Paint recommendation

[Roger Cumming]

For refinishing the inside of a small open lapstrake cedar/oak sailboat what paint do you recommend? I have scraped off most of the existing 2 coats of paint although some areas such as in the stern are hard to get at. Is Interlux Bilgecoat appropriate? Floorboards will be painted too. Boat will live on a mooring in salt water and probably leak even though I've replaced the split garboard plank. The existing paint on the inside is falling off below the waterline and fairly sound above the waterline.

[Matt J.]

Hi Roger,
Is that the boat in your barn when I was up there? I'm curious what's recommended. Only thing I remember being told worked in bilges was red lead... but I doubt you want a bright orange paint on that prettly little boat.

My only guess, then is red lead as a primer and marine enamel over it (Rarus gets Kirby's now). I guess I'd just expect to have to refresh it every couple years, but the red lead will hold no problem, and should keep the finish coats on better.

You know that's just my guess, though.

Hope all's well in NY.

[Venchka]

What Matt said. Kirby's red lead followed by Kirby's enamel.

An example...

Bilge finish (http://www.rickcorless.com/PAGE20.htm)

http://www.rickcorless.com/boat98.jpg

http://www.rickcorless.com/boat104.jpg

Wayne
In the Swamp. :D

[Gary E]

Boat will live on a mooring in salt water and probably leak even though I've replaced the split garboard plank. The existing paint on the inside is falling off below the waterline and fairly sound above the waterline. Ok, so i cant prove it, but it seems to me that what ever paint you put on the inside below the waterline will do the same thing. It will because the boards will absorbe water, and that water will try to escape the same as paint on a house. There is another thread here that talks about this very same thing.

There is only one way for this to not cause the paint to bubble and come off. That would be to allow NO water to be absorbed into the wood, and since te boat is a lapstrake, sitting in water, how sure are you that the part of each board that you cant see is sealed?... I thought so, your not.

Good luck, let us know how it works out.
I can be wrong.

Pretty boat, I'd store it on land upsidedown.
Ok so the photo is not your boat Roger, but it's still pretty, and I'd still store it out of the water.

[ 06-13-2005, 12:23 PM: Message edited by: Gary E ]