This bulletin board, hosted by the CDSOA, Inc., is the on-line meeting place for all Cape Dory owners and groups. We welcome everyone's questions, answers and comments about Cape Dory sailboat
I am in the process of stripping the bottom with a scraper which is working very well due to the number of old layers flaking right off and volume of beer consumed in the process. Once I am down to the gelcoat and I follow all the "certified" practices to get the bottom ready to accept paint, how much can I expect to apply if starting from scratch? As I plan future spring purchases after getting the boat unit figure from my wife recently I need to have a good idea about the number of milliliters I will most likely need.
My plan is to use non-ablative this year as a base and start using ablative a foot below the waterline every year afterwards to prevent buildup. The waterline will remain non-ablative so that I can scrub off the nice Merrimack River slime during the season without easily removing expensive paint.
Barrier coat would be nice, but I can't justify the cost right now. Having removed 20 years worth of paint already will make the B.C. prepping task that much easier in the future.
FYI the scraper works like a charm especially if you file the edges so that they are not sharp and develop a technique that is gelcoat friendly. I have found that keeping the tool sharp along with a humbling dose of patience is the key.
After reading this I'm sure those of you with big beautiful CD's are envious of my 13'11" waterline.
I question that any bottom paint is "the best on the market", much less one that has only been on the market 2 years. Why is it against the law to purchase in N.Y, Ca., and Canada? Choosing the "best" paint depends on the use of the boat, location of the boat, storage of the boat, environmental issues, etc.
Cape Dory had some issues with their bottoms. Maybe the fact that they were painted before they left the factory led to some of the problems. After a boat was completed, properly preparing the bottom might not be on the top priority list. The fact that the mold release wax was not always properly removed led to paint "lifting. Use of paints that were discontinued or vendors that went out of business led to owners using paints that were not compatable with the previous. Barrier coats were not used as far as I know.
If you are able to scrape that many layers of paint off (vs.sanding, using paint removers, sandblasting, etc.) maybe something did not stick real well.
After over 20 years of experience (original owner 1984 CD270) I have found that Petit's Trindad (also available with anti-slime agent) works best for me. Boat kept in Cheseapeake Bay year round.
3 Qts. sounds right to me. Buy a gallon and save what you don't use.
Tim - you are 90% towards doing a complete bottom job - spend two weekends and finish the barrier coat. After scraping the old bottom paint off use a 60 grit Random Orbital sander and clean remaining paint off and clean off the shine in the gel coat then wash down with the proper solvent and apply the West Marine Barrier Coat (takes one kit - about $75). I then applied 2 coats of VC17 (one quart) and will then apply one coat every year thereafter. Have no problems (fresh water) but any bottom paint you use should be OK - Prevent blisters from forming - use the barrier coat since you are already there. I discovered many small blisters forming and feel that I stopped them dead in their sneaky tracks on my 1976 Ty. Apply an extra coat on the rudder to protect this fragile piece.
Can you find the cost of the barrier coat anywhere in your budget? If so, I second Tim's suggestion on the barrier coat. You might never be this close again. I did this to my last two boats and it's a good feeling knowing you've got that extra protection.
i'll second the thought on barrier coat. i too have a 76 ty that i bought knowing it had blisters and lots of them. i removed the gelcoat below the water line and replaced with west system epoxy. two coats of barrier coat finished the replacement process. 16 years later and still no blisters. 60 grit sandpaper to finish sounds a little aggressive. i used 80 grit with good results. 3 qts will do the bottom, but buy a gallon, its cheaper in the long run because you will use that quart later.
My plan is to have the barrier coat applied within the next three years or so. This is due to the amount of labor it takes to prep the hull correctly if blisters are found or if the rudder needs attention. In my scraping I have found a few small patches of tiny blisters and in my extensive reading about barrier coats both on this board and elsewhere I've found that those that didn't dremel out each blister and allow ample time (some recommend 6 months or more) to dry before filling with epoxy, the barrier coat didn't adhere or if it did would trap the water that caused the blister inside the laminate creating more problems in the future. When I can devote the extra time allowed to doing the process correct which will hopefully be next winter or the winter after, I will. By scraping off 20 years of buildup this year and replacing most of the area with a light building ablative, removal in future, be it next winter or winter 2007, will be a much easier job. Another reason for waiting is that my rudder like many other Ty's is delaminating in a few small areas around the stainless post. My plan is to remove the shoe, drop the rudder, sand, glass, and remount the way it is supposed to be done. The rudder must be repaired and blisters rectified in my eyes before the entire bottom can be barrier coated. While I appreciate the advice to barrier coat, I don't see it as a "while your there do it" or a "two weekend" job if done correctly, at least with the bottom cards I have been dealt. I will "get there again" in the near future and when I do I will pick your brains for barrier coat info. Thanks.
I did a bottom job on my Typhoon this past summer and used Petit Vivid. One gallon did 2 coats with just a little left over. Effortless application and great hard-ablative properties. My Ty is in fresh water and the Petit folks estimated this job would last 4-5 years before the next one. So far, so good.
fwiw, when i bought my ty the bilge was full of water, below the waterline was covered in tiny blisters like goosebumps, and the boat had been on the hard for almost a year. i drained the bilge, stripped the gelcoat and then setup four heat lamps under the waterline with the boat covered in a canvas tarp to help hold in the heat. they remained on for almost a month. i bought the boat in mid-april and had the boat in the water by July 1, but it does take a fair amount of time and labor. the extent of your blistering will not be totally evident until all the bottom paint is removed down to the gelcoat. hopefully you do not have as extensive blistering as i did. you are right in not doing the barrier coat before attending to the blisters, but i would not let the blisters go on for too long
hey, vivid paint can be used in fresh and salt water and like mike said it will last for four years, but you don't all was need a barrier coat...unless you have the poxes... winthrop
