What to do with bottom paint?

[Ringo]

It's time to do something about the bottom pain on my Campion 542. The paint has started peeling off and I don't like the looks of it. My boat isn't moored and is sitting on the trailer for most time. A couple of trips to the islands in the summer and that's only for a few days at a time when I moor the boat.
I think I'm going to consider one of the two options below:

1- Strip the bottom paint off, polish the gel coat and get it back to the original shape (my preferred option!)

2- Put a fresh coat of bottom paint

Which option sounds more feasible and if I decide to do option 1, do I need to hire someone to professionally restore the gel coat for me? I haven't done this work before but am pretty good at DIY stuff on my boat in general. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Peahead]

Fresh coat of bottom paint would likely be my choice ....

Why?
-Because it already has been painted
-Easier, faster than stripping off old and the work of restoring that gel coat back.
-Much less expensive to just slap on a new coat ( especially so if that avoids a bill from a professional job)
-If you do keep in water for a while in summer, no worries about growth
-I happen to think a nice coat of antifoul visually looks great
- Use Ablative type though for your use ( on the hard in between uses)

 

[N2013]

What do you fellas figure would the estimated cost be to get a fresh coat of bottom paint done on that boat at a shop? Just ballpark.

 

[greenhornet]

Hello Bc dingo
Hopefully who ever put the original paint on used a primer first. I had your exact issues 7 years ago. I took mine to grandville island marina because I hired a guy named John who has been doing this type of work like forever. We taped plastic to the gel coat just above the paint line then a buddy and I got on the white coveralls with a good and a respirator mask used grinders with buffing pads and removed the old paint. Then wipe down with thinner. John then applied the primer two coats over a couple days. This seals the gel coat and then you do two coats of bottom paint and it’s good for three seasons. I then lightly sanded the bottom of the boat year 4 and put 2 new coats on looks like brand new. So now I’m at the time where I have to do this work again. I can either power buff with pads down to the grey primer and repeat painting or just lightly sand and re paint. I haven’t decided. I buy Vivid black in one gallon. This paint is for trailerable boats really stands up and is super durable but wears off slowly the way it is designed to. Good luck whatever you choose here is johns number call him and pick his brain really smart guy with lots of exspierience.i think he’s retired now but still sets up jobs and over sees them. John 604-724-9107

Tight lines
Billydoo

 

[Ringo]

Hello Bc dingo
Hopefully who ever put the original paint on used a primer first. I had your exact issues 7 years ago. I took mine to grandville island marina because I hired a guy named John who has been doing this type of work like forever. We taped plastic to the gel coat just above the paint line then a buddy and I got on the white coveralls with a good and a respirator mask used grinders with buffing pads and removed the old paint. Then wipe down with thinner. John then applied the primer two coats over a couple days. This seals the gel coat and then you do two coats of bottom paint and it’s good for three seasons. I then lightly sanded the bottom of the boat year 4 and put 2 new coats on looks like brand new. So now I’m at the time where I have to do this work again. I can either power buff with pads down to the grey primer and repeat painting or just lightly sand and re paint. I haven’t decided. I buy Vivid black in one gallon. This paint is for trailerable boats really stands up and is super durable but wears off slowly the way it is designed to. Good luck whatever you choose here is johns number call him and pick his brain really smart guy with lots of exspierience.i think he’s retired now but still sets up jobs and over sees them. John 604-724-9107

Tight lines
Billydoo

Thanks a lot. I’ll give John a ring this week.
Cheers

 

[greenhornet]

Tell him Paul with the grady told you to call great guy!!

 

[Ringo]

Tell him Paul with the grady told you to call great guy!!

Finally connected to John and he’s done a great job of putting a fresh coat of paint on my boat. Thanks a lot for the referral. He’s a great knowledgable guy.

 

[TheNootkaRose]

Finally connected to John and he’s done a great job of putting a fresh coat of paint on my boat. Thanks a lot for the referral. He’s a great knowledgable guy.

Where is John located? Island or mainland?

 

[Ringo]

Where is John located? Island or mainland?

Mainland