylester barrier coat behind the gel coat, and then using polyester resin behind the vinylester resin. This is what most of the other boat manufacturers do. I'm not sure when Sea Ray stopped using 100% vinylester resin.
 

Attachments

  • 2008 Sea Ray 310 Sundancer Spec Sheet.pdf
    850.9 KB · Views: 98
I looked at the 260 Sundancer spec sheets. Before 2014 the 260 Sundancers used 100% vinylester resin. Since 2014 the resin is not listed on the 260 Sundancer spec sheet, which most likely means Sea Ray is using a vinylester resin barrier coat, but is no longer using 100% vinylester resin.
 
Chip S said:
I looked at the 260 Sundancer spec sheets. Before 2014 the 260 Sundancers used 100% vinylester resin. Since 2014 the resin is not listed on the 260 Sundancer spec sheet, which most likely means Sea Ray is using a vinylester resin barrier coat, but is no longer using 100% vinylester resin.
Click to expand...

I did some more research. As far as I can determine, Sea Ray is now using 100% polyester resin (not even a vinylester resin barrier coat). Can anyone confirm or deny? I'm still trying to get my head around how any manufacturer can go from 100% vinylester resin (the best) to 100% polyester resin (the worst). I thought Sea Ray would at least be using a vinylester resin barrier coat.
 
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