Mechanics of bottom painting

[lakeharley]

I just joined and posted an intro. My wife and I bought a little 16' Rebel that I'm in the process of installing a new floor (should have bought a boat ready-to-sail , oh well)
Among other things that need to be done, I want to paint the little bugger. The boat is currently resting on three beam-wise cradles to hold the boat while doing the floor structure replacement. I'd rather not try to flip the boat to paint the bottom but wonder how obvious the areas will be where the cradles are if I paint the boat and then touch up the "hidden areas" when it's put back on the trailer. Are the solvents in some of the two-part paints so "hot" that it will blend in pretty well when touch-up is done? I've searched the net on painting write-ups but haven't seen touch-up of the unpainted spots left by stands adressed.
Well, there you go....dumb question #1
Thanks in advance for insight.

Lynn

[WanderingStar]

You can touch up the spots before launch, most boatyards do it that way. You should let the fresh paint cure a little before launch. With a boat that small however, you might just raise her up one end at a time and paint the hidden spots. A car jack will do the job. Be careful that it's well supported. You can put wax paper on the cradle if you fear wiping off you new paint. I used this method many times on a 20' sloop.

[k1vsk]

I think what he is referring to is topside paint, not bottom paint. As there are a myriad of paints from which you can choose, many of which call for specific techniques, which are you going to use? As some lend themselves better to touching -up where the beams presently rest, you might want to ask which paint to use if you don't already know or have what you want.

[lakeharley]

I am asking about the bottom in this case. It is a trailer boat and won't be left in the water but wondered if the touched up spots would look, well, touched up. I have a full gallon of paint, in a color I like, that I use with my electrostatic painter (too bad the boat isn't conductive to use the electrostatic system) on railings, racecars, etc. It's a "Acrylic Urethane Enamel" that uses a hardener and has held up well in a variety of uses. It's a Xylol solvent based paint that blends well to "partially dry" areas when I've used it before, but I've never tried to blend it in on a job like this, where the surrounding area will be dry/cured.

Maybe no one is familiar with that particular type of paint but I'm wondering about the touch up areas blending in using "marine" paint in case I buy paint that's specific for a boat.

Considering it's on the bottom when on the trailer, or under water when it's in the water, maybe I'm just being too picky. That's probably why projects take me 2 to 3 times longer than they should

Thanks for the replies.

Lynn

[k1vsk]

Sounds like a disaster about to happen. Boat bottoms are not painted for a reason (except of course for bottom paint which is totally different than what you describe).
What's on the bottom now - gelcoat?

[lakeharley]

I would be happy if what I do doesn't turn into a disaster so I welcome any advice. I think the hull has been re-painted at least once. There's a bit of orange (maybe original gel coat?) showing through a couple places but the hull of the boat, below the aluminum trim where the deck and hull are bonded together, is light blue. There is some evidence of crazing that I suspect has transferred through the existing blue paint. The deck is white and the paint is flaking off. I plan to sand it and re-paint white.

I am not determined to use the paint I have, that I mentioned in a previous post, but would like to, if it will work. I did a test spot of Zylol on a section of the blue paint and it didn't bubble up, if that says anything. I've looked at West Marine's selection of "bottom paint" (if that's indeed what I was looking at) and saw everything from enamel to one-part polyurethane to two-part polyurethane from a number of suppliers, and came away almost as lost as when I started looking. Maybe I need a basic education on what I need to do. Maybe my use of the term "bottom paint" is not accurate.

My goal is a decent looking, but need not be award winning, paint job on the hull of my little 16' Rebel. I'm hoping it won't cost an arm and a leg to accomplish that. For the most part it will be trailered to a lake, sailed for the day, and then brought back home on the trailer. If it is left in the water it would be infrequently, and then only for a day or two at a time.

As always I am open to suggestions and an education. Thanks

Lynn

[CalebD]

If you are trailering the 16' Rebel and not leaving it in the water for long periods of time you are essentially 'dry sailing' the boat. In this case you do not need 'bottom paint' which is made to endure long periods under water and reduce marine growth. Since you will be on fresh water lakes there is even less concern for marine growth.
Dry sailed racing boats like a Lightning 19' generally will not get ANY bottom paint but will rely on a smooth exterior coat of gel coat (polyester based 2 part putty or liquid (they make both varieties) which can be sprayed and sanded hyper smooth once cured). Gel coat is normally applied inside the mold of the boat and then the epoxy or polyester resin with glass cloth is applied to build up the hull thickness. Gel coat has more UV resistance then epoxy and can be sanded to an ultra smooth surface using #220, 300, 400, 600 & 1000 grit sandpaper and then waxed or not. Gel coat will scratch but is harder then most 'hard' paints. It is also pretty stinky to work with. Do a search on 'gel coat' to see the various products and info on them I mentioned.
That said you could probably get away with spraying any xylol paint that might be used for automotive use - even if it does not say 'Marine' on the label. This is mostly because you do not intend to leave your boat in the water for long periods and you WILL hose down your trailer and hull after sailing. Remember, automobiles stay outside in the elements as much as boats do and are required to hold up to the elements. I do not know your geographic location but here in NY they use various salts as de-icers in the winter that are a bit hard on a cars paint job if not washed off quickly.
Paint your boat but consider the more difficult option of adding a layer of gel coat which should not be much more work considering the preparation (sanding, wiping down w/Acetone, applying and then sanding and sanding again) required for a good paint job.
'Bottom paints' are for salt water boats and boats that sit in a lake all summer long.
Good luck and let us know how you make out.

[lakeharley]

CalebD....Thank you! Your addition to the discussion makes me feel a lot better about what I had hoped to do. Gel Coat would probably be better but I think I'll stay with painting on this boat. I think you summed it all up very well. Sorry if I led the post astray with mention of "bottom paint". You're right about it being used in fresh water, and on the trailer most of the time.

Thanks again.

Lynn