Boat Bottom

[catfishjon123]

I purchased a 2001 Sea Ray 190 Bow Rider. The bottom is pretty rough - pun intended! I have some rustoleum boat bottom paint that I got from the guy who sold me the boat, but not sure how to prep the surface first. I think the paint is ablative because it sort of comes off on my fingers when I rub it, and understand it's no good to have that underneath this non-ablative rustoleum. I can chip it or flake it off in certain places. So, any thoughts on how to remove would be great. I was going to buy a sandblaster because I have a large air compressor, but don't want to hurt the fiberglass. Either way, from the videos I've watched, and the posts I've read, 'it sounds like I'm in for a lot of work!

Also, is this something I can leave for this season and do in the fall when I pull it? (I'll be keeping it on a freshwater lake in NJ, in the water, for the summer). Not sure how the boat will fare, and would hate to do a lot of work messing with this if there turns out to be some major problem with it.

Thanks in advance for any guidance.

 

[Golfman25]

I wouldn’t sandblast it. I have heard of using walnut shells.

Going to need to sand it. Get a palm sander that attaches to a shop vac. I would use the same ablative paint. It wears away and keeps paint biuldup to a minimum.

 

[JHornsby3]

When we got ours, the bottom hadn't been done in many years. I used a pressure washer to get the old paint off the bottom. I then put on a barrier coat and then the ablative.

The longest I keep ours in the water is for about a week. Other than that, I keep it on the trailer. So, my paint lasts a little longer than normal.

I wouldn't keep it in the water for very long. I would be worried about water intrusion into the fiberglass.

 

[catfishjon123]

When we got ours, the bottom hadn't been done in many years. I used a pressure washer to get the old paint off the bottom. I then put on a barrier coat and then the ablative.

The longest I keep ours in the water is for about a week. Other than that, I keep it on the trailer. So, my paint lasts a little longer than normal.

I wouldn't keep it in the water for very long. I would be worried about water intrusion into the fiberglass.

OK, thanks for the info! I didn't realize that water intrusion into the fiberglass was such a possibility - and it certainly sounds like something I don't want to risk. I almost picked up a pressure washer today, but will do so this week and get after it. Thanks again!

 

[Golfman25]

OK, thanks for the info! I didn't realize that water intrusion into the fiberglass was such a possibility - and it certainly sounds like something I don't want to risk. I almost picked up a pressure washer today, but will do so this week and get after it. Thanks again!

Yeah, don’t worry about water intrusion into the fiberglass. It’s not really a thing these days. Some older boats would get blisters But that’s about it.

If you want to wait for the fall to do it, get a quart of paint and touch up the bare spots.

 

[JHornsby3]

I mention it because of the spots that looked like the gel coat was missing, in the photos.

 

[Jimmy Buoy]

I mention it because of the spots that looked like the gel coat was missing, in the photo

I don't see gel coat missing, just the bottom paint (dry and cracked off) and possibly a coating of barrier coat that is lighter in color underneath also worn off. Water intrusion is not a common thing with 2000's SeaRay boats. Better procedures and materials used help, along with Sea Ray using a layer of sprayed on "vinylester" between the gel coat and fiberglass helps prevent water from penetrating through the porous gel coat and into the fiberglass matting underneath.

Bottom paint is not for sealing the bottom from water intrusion but is designed to prevent a build up of marine life or plant life on the bottom which affects the boats performance. Some opt to coat the bare gel coat with layers of barrier coat to help prevent water from penetrating while others find this to be a needless expense with modern hulls.

 

[Pjorlando124]

I have pretty much the same thing going on right now. 97 190 br. I decided to attack the hull with a pressure washer and then some stripper. I used total boat total strip. I’ll post some pics. I have done one pass with just the pressure washer to knock the loose paint off. Then applied the stripper and pressure washed that off. I would say I got about 90% of the paint off but still have a ways to go. I am too contemplating barrier coat after doing all this work.