newbie boat finishing question...

[onlyabill]

I apologize in advance if this stuff is ‘common knowledge’. I am new to boating and am in the final stages of completing my first boat, a QE-15, stick-n-glue, plywood outboard. I have glass and epoxy coated the out side and am ready for the final sanding in preperation for painting and that is the issue. I am wondering about painting. The boat will be fresh-water (land-locked lake) kept only. Not full time water either.

I have seen references in this forum to difference painting options including using basic exterior latex house paint but I do not understand when these options are appropriate. I am looking for advice. Can I use latex above and below the water line? Do I need to use anti-fowling paint? Two coats? Three? I am looking for any/all advice. Thanks much.

[Mrleft8]

If you use "Anti-fowling" paint, you probably won't see any ducks. If you use anti-fouling paint you wont get as much algae. If the boat won't be moored, or docked, (IE: If you're going to pull it out of the water every time you use it)you don't need anti-fouling paint.

[ 04-08-2003, 10:44 PM: Message edited by: Mrleft8 ]

[Nicholas Carey]

Use a good marine paint. Kirby Paint (http://www.kirbypaint.com/), Interlux (http://www.interlux.com/), Pettit (http://www.pettitpaint.com/), Woolsey/Z-Spar (http://www.kop-coat.com/corporate/woolsey.htm) and Epifanes (http://www.epifanes.com/) are all reputable brands (in no particular order...though you should seriously consider George Kirby's fine product line.)

[I can hear the whiners now: But marine paint is sooooo expensive].

Your 15 foot boat will use [maybe] a quart. If that. All I can say is, "What's your time worth to you?"

Boat paint has to live in an environment unlike that of a house. House paint is designed for one environment; boat paint for another.

One thing to consider for bottom paint is a hard bottom paint designed for the conditions you specify. Interlux and Petit both make paints that will suit; I'm sure Epifanes and Kirby may also.

Good Luck.

[plimsol]

Before you paint, be sure to wet sand the surfaces to be painted with epoxy with cleaning amonia. Use the cheap unscented kind. What you are doing is removing the amine blush, which is water soluable and will be a cause of the paint not adhering.
Second, wash down the epoxy surface with a cobalt chloride paint dryer. Painting enamel over epoxy can result in the paint not drying. A skin forms but the paint remains soft. It is my understanding that the unreacted parts of the epoxy reacts with the dryer in the enamel. The wash of dryer removes this problem.
This advice is from experience and not correct scientific experiment. It works for me.