Another bottom paint question

[v26wa]

I know we discussed this before but I would like some additional info. I will be pulling out early this year (Oct.) to get a jump start on bottom paint for next years cod fishing. What exactly is the correct process for painting an alloy hull. I have to 1st clean the bottom of this hull that has been in the water for 6 mon. How would you go about this and what products would you use (name brand) ? What is the best way to do this on a trailer ? Any and all specific info would would be appriciated ! Thanks !

[kmorin]

v26wa,

before you pressure wash to get the growth off use a weed sprayer to rinse on a strong solution of Chlorox to loosed the barnacles and grasses anchor 'glue'.

Then pressure wash, and either sand blast, or sand with a rotary sander or use a 3M gasket removal sanding pad to create an anchor pattern or mechanical tooth for the primer.

Then etch with phosphoric and hydrofluoric acid {Zep-A-Lume, AlumaBrite} while abrading with Scotchbrite [hand held or car wash mop] to scrub the acid around. Let acid soak and foam for three to five minutes or until there is not change in 'color' under the wet areas.

Rinse CONTINUALLY with water and keep the surface wet until you sponge on allodyne (zinc and chrome solution) and allow to dry.

Coat with immersible/underwater primer when allodyne is dry in the air. DeVoe/Americoat 235 underwater primer is good, there are plenty of other products.

Coat is ePaint when epoxy primer is dried 3-4 hours.

all the above is fact but his is advice (?) Scrap the trailer and make an couple of A frames of 2x8's-2x10's and hoist her up to a working height- every inch above the ground higher than 30" the work becomes half again easier. AT 48" it will be "100 times" easier than at 24" and at 60" it will be almost 'livable'. Don't be shy about hanging her from her bow stem and tip the hull up ended by the bow and paint her there.

Most of the products listed are dangerous, toxic and agressive- not the rinse water- and all of them need professional PPE. Don't take chances with your hide- the acid and allodyne can be tough on the hide.

Obviously if she's 28 feet of welded hull you'll need a crane to follow my advice - but.... if she's smaller ? well the displacement makes the conditions for this job.

Cheers,

[Chaps]

Good advice Kevin, sure glad you are active here. V26 you really need to get the boat off the trailer and up in the air to do any kind of a decent job and to keep the caustic stuff off your body. Best bet for most owners is to get it set on supports in a DIY boat yard. I do enough boats that I built an A-frame behind my shop for the purpose. With this rig I can suspend boats with little to no blocking so I can do each process completely without having to constantly shift supports around. Sorry for the plastic flower pot in the pic but you get the idea. I've lifted boats to 26' with this thing so bring yours over!

(the vertical posts go 4' into the ground btw)

[Ironwoodtuna]

CHAPS,

Cool rig, wish I had a back yard again. I would buy a triple or quad wheel alloy trailer and make one of those rigs for my big girl. I'll just have to use a stell gerter beam across the vertical timbers or 8" or so for the lifting strength.

But, it will be a few more years before I can get out of the little apartment I live in in Chinatown, NYC.

Someday! Someday, soon! Marty