Question about painting the inside of my boat's cooler.

[needabiggerboat]

I have a 1975 C&C 30' and there's a cooler portside under the counter, in lieu of a refrigerator. It empties into the galley sink by means of a foot pump.

Last summer that paint in it started peeling off, it's really a disgusting mess, gets all over your beer bottles, then pumped into the sink and out the bilge - disgusting little white flecks.

Have to sand it down and paint it - but with what? Any ideas?

Thanks,
Steve

[mitchb50]

Hey there need a bigger

anything that is wet most of the time needs to be painted with a 2 part epoxy otherwise it will blister and peel

Mitch

[Siamese]

Agreeing with Mitch. Is the cooler fiberglass? If so West System epoxy or its equivalent could be a good choice, rollered on. Either clear or pigmented with West 501 white.

[SlowButSteady]

I'll second, or third as the case may be, the epoxy recommendation. Since the current paint is peeling, you should probably first take as much of that off as possible, then let the underlaying material get good and dry. Once that is done, I would put a coat of thinned (a.k.a., "penetrating") epoxy on the surfaces, maybe even two coats, to get a good bond and to stabilize any remaining paint. Then a final coat of un-thinned epoxy to build a little thickness. Sand it a smooth as possible and put a couple of good thick coats of wax on (this will help keep the condensation/ice-melt from clinging to the sides, thus keeping mold-mildew to a minimum).

[mitiempo]

On a C&C I would think it was gelcoat to start with and should not have ever been painted. I can't recall ever seeing a factory icebox in anything but gelcoat, mine included.

[svHyLyte]

In the event you do have to repaint, you can make your life a bit more simple, and the job easier, with "EasyPoxy". See YouTube - Pettit Easypoxy Topside Paint

FWIW...

[deniseO30]

the one in my boat is poly eth. nasty looking nothing will paint that and stick.