Bilge/Transom Paint

[Hotcrusader76]

Does anybody know of a type of paint to coat my bilge and back transom with? I thought about Gelcoat, but wouldn't that be time consuming?
I am re-sanding it this week and doing some glass clean-up as well. Then I want to re-coat it in white/gray with a contrast splatter paint.
I need some guidance... :rolleyes:

[AZKC]

I used oil based house paint and matched it a shade under my exterior color. Heres before.
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/500/57bilge_clean_up0005-med.jpg
Heres after, I used a primer sealer(Kilz) then laid the paint on with a couple of thick coats, takes awhile to dry, but its easy to touch up and easy to clean. You can splatter it with the accent of your choice.
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/500/57blue_bilge0002-med.jpg
Good Luck
KC

[roostwear]

I used garage floor epoxy paint from Home Depot in my old Tahiti! Levels real nice, super glossy, and holds up to bilge crap great.

[HammerDown]

I'd have to think some kind of Epoxy will hold up to Grease, Gas, Oil. Don't know about the "Oil Based House Paint"

[JESSE]

we used spray paint then put a good coat of rasine over the top of that. it came out good and it is easy to clean up.

[Charger455]

Gel coat (or any polyester resin) is the best for the bilge area. The reason is for the best strength, any repairs to the stringers, transom or bilge area should be resin to resin. Any other products (with the possible exception of epoxy, dont know about that one) will need to be completely removed prior to repairs or fiberglass re-coats.

[Squirtcha?]

I did mine twice. The first time I used the epoxy floor paint from Home Depot. It did NOT hold up to fuel. After a couple trips and it began to blister and peel. The second time I did it using gelcoat and I'm a firm believer that it's the best thing you can use. I've had fuel, oil, detergents, grease, scrungy lake water and all kindsa other crap in my bilge since I did it. After a lake trip just take a jug of 409 household cleaner or simple green. Spray it down, wipe it out, and it looks like new again. I brushed mine in and it left some brush marks (no spray rig) but it still looks pretty darned good (after all it's just a bilge).
Oh if you're wondering about the color........I've got gray carpet and gray trim on the seats. It all kinda comes together when it's assembled. One other thing. If you do it in epoxy then try to change to gelcoat........all the epoxy will have to be sanded/cleaned off prior to gelcoating. Ask me how I know. Epoxy and gelcoat don't play well together.
http://www.homestead.com/jetboat/files/P1010002t.jpg
http://www.homestead.com/jetboat/files/P1010003t.jpg
[ May 05, 2003, 02:34 PM: Message edited by: Squirtcha? ]

[82SleekCraft]

Squirtcha?:
The second time I did it using gelcoat and I'm a firm believer that it's the best thing you can use. When you guys say brushed on "gel coat", do you mean the fiberglass resin that can be purchased from Home Depot, etc? Or is gel coat totally different from fiberglass resin?
Did you paint it gray before laying down the gel coat?

[Squirtcha?]

The stuff I bought was from a guy here in Phoenix that specializes in boat refinishing products. It's my understanding that it's just a pigmented resin though. You have to add hardner and a little wax to it. I mixed half a quart of black and half white for the gray I ended up with. I saw his color charts and they can do just about any color you could want.
You can brush it but you have to use a natural bristle brush. Absolutely no synthetic bristles of any kind. The resin will eat it. I found out that you have to work pretty fast too. If you mix the whole batch, you only have 20-30 minutes to apply it before it turns into a brick in the bucket. Ya need to have all your prep work done so you can knock it all out before the stuff kicks. Spraying would surely give you a better job, I just didn't have access to the equipment.
[ May 05, 2003, 04:53 PM: Message edited by: Squirtcha? ]

[DUCKY]

Gel is the way to go. You can brush it or roll it on with surfacing agent for a one step, one color finish, or you can put on your color, splatter on your accent color(s), then spray clear duratec over that for a nearly bulletproof, glossy finish. The area you wish to coat should be prepped thouroughly with 80 grit, and cleaned with acetone.

[DUCKY]

Hotcrusader76:
Does anybody know of a type of paint to coat my bilge and back transom with? I thought about Gelcoat, but wouldn't that be time consuming?
I am re-sanding it this week and doing some glass clean-up as well. Then I want to re-coat it in white/gray with a contrast splatter paint.
I need some guidance... :rolleyes: It's only time consuming if you want to make it look like the outside of the boat (color sanded and buffed)

[BobbyB]

Does anyone know if there is a place to get that "webbing" paint

[Duke]

Custom77:
Does anyone know if there is a place to get that "webbing" paint Try asking havasu barney at his forum's at www.havasubarney.com (http://www.havasubarney.com)
i'v seen pictures of him using it.
duke!

[Hotcrusader76]

Squirtcha?
Awesome job. I was a little reluctant to doing Gel, but you have convinced me. I will be sending you an e-mail about some of the finer details.
I am to the point where this Friday is nothing but using the electric sander on the bilge and transom. Since I have pulled all of the rigging and gone through this much trouble, why not go with Gelcoat? Gray is perfect, that's exactly what I am after.
I get my rail system and metal mounting components (driveshaft cover, battery tray, and flexplate cover) back tomorrow from our killer powdercoater vendor "Candy Blue". That will contrast great on gray.
Thanks for the insight everyone! Ya'll rock!
~Ty

[HBjet]

Custom77:
Does anyone know if there is a place to get that "webbing" paint It's not paint, it's a solution you mix with gelcoat. When mixed, it still looks and pours just like the gelcoat would without it. Once sprayed out of the gun, you have the webbing effect.
Last year we did my bilge area, and I'm going to redo it this year because I had to remove the intake and reset it, so I need to do some touch up work. Anyways, make sure the surface your going to be spraying is very very clean. Lay down a few coats of the base color, and then spray the webbing color. Before you spray the webbing though, do a few test shoots against some wood or something to make sure you get the effect you want. The closer you are, the thicker the webbing, the further, the more spread out it is.
Here are a few pics of my bilge area.
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/500/20DSCN6400-med.JPG
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/500/20DSCN6417-med.JPG
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/500/20DSCN6424-med.JPG
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/500/20DSCN6555-med.JPG
Gelcoat all the way!
HBjet

[MarKist]

FYI, gelcoat is nothing more than fiberglass resin with color pigments in it! wink wink sorry to let the cat out Barney but couldn't resist!! :D :D

[HavasuBarney]

MarKist:
FYI, gelcoat is nothing more than fiberglass resin with color pigments in it! wink wink sorry to let the cat out Barney but couldn't resist!! :D :D Gel is a specially formulated poly resin with thixotropic agents to increase viscosity, flow and non sag properties. It is not a standard GP or laminating resin.
You are correct but I would not use Home Depot resin and add pigment to get a desired result. :)
Last time I checked, Home Depot does carry 1 gallon cans of white gel though. :)

[Danhercules]

Those pic are awsome!!! I will have to do that to my boat one day!!
Squircha, I knew you had more pics. I like you colors a lot!! Clean machine!!!

[Squirtcha?]

Thanks Dan
In reality she's a twenty footer (looks good from twenty feet). Lots of these guys have much better looking boats than mine. I don't have the cash to buy the pretty anodized store bought bobbles and find myself making lots of my own brackets in the garage with crude hand tools and it shows when ya get up close.
I strive mainly to make it strong and realiable and so far that part's working out pretty good. I like a turnkey boat that I can count on each and every time out (so far so good) knocking on genuine imitation wood grain formica here.
If ya make it to the CBBB thing this summer, you'll see what I mean about the other boats. They put mine to shame.
[ May 07, 2003, 08:12 AM: Message edited by: Squirtcha? ]

[HavasuDreamin']

www.fiberglast.com (http://www.fiberglast.com) can hook you up with all the resin's, gelcoats, pigments, fabrics, tools, and what ever else you may need. Their tech line is very good as well. I am in the process right now of dowling and glassing a sh*tload of holes in my stringers. After the structural stuff is done, I am going to be gelcoating the stringers and center pod a light blue color to match the boat. I got all of my stuff from Fiberglast. They are located just outside of Dayton, OH, so it only took one day to get my stuff. Probably would take you guys on the left coast about 3 days or so.
Good Luck, and post some pictures.
PS....pics of my project in progress are forthcoming. :cool:
Oh yeah, the other way to cure gel coat (as apposed to adding a wax) is to spray PVA over the top of it when you are done. This seals off the gel to air and allows it to fully cure. 24 hours later, you can rinse the PVA off of the gel and boom........you're done.
[ May 06, 2003, 10:23 AM: Message edited by: HavasuDreamin' ]

[DirtyBob]

HBJET,
You shot that gel-web-coat yourself? What kind of gun do you use?
-DB

[HBjet]

DirtyBob:
HBJET,
You shot that gel-web-coat yourself? What kind of gun do you use?
-DB Any paint gun should do the job. Again, to get the web effect, there is a webbing solution you mix with the gelcoat. When you mix it, it's still really thin. Actually, the gelcoat doesn't look or feel any different, but for some reason when you spray it out, it webs. Don't ask me how that works, it just does!
HBjet

[DirtyBob]

thanks HB, i think i'll give it a shot