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Learning how to paint the bottom of a boat on a trailer is something you will appreciate as a boat owner. Painting the bottom of the boat prevents sea creatures and plant matter from adhering to the boat, thus ensuring structural integrity. If you have never painted the bottom of a trailer, this guide provides all the information needed to make the painting process successful.
How To Apply Bottom Paint To A Boat: What You Will Need
For an easier time painting the boat, you must amass all the tools that you need in one area to save time and afford easy access. Among the things you need are:
- Application tools
- The cleaning tools
- Paint
- A surface cover
When selecting the paint, you have to be careful to pick durable paint that is friendly to the environment. If you want to retain the boat’s antifouling function while providing biocide capabilities, it is better to work with products such as copolymer ablative paints. These copolymer paints are effective for winter boat storage, as they prevent the growth of unwanted organisms in the boat.
Alternatively, use epoxy paints if your boat stays in water year-round, because they have high levels of copper to keep algae from taking over the surface. You can purchase these high copper level paints at an affordable price, or you can settle for paints with composite copper.
Step-By-Step Guide On How To Bottom Paint A Boat
Painting your boat, especially on a trailer looks like hard work, and in reality most boat owners would rather skip the process. However, if you don’t paint your boat then you can expect to find sea creatures and plants attached thus reducing functionality and durability. To make matters easier for you, follow the steps below;
Clean the bottom of your boat
One cannot paint a dirty surface because it is messy and the paint won’t adhere to the surface correctly. You need to remove all the slime and other things attached to the surface of the boat. It is easier to clean the surface of the boat when wet because you can easily scrape off any objects stuck to the boat. If your boat spends time in the open and the objects on the surface dry, you will need a scraper and more muscle strength to remove them.
Get yourself a reliable hand scraper or a power spray to remove the objects. The power spray is especially useful because you won’t use much energy, and it can remove layers of chipped paint.
Remove Wax Overcoat
If your boat was waxed, you need to remove the wax in order to access the paint layers underneath. Waxing is essential in boats because it offers protection from both sun and water damage, therefore, maintaining your boat’s appearance.
Removing the wax overcoat involves the use of a wax stripper like the Star brite One, some detergent, and water. Use one rug soaked in wax stripper to remove the wax and another rug soaked in water to clear the wax from the surface.
If your boat has no wax coatings, kindly skip this step.
Strip the Old Paint
This is an important process for boats with old paint coats that have chipped. Experts do not recommend painting over chipped layers, especially if the paint types are different. For example, vinyl paints over non-vinyl paints are disadvantageous because Vinyl paints have active solvents that may lift the old non-vinyl paints off the surface.
It is best to remove the old paint layers and replace them with new layers that strongly adhere to the surface. You can use a chemical stripper such as the Smart Strip Advanced Paint Remover or hook scraper to remove the paint. Although chemical strippers are more effective, many people prefer hook scrapers because they are safer than inhaling chemicals.
Sand the surface
Boats that still have good paintwork can do with some sanding. The sanding is not to remove any paint layers, but rather even out the surfaces. You should not use a belt sander because you risk damage to the hull, but rather use a small hand sander. The sander should possess softer grades of sandpaper to prevent stripping the bottom paint or damaging the laminate areas.
Sanding surfaces is a dusty affair, thus make sure to wear a mask to prevent the particulates from entering your respiratory tract.
Remove particulates from sanding
Now that you are done sanding, you must clean the surface again to remove any particulates that may prevent smooth application of the paint. You can use a vacuum to collect the particles or wipe with a clean cloth. The surface should be dry and grease-free so that the paint adheres to the surface properly and looks neat.
Seal the borders
Because you are not painting the whole boat, you need to seal the borders. You can do this by using masking tape that is UV stable. Stick the tape around the boat’s stripe or natural brake line, making sure to press the tape down to ensure it sticks. As you mask the boat’s natural break line, also make sure to seal off the propeller shaft struts, transducers, hulls and other metallic sections. You don’t want the paint to splatter where it should not be.
Protect the trailer
If you care about your trailer, you might want to cover it up to avoid paint splatters. It is good to use newspapers because you can cut to size to cover all the exposed areas. Use tape to secure the newspapers from flying in the wind. If you have an old trailer, and you don’t mind the paint mess, then this step is not necessary.
Applying Primer
When learning how to bottom paint a boat for the first time, you must understand the importance of a primer. The primer provides an even surface for the paint to take hold of the surface. A primer such as the Marine Grade Primer will protect the metal from water damage and allow the paint to adhere well.
Remember to wait for the primer to dry before applying the paint. If you do not give the primer time to dry, the paint will wrinkle, which is not appealing to the eye. Always read the manufacturer’s instructions to find how long you should wait in-between applications.
Stirring The Paint
In many cases, people prefer vinyl paints because they produce smooth and slightly shiny surfaces that will survive in salty water. Paint such as the TotalBoat Krypton Copper Free Antifouling Boat Bottom Paint will come in handy in slowing down the growth of sea organisms on the boat, and prevents corrosion of the metal. Depending on your boat requirements, you can either settle for ablative or hard bottom paints since hard paints are more durable.
It is common for people not to mix their paint before painting because we think it is not necessary. Paint experts however propose that you should mix the paint before using it so that all the components merge well. You can do this using a paint shaker or a paddle attached to a power drill and the aim is to get uniform pigment and consistency throughout the paint, especially when mixing colors.
After mixing for around 10-15 minutes, the paint is ready for use.
Things to Keep in Mind
Bottom painting a boat while on a trailer or any other surface can be dangerous if precautions are not in place.
- Always read the paint manufacturer’s instructions to make sure you apply the paint effectively for all-round protection.
- Wear protective gloves and goggles to avoid inhaling chemical fumes.
- Buy paint that is suitable for the material in your boat. This is to avoid damage caused by chemical reactions, such as in the case of aluminum boats and copper-based paints.
- When taping the waterline, make sure it is straight to avoid a crooked paint job.
- Pull the tape off before the paint dries. If you let the paint dry with the tape, it will be hard to remove it successfully.
- While lifting the boat off a trailer, make sure the cradle has a wide surface to avoid pressure points that might damage the hull.
FAQs
How do you lift a boat off the bottom of a trailer?
While bottom painting a boat while on a trailer, you need to know how to safely move the boat. Follow the steps below to successfully move the boat off the trailer.
- For stability purposes, mount the trailer to a vehicle.
- Establish a cradle for the boat to rest on. Ensure the cradle is structurally sound and in one piece to support the weight of the boat.
- Next is to jack up the trailer using a jack and its stands. You might also want to use cribbing for safety purposes.
- Slowly lift the boat as high as you want and place the cradle underneath.
- Next, lower the trailer slowly and you are done
How much does it cost to bottom paint a boat for the first time?
There are a few factors that will affect how much you spend painting the bottom. One has to consider the type of paint and size of the boat. You may spend as little as 300 dollars or as much as 2000 dollars. Quality paint on a big boat will cost more than painting a small boat with budget-friendly paint.
Does the boat bottom need a primer?
Priming a surface before painting is not a must, but it is advantageous. The primer helps the paint stick to the surface for longer and protects the surface from water damage and corrosion.
Final Thoughts
Knowing how to apply bottom paint to a boat is a skill that you will need as long as you have a boat. On top of that, it will save you some money from getting it professionally done, therefore it is a win-win situation. We hope you found these tips useful as you embark on painting the bottom of your boat to guarantee it serves you for the future. Join us next time for another informative article!
