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...

[AZKC]

I used oil based house paint and matched it a shade under my exterior color. Heres before.
[img]http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/500/57bilge_clean_up0005-med.jpg[/img]
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.
[img]http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/500/57blue_bilge0002-med.jpg[/img]
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.


[ 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.