In this segment, host John Greviskis will demonstrate how to apply an epoxy barrier coat to your boat's bottom in order to protect the ablative paint. Note: Whenever you're working with a fiberglass boat, you need to protect it from osmotic blistering. When your craft is sitting in the water, the water can absorb right through the gelcoat in the fiberglass (figure A -- an illustration of how blistering occurs) and can actually go right into the boat. Sometimes a chemical reaction can take place, and a chemical called "glycol" can be created and cause a big blister, which smells like vinegar, to appear on the boat-bottom surface (figure B). An epoxy barrier coat will protect your boat from this problem. - Begin with a base epoxy barrier coat, and make sure you use the same brand of epoxy that you did paint.
- Prior to applying the epoxy barrier coat, remove an existing bottom paint, scuff the surface and clean with denatured alcohol.
Note: Any epoxy barrier has a two-part system: the epoxy and the hardener. Be sure to pour the hardener into the epoxy and stir well until you have even consistency. - Pour the mixture into a paint tray and start the process of applying the solution.
Tip: Apply at least four to five coats! If the epoxy barrier coat dries, scuff slightly and wipe with denatured alcohol before applying the next coat. - Before applying a second coat, the paint should be tacky to the touch (be sure to use a glove to check) but "not" transfer to the glove.
- After the epoxy has set up, it's time to apply the anti-foulant paint just like you did in the previous segment. For this particular project, Greviskis used two coats of the black ablative paint.
In the last segment, Greviskis shows you how to paint a boat bottom that has never been painted before.
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