Tips and Tricks for bottom painting your boat

[@seau2007]

From what I have viewed Louis you are doing the right job. From the sanding to final stage it's all good. 35+ years for me and many boats later I follow the same methods. Yours is the right info. Out here in the SF Bay area we use Trinidad. Lots of growth and this brand seems to be the best protection. Keep making your videos. Most owners do not have a clue. Thanks. Steve

[@su5119]

From Steve U. Regarding your question of hauling multi hulls, I'm not sure. Although, contact Matt at San Rafael Yacht Harbor off E. Francisco Blvd. . He has been around for some time and is a good harbor master with his yard. Make sure you talk to Matt or get a direct message from him. KKMI is Sausalito is not good and very expensive. Going north there are some independent places I do not have information on but someone does , maybe Matt can help.

[@freddienh]

Hi Louie I'm an old neighbor from Jamestown - corner on Green Lane and Union Street. Nice to see your boat nik presentations Keep up the great work I'm on MV been here 50 summers even when I had places in Newport and Jamestown for 30 years.

[@b24tnt]

I love his commentary. I could listen to it all day. For someone doing this for the same time, it's a reassuring tone.

[@hollyobrien2816]

I totally agree, it's his wonderful personality and I too could listen to him all day long. Always grrrrreat tips!

[@bgbendiksen]

Came across this. A couple of things I thought I'd mention. I live in Norway, have been around boats for more than half a century now and have extensive experience with caring for them. First: Gelcoat is not 100% waterproof. Unless you have a boat spending most of it's time out of the water, you should always apply a few of layers of of epoxy primer before applying bottom paint. This will reduce the chance of delamination of the fiberglass when a soaked hull freezes in sub-zero temperatures, and generally prevent osmotic blisters. Second: Mostly, you can apply ablative bottom pain over hard, but the other way around is a very bad idea. I don't think this was mentioned. Third, if you use ablative bottom paint (which I recommend), using alternate colors is a very good idea. Ablative bottom paint is effective until it's totally gone. Once you have given it two layers in different colors (or maybe 2+1 if you start from scratch), it is very easy to see where you need to touch it up next time you paint the bottom. Mostly, you do not need to apply more than a few dabs here and there. Front end of keel and rudder, waterline etc. Slapping on a full new layer of paint every year will quickly build up to a very lumpy and uneven bottom paint, which then will have to be removed to maintain a reasonably smooth and effective underwater hull. Using the described method saves a lot of time and money.

[@amykoetsier3844]

Bjorn may I ask you a question or two? I am trying to restore a 1960's 16' all wooden boat (it actually is mostly constructed with plywood I believe). I am stripping the finish off all the brightwork and transom currently. Now I know nothing about boats, but love all things old and wooden, and am wondering what do I put on the wood after I have it all cleaned and sanded? Tung oil, spar urethane, a combination of both? Also for the bottom of the boat (which appears to be in great shape ) what do I need to do and use to do a proper job of repainting it? Any help would be appreciated, have a great day...Amy

[@bgbendiksen]

@@amykoetsier3844 Sure, you can ask. :) And as for what is the best treatment for the brightwork on a wooden boat... Well, if you ask 10 sailors you will get AT LEAST 11 different answers ;) I would say oil of some kind. I have used raw linseed oil, wood tar (stockholm tar) or a mix of both, with some turpentine thrown in to help penetration. I have also used Owatrol. Great product. I do not recommend using varnish. It does not "breathe" and will result in a lot of blistering. You do get blisters if you use linseed oil as well, but not nearly as much. The best product is Tar, maybe with 10% linseed oil in it. It will not be shiny, and it takes a good while to dry, but the wood will love it. And there will be no scraping or blistering. And it smells heavenly ;) On the bottom you should use primer before bottom paint, but not epoxy primer. I would recommend a vinyl primer. (unless you can get your hands on some red lead paint - but be careful with that stuff. Poisonous and very environmental unfriendly.) As you can see, there is no final answer to this. (unless you go for the tar). Much depends on what kind of finish you want, and what is available. I can only wish you good luck. ~Bjørn~

[@reldridgejr1969]

Really enjoyable video! He does such a great job narrating and explaining what they’re doing and why. I would find this interesting even if I didn’t have an interest in boats. Great stuff!

[@timothychapman2455]

This bloke is such a great craftsman. His knowledge of timber and the correct way of doing things

[@LifeOnTheHulls]

Thanks so much for all of your brilliant advice. I have just anti fouled a small 20 ft yacht and followed your advice yet again . Cheers Rossco

[@romypie3725]

I love it when people do things carefully and with their heart...the outcome is always great.

[@benyoung75]

Lovely video. Can you share tips for painting around and under boat jacks? How do you move them safely and also get a continuous coat/coats of paint?

[@IntoTheMystery13]

i found this extremely helpful and enjoyable to watch. thank you so much!

[@JudiChristopher]

You're probably wondering why a woman out in the desert of New Mexico is watching "How to Paint your Boat" Well, I have a different kind of BOAT... I'm getting ready to paint my 1985 Class A RV... Fiberglass... She is 31' long by 12' tall, and 8' wide... I have been flipping RVs for 30 years and this will only the the 2nd time I completely paint the outside of the RV... Another time I hand painted a little Travel Trailer with House Paint... Yes, you heard right... and it turned out BEAUTIFUL.... held up until great.. 20 years later... The travel trailer was so old, it was easy to sand it down, and start over... At that time, I only had money to use Good House Paint... I tried to use a roller but it left bubbles... didn't know your trick of "Tipping" (I do now). Thank you again for all your great videos... (I too am 64 years old)... Every time I redo a RV I say it' my last one... LOL... This is my 24th RV "Flipping" inside and out...

[@thomasarussellsr]

Yeah, house paint will work on an RV, it doesn't float in water. However, automotive paint will last longer than house paint, but it costs so much more. If your cheap house paint lasts 20 years, your getting more time than on a stationary house recommendation. Good for you, ma'am. Road boats need upkeep too.

[@JudiChristopher]

@@thomasarussellsr "Road Boats" ... I liked that!!!! LOL I only use Walmart Exterior Semi-gloss House Paint... Inside and Out.. It is the BEST... and believe me, I have used every paint there is... (not automotive paint, or boat paint), I know they would be even better.... But this House Paint is a 20 year guaranteed.

[@gothamantiquities2595]

You and Ken made it look really nice!

[@gronnelg]

That narrating was fabulous!

[@tonyswatermaker3158]

little tip to make the mixing easier. The day before useing the paint put the can (closed can) upside down . The sediment starts to flow to the top and start to premix by gravity. All the rest of the procedure are right. The final mixing can be done without taking a bit of paint to get to the sediment.

[@SouthFloridaFishingChannel]

Def. bottom paint your boat. I left mine in the water for only 20 days and it got covered in growth. I just uploaded my vid of what my boat ended up looking like. Now I have a nice black bottom paint and life can go back to normal =)

[@Boat123-p7s]

I didn’t know rolling out the bottom could be so much fun!!! ⛵️

[@iwatchedthevideo7115]

Thank you for a very informative video! I just bought my first boat and it really needs a paint job. Not sure if I'll be able to get it done as neatly on my first try!

[@twizzler3b]

New subscriber, just found you today. Thanks for all the helpful info.

[@michaelorr3991]

What do you do about the areas under the jacks?

[@masondyer9024]

Louis great job, you sure preach what you know well. I'll love for you to take me on as an apprentice.

[@hollyobrien2816]

Lou is my coach! Love this guy!!

[@Dogbloxxy]

Look at the videos rolling and tipping those paint jobs come out pretty smooth.

[@BandiGetOffTheRoof]

Not just this video...but I'll never understand why so many people will watch a video and not take 2 nano-seconds to give it a thumbs up.

[@johngardner357]

This is a fantastic video. I am about to do this to the boat I just got. Well done and thank you.

[@christopherjones5561]

Nice job, guys! I'll be doing this myself in a few weeks as soon as the weather warms up here in upstate NY!

[@coastalsailor9151]

Another tip, if I may. Since you are putting on two coats, which I always feel is a minimum, why not make the first coat red. Then you can make the second coat your choice. As the outer coat wears away, the red will show through to alert you it's time to apply more paint. Just a thought.

[@giovanninicosia643]

My dad always does that technique on our 60 ft oyster Lugger,what we use is Pettit Trinidad and what he does is buy 4 gallons in total 2 black and 2 red and what he does is put a coat if black then a coat of red so you can see where you missed a spot and then do the same again to put the last coat as the red paint for it to be the final color it may be kindve pricey ($250 a gallon) but it's worth it because it will foul early if you don't put it on right

[@timchapman8539]

Geoffery, why would that be wasteful or more expensive? Can you buy a quart of each color to make the same half gallon he used?

[@thedolphin5428]

What I've done is just mix in a little tint of a different colour for the first coat so you can see where you've been when doing the second coat.

[@frankwhite3196]

Thanks

[@MrGentlebutfirm]

Are you guys completely blind? Very easy to see the wet paint and distinguish it from the already dried paint. It is a non-problem!

[@MrMrEMiller]

Great techniques and great video, thanks

[@rookie1255]

What about the spots where the boat is blocked? Do those get sanded and painted too?

[@ChadKovac]

This is what I wanted to know.

[@polakis1975]

+Chad Kovac same question here...

[@ChadKovac]

+Polis Dimitriadis so I guess you can move one of the three at a time.

[@polakis1975]

Yes, thought so but you cannot have a perfect finish at the same time i suppose

[@chris6200]

you set a new stand right next to it and take up the weight then remove tbe old stand and paint that spot. Similar story with the large blocks underneath lift the boat up move the blocks then paint that spot.

[@guyvangenechten6484]

Looking good very nice work!!!👌💯👍

[@HighStreetMile]

Great informative video. Looking forward to bottom painting after this loonnnnnggg winter in Newburyport MA.

[@hommie789]

You painted right over your prop shaft support? It looks like it's metal or aluminum are you not worried about galvanic corrosion?

[@CarreraGTSCS]

What do you do to the un-sanded and unpainted areas where the jack pads were? How do you do those?

[@RechargeableLithium]

Once the paint is cured, one moves the stands (and keel blocks), sands if not done already, wipes the areas with denatured alcohol or another solvent, and paints.

[@hughhart4990]

great video. What type of roller would you suggest, i.e. foam? Light nap?

[@luiscaraballo3802]

No answer yet?

[@mikewalker2613]

I have never seen the nail hole on the can lip trick!! Im doing that next time I paint any thing.

[@richardbohlingsr3490]

Bottom paint went on real nice and smooth.

[@catherineharris4746]

This is far better and enjoyable than watching t.v.👍👍👍👍👍

[@thomasarussellsr]

Paint looks pretty great for a not so smooth surface. This is why I don't care for darker colors or pure white, the paint will show every little imperfection. All in all, a great paint job.

[@MrRich2966]

I like the way they applied the paint with a roller brush.

[@amphidory7600]

Wondeful tips, thank you so much! Quick question: are there advantages to using non-ablative bottom paint?

[@TipsfromaShipwrightvideos]

+Nat M It could be that non-ablative paints are better for harder surfaces like racing boats

[@JohnBraman413]

how often should you sand and repaint the bottom?

[@heidbumbee1689]

Nice job! Gotta love that the "I know better than you posts" haven't made any creative posts. No arguing with an armchair expert!

[@aaronwildeofficial]

My boat has this blue paint which comes off when you rub it. It's starting to get thin, but I only run in freshwater. I would like to repaint, but the international paint instructions say that if you don't know exactly what brand the existing paint is, you have to take it off completely before repainting. It's that true?

[@evelynsokkar8445]

Great tip, thanks ! What paint did you use ?

[@dukekochis9405]

Great video! Thanks for all of the tips.

[@ChadKovac]

How do you deal with the jack stands and boards?

[@henriqueborges4287]

Does it not look uneven if the area around is already dried? That's what I'm afraid of...

[@Broxty]

Henrique Borges who cares... it's under the water.

[@costafortia]

Isn’t wax paper gonna make it slippery? I’d be concerned that it will pop them off and land on ur head

[@maddychloe1]

Nice video,it was enjoyable to watch

[@Pistolen08]

Why no primer since you've gone through to the gelcoat?

[@davidkoba]

he said the gelcoat was still intact. if he was to use a epoxy primer he would have had to sand all of the ablative paint off and put 3 or more coats. he was just trying to save time since the fiberglass and gelcoat was in good shape.

[@7046463]

very nice work. well i got a problem i got no boat stand and i just have it in my trailer, hmmm. i guess i have to jack it up bit by bit. what is your advice sir??

[@huntington46750]

www.harborfreight.com/automotive/jacks-jack-stands/2-ton-capacity-underhoist-safety-stand-61600.html

[@ecmunpublished]

I know my husband will be watching this video for sure, thank you.

[@boekalua6762]

A really funterstic job and I Wanner learn more please could you help mi ?

[@oxman1834]

This guys been around boats a longtime!!

[@franknewcomb5299]

last year I had lots of rock guard that had not been used laying around and I sprayed mine with that stuff and 6 cans later I was done and it lasted the boating season with minimal fouling ,I goes on like a gas and thickens up ,not the neatest job but it did work ok .

[@DesmoProfundis]

So, that's the easy stuff. How about moving the jacks and dealing with the spots that didn't get painted, feathering the spots into the other bottom paint?

[@aronbechiom565]

I could spend a year, hanging around his shop..helping out. No pay required. Just hands on learning. 1 whole year, and probably would never know as much as he does. LoL...

[@dwetick1]

My boat trailer has rollers so it is a pain to paint my bottom. I usually block it up with 4x's, but it still is a messy time consuming job. Smaller diameter and shorter paint rollers may do the trick this 35 th year that I have owned this boat.

[@solitudeandsailing]

Nice work, enjoyed the video

[@APiscesLife]

Just so happens I’m from Bristol RI, are you around here, I would love to do this type of work

[@aportilla007]

Also, use mineral spirits with a rag to wipe down after sanding.

[@Duran_Murphy]

Why mineral spirits?

[@gregmanning8967]

Hey Louis, love your videos as always. What bottom paint would you recommend for a trailered freshwater boat that might spend one week per year in salt water?

[@RZawistoski]

Love your videos.. Great content. Thanks!

[@alext9067]

I had tried the method of punching holes in the can too. I started to think that the seal is made at the inner contact point between the can and the lid and not the outside point. After the can had been left for a long time, the paint was dried out. Are you sure of which surface is actually doing the sealing?

[@captainedc]

NEVER do that unless your sure your using all the paint up right away.

[@dawnpatrol2020]

Thanks for the video. enjoyed it and learned a new tip... Thanks

[@DecayOfTheMind]

How do you paint where the boat is being held up? And how do you get it back on the trailer?

[@bllzdp6558]

Either a forklift or a travel lift will move it and at that time you will paint the areas left unpainted.

[@alexnagle575]

Do you find that poking holes in the rim leads to the paint drying out in the can when stored?

[@87stratman]

When you put the lid back on, it covers the holes so the can is sealed. My carpentry teacher taught me this year's so and it's a great tip.

[@alexnagle575]

I've not had the same luck when I've tried it in the past. I think in this case they are using the whole can and storage isn't as much of an issue.

[@charlescanipe4322]

Great tip for me on Bottom paint! Thank you guys good job!k

[@bobboy9000]

Helpful tips as well: •Run you finger along the tape where it meets the water line to make sure it's firmly down to stop any paint seeping through and ruining the crisp edge •white spirit works brilliantly at removing antifoul from the hull if u make a slip up •any left over paint go over the top 4-8 inches of the area being painted, as this is seen if the waterline is slightly above the water, this gives it a nicer colour and will last longer •put it on nice and thick

[@oscarrivera1405]

What type of boat is this? I don’t see this type hull here in Texas.

[@shensley27]

So do you not tip the bottom? Is tipping just to make the paint look pretty and wouldn't affect the performance of the boat (like create drag)?

[@TipsfromaShipwrightvideos]

+Samuel Hensley In general people don't tip bottom paint

[@MarcosJ-mq4lk]

Error!...if the air bubbles burst,it could easily go down to the bare bottom and cause all sorts of issues tipping not only causes a gloss but seals the finish

[@RechargeableLithium]

@Marcos J Watch the video again and see that there are no bubbles left. He 'tips' with a dryer roller

[@mmanut]

You must wipe the bottom of boat down with clean paint thinner and rag to remove that dust you just referred to. This is a must do. If not you will not get the proper adhesion required for that paint to do it's job. There is allot of good imformation on that can.

[@captainedc]

Actually NEVER do that. You will leave residual oils from the thinner on the paint that will keep the new paint from adhering properly on bottom paints.

[@robertsmithjr.5839]

What a great video!

[@travershornsby5433]

what paint you using? I know its a small boat but isn't it better to spray rather than roll and brush?

[@TyphoonVstrom]

Antifouling paint is generally pretty thick, thinning it to spray defeats the purpose of a good film build up. Rollering the paint is definitely the neatest, easiest and cleanest way to do it and you don't have to mask half the boat up as you would if spraying. I have seen airless spraying used to put bottom paint on and it worked fairly well.

[@fyrftr521]

Amazing job gentlemen!

[@7046463]

sorry i forgotten, mr. what brand are you using? do you think interlux ultra is good??

[@TipsfromaShipwrightvideos]

TotalBoat by Jamestown Distributors www.jamestowndistributors.com/userportal/show_product.do?pid=64116&familyName=Jamestown+Select+Ablative+Bottom+Paint

[@marshmellow3110]

What size nap do you recommend for the roller?

[@gregoryj4325]

"something fierce"

[@zammie]

This guy is really awesome!

[@matthewszostek1819]

do I have to buy expensive marine paint or is there a cheaper alternative. I'm looking to paint my entire sailboat.

[@murph914]

call Johnstown distributors. They sell the totalboat line which sponsors these videos. Bottom paint is for below the waterline, and topsides paint is from the waterline to the guardrail. You want to use high quality marine paint, or you will just waste your time.

[@justinepicgaming5774]

Where can I get this same paint at

[@NordKeyboardGuy]

Super nice!!!

[@verdgj626]

use a foambrush, looks like a spraypainted finish after the roller

[@captainedc]

Whos gonna see it besides the fish?

[@maxwellmark]

captainedc it’s not just the look, it’s the smooth finish that helps with laminar flow..... better flow helps clean the surface as you move through the water and reduces drag to help with boat speed...although not much 😎

[@jamesbtex58]

What is the easiest cheapest way to raise a boat off of the trailer to enable one to paint under it? I have a 17 foot trihull that I need to repaint from the keel to the first set of ridges. Rest of the paint from that point up is in very good shape but it is coming off on the keel. It was a two part Poly marine paint put on over the original gel coat. It lasted 15 years but now thanks to a small water seepage through the lowest point on the front of the keel moisture has made the brittle paint come loose from the gel coat. I plan on fixing that small leak both inside and out first, building the keel back up by about an inch, then repainting it. I'm just not sure how I'm going to lift the boat up off the trailer and get the trailer out from under it without a hoist?

[@sbc388550]

James Brohard , Cheapest way to raise your boat would be stout lines and a set of sky hooks.

[@martinadelaide3385]

I was advised to use pre-coat before putting International Toplac. This will be above the waterline on a trailer boat. I presume the bottom paint here is antifoul.

[@scubaman6]

The other obvious step left out is never clean the hull or surface with any chemical other than acetone. All other cleaners leave a film residue and this can have a detrimental effect on the adhesion of your coatings.

[@thedolphin5428]

Nonsense. No need to be such a purist. Metho is fine, turps is fine, petrol is fine, thinners is fine, acetone is fine. All non water based volatiles will leave such little residue film that the volume of the paint will mix into it and stick just fine.

[@jasonhollingsworth662]

What about isopropyl alcohol?

[@cherfieldm]

Hi type of Paint your are using that could stand pressure and salty water?

[@kevinyoung4696]

how long should I allow to dry before launching out

[@dougg785]

12 to 24 hours

[@martinnelson3565]

what about where the jack stands sit ??

[@avineshsurujbally4759]

How much paint did you use?

[@GoProXadventures]

But how do you paint where the supports are?

[@AntifoulAwl]

No primer? I antifoul boats for a living, and always use primer. When we lift boats out the water, you can tell boats that haven't been primed, the antifoul flakes off when you pressure wash it. Oh, and you're right, it IS fun putting on what you call 'bottom paint'.

[@thedolphin5428]

The necessity for a primer depends on (1) the type of basal surface (ie wood, polyester resin, epoxy resin, alum, steel, concrete) PLUS (2) condition of basal surface PLUS (3) each manufacturer's particular recommendations for that surface. Some say primer, some say not. When in doubt, use an intermediatary primer.

[@lynchtoddo]

How do you paint where the stands are?

[@nigelkerr3102]

You jack up the boat and move the stands along.

[@MobileBoatMechanicCapeCoral]

good job!

[@pekesrepose7363]

green frog tape for cut lines works much better to stop the paint from bleeding over.

[@taylormorgan8468]

If a boat was 22 foot long how wide should it would be

[@jonwlindberg]

Sweet. Great Series. Thank you.

[@johnnyparrish4019]

Good job

[@fisheater844]

Even though you can wipe a bit of the sanded paint with you finger you don't clean it any more before painting.

[@littlestworkshop]

That's the nature of the paint, it is ablative paint which means it can be rubbed off, it is part of what makes it anti-fouling. Even if you wiped it down it would still be chalky to touch.

[@jmendoza328]

I had a question, is this paint waterproof?

[@fatfrreddy1414]

no!

[@barrystevens103]

Well done obviously a lot of painting experience.Exactly the way i do it.

[@rainmaker3700]

Can it be sprayed??

[@johnkarcher2321]

No primer is needed?

[@Matt-sx9nr]

John Karcher generally speaking you want to use an epoxy primer on the bare gel coat. A lot of bottom paint will not stick to bare fiberglass/gelcoat.