Bottom Paint Removal

This is a job....

...., for Super-Roamerman!
The answers you seek grasshopper are under your thumb (make that your right index finger on the mouse):
http://www.geocities.com/alloyed2sea/TechnicalForum.html
Even better:
http://www.geocities.com/alloyed2sea/SavetheSteel.doc
Now get back to work!

Hello. I went through bottom paint removal twice. Roamers came out of the factory using this process: acid wash to prep the metal; multiple coats of vinyl-based underliner primer to insulate the bottom steel; multiple coats of bottom paint (use for your area.) The primer was gray so it would show thru when the bottom paint had worn thin. Original paint schemes came with permanent red, or light blue bottom paint colors. Hulls were white with red boot stripe and dark blue sheer stripe. This info cfame from Gite Van Kampen, Roamer's Holland Plant Manager in the 1960's. My Dad had gotten to know Gite while our 48' was being built. I also got to know him and he told me about this info. Infact, he told me a lot about Roamers.

Now, my story: You have to be extremely careful and make sure everyone knows what they're doing. The firtst time our's was removed was on the service manager's recommendation. (We later found out it didn't have to be removed....the guy didn't know what he was talking about and was eventually fired!) They started using stripper but realized that it would take too long so they used grinders. They used the Interlux system but didn't acid wash the bottom first. They waited too long between coats so the paint didn't attach. The second time, the new new service manager recommended they grind again. They used (without telling us) zinc chromate as the primer and copper-based bottom paint. Paint still didn't hold and found out about the zince chromate when we moved the boat to California. The marine center out here zeroed in the problem immediately -- zince chromate -- not be used on steel under water! They sand-blasted the bottom, which showed all of the corrosion holes from the dissimiilar metals. We double-plated areas of the bottom so the boat could go back into the water. They used the Interlux 2000/2001 system. The paint stayed on in great shape for 4 years, despite sitting in saltwater. I have since hauled her and have her on the hard while we get ready to fix the bottom.

If I can help in any way, please email.

Jeff
ss6748

Hull protection

I have a similar thread posted on another part of this site, so search it out and read on... my purpose in posting now is to tell you I am so pleased with my hull after one year in brackish saltwater conditions... I live on a small bayou with a regular influx of fresh water, but the bulk of my trips are to the island and the Gulf of Mexico... After blasting the hull last year we applied three coats of a two part epoxy and then two coats of the epoxy hard paint and then two coats of regular bottom paint... The colors were alternated to help determine, in the event of any damage, how severe a problem could be...
She is out of the water right now with engine problems, but the paint looks terrific...
I run raw water and whoever replace the starboard engine did not put in brass freeze plugs.... ugh.... big $$$$ for 8 $2 plugs.... should have been brass....In any event I am pleased with the results and look forward to many years of Roaming!!!!

wet garnet blasting leaves a nice finish on steel, and dosent travel to far to coat others. Two of my friends who have steel live aboards swear by Jotuns Jotamastic as a bottom paint, and flash coated on 4 coats before the anti-fouling.
For the antifouling they used regular 'tanker' red Jotun or Hemple, about 6 coats.
Jotamastic is ok above the waterline as well, but must be over coated as it does discolour in UV.
Hope that helps.

Hi,

I justsaw this.

Brass is not much good in Sea Water but it is betterthan plain ole steel.

Where I did my apprenticeship we used to coat the inside of freeze plugs and the hole rims with Shellac as this will provide a barrier between the plug face and the water. You should also look at these as a regular maintenance item if you are running direct salt water cooling through the engines.

hull paints

Anybody heard of "Rust Bullet, LLC" <Info@RustBullet.com>??? an aluminum /epoxy used in the NAVY
How about Zinga (zinc/epoxy)???
Should I use any of these below the water line or stay with straight epoxies?
Orestes
Romer 31

bottom paint / blast

All recommendations on bottom paints are so different and confusing. Some old-timers from RI recommended POR-15 products after a conventional blasting. I do not know if the do the job but I try to keep any mixings away (zinc based, aluminum based etc) let alone the most expensive ones. I am wondering if good old and cheap military epoxy surplus can do just fine. If is good of the battleships should be good for the Roamers too, they were build with same (surplus) steel

Orestes

hi
Epoxy is the best way to do it

Use an Ultra High Pressure Water blaster. These units are the ones that are 11,000psi +. Most handy, cleanest way of getting rid of paint and rust.