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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

flaking bottom paint

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Brooke Willson
Admiral

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USA
983 Posts

Initially Posted - 07/04/2002 : 23:38:56

"Even Chance" is newly scraped and painted and waxed and finally the name is on her side. YAAY! We took her out in 95 degree weather and no wind just because it was the fourth of July. Out in the middle of the river we stopped the outboard, let her drift, and jumped overboard.

As I swam around inspecting the boat, in two places right at the waterline, I noticed blisters in the bottom paint. I rubbed them a little and paint flaked off in about a two inch diameter circle. The gelcoat didn't seem to be blistered underneath -- of course, this was done in the water so it's hardly a comprehensive investigation.

Suggestions? Explanations? Should I call this to the yard's attention and ask that the boat be hauled and the spots repainted? Is something more pernicious going on? Or should I run the boat aground one day, let the tide go out, and touch the paint up myself?

Brooke

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Douglas
Master Marine Consultant

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1595 Posts

Response Posted - 07/06/2002 : 02:09:12

There are two main variables here. Did the person doing the bottom paint use the same paint or check for compatability ????

After a good pressure was the bottom job prep work done properly, Roughing up the old paint with sand paper ect.

Just sounds like a bonding problem.

Doug&Ruth
Wind Lass
Tacoma Wa.

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Brooke Willson
Admiral

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USA
983 Posts

Response Posted - 07/06/2002 : 03:09:49

The original paint was Trinidad; the new paint was Trinidad SR. That shouldn't have been a problem.

When the paint flaked off, it flaked off down to the gelcoat. I'm wondering if this is a sign that the boat is (gasp) getting in need of a peel -- too many layers of paint. I have no idea how many layers are on the bottom. What's weird is that I wuld think if that were the case there'd be widespread flaking, which doesn't seem to be happening. The yard folks said the bottom looked good to them. . . no need for a peel.

Brooke

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allencl
Navigator

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USA
143 Posts

Response Posted - 07/06/2002 : 11:12:37

Brooke,

There was Trinidad on the bottom when we bought our boat about 4 years ago. In several places the paint peeled off down to the primer coat- these spots flaked like a pastry, even though the bottom looked pretty good overall. I think with a hard paint like Trinidad it is tempting to not adequately sand the old coat before applying new ones and they build up to an excessive thickness. Anyway, we kept the bottom that way for the first season, had no problems other than cosmetics. We then had the bottom stripped down to bare hull, sealed with an epoxy barrier coat and then finished off with an ablative paint (Interlux Micron Extra) and so far we like this treatment better since there is less work to do between coats and you don't get the build up problem.

Also, the previous owner used a topside paint of a different color on the waterline and besides allowing for wicked growth it flaked off rather easily when scrubbed. So now it's Micron extra all the way up to the boot stripe.

I must say that it was easier to scrub the Trinidad bottom while in the water, though. The Micron comes off in (expensive) blue clouds when taken to with a scrub brush. We're in pretty severe fouling conditions and I think the Micron is a bit better in our waters (upper Chesapeake), but we still get some slime...

Anyway, I would think that you're OK for the season with the problem, but I would still talk to the yard about it if they did the paint job. You could always touch up for cosmetics in the way you describe. My guess, if you Trinidad is like ours was, is that you will get some more flaking and ultimately the solution will be to take all the old stuff off and begin anew...

-Chris on "SPIRIT" C25 SR WK #5644

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Douglas
Master Marine Consultant

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1595 Posts

Response Posted - 07/06/2002 : 12:49:03

Where the pain came off is there any sign that the gel coat was sanded or roughed up. The original application may have missed a few spots. If they were not roughed up and or if original mold release was not cleaned off it could have caused this problem.

Doug&Ruth
Wind Lass
Tacoma Wa.

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cathluk
Admiral

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USA
513 Posts

Response Posted - 07/08/2002 : 07:57:00

I've got the exact same problem this year - little bubbled paint flakes down to the gelcoat. The boatyard that put on the paint also did the last bottom job so I believe the paint was compatable. Our concern was that we didn't wash the bottom down enough after our surface prep sanding, but it seems that would effect more than the water line. It almost looks like the original bottom paint (there are 3 or 4 coats on the bottom) was bubbling up and coming off at the water line. Its interesting that Brooke has the same problem since we're just on the other side of the peninsula from her & I'm sure we sail the same waters in the Bay. Could it be something in the water?

Cathy
"Blown Away"
'97 C250WK #253

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Brooke Willson
Admiral

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USA
983 Posts

Response Posted - 07/13/2002 : 12:39:39

It's HIM, Cathy!

(Joel) Brooke

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cathluk
Admiral

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USA
513 Posts

Response Posted - 07/15/2002 : 08:51:40

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
It's HIM, Cathy!

(Joel) Brooke

<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>

Oops! I'm soooo sorry! <img src=icon_smile_blush.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=icon_smile_blush.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=icon_smile_blush.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=icon_smile_blush.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=icon_smile_blush.gif border=0 align=middle>

Cathy
"Blown Away"
'97 C250WK #253

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The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.