Painting/ Coating of stringer?
 

Hey guys,
I'm currently replacing the stringers and bulkheads in my 79 233. I'm almost done with all the stringers and was wondering if it would be a good idea to paint them or put some type of protective coating on them. They are made of tight knot red cedar and have 2 layers on 1700 bi-ax with epoxy resin. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

If you can see that area you can paint just for cosmetic reasons, otherwise I would not wory about it.

Jon

I wanted to coat them in some type of paint or primer to help protect the fiberglass. I realize that the resin epoxy is pretty water resistant stuff, but I totally stripped the hull down and replaced all the stringer......I don't want to do it again. Thats why I was thinking a solid coat of paint may lock out moisture that may eventually creep under/into the fiberglass.

On a side note, what are the thoughts on #2 foam? Audio I used your write-up on your stringer replacement to guide me through much of this project, but I cant remember if you filled the gaps between the stringers with foam or not...that stuff is pretty expensive, so I was wondering if anyone had any good ideas.

I did use it to fill it back in the same as stock. I am not so sure it is really needed and probably actually hurts a little bit as far as rot is concerned. I was more looking at the idea that my boat not having a core, the foam had a stuctural component to it as well as a boyancy one. You never see foam around most of that stuff so I am sure you would be OK with out it. I would foam in the tank however.

what do u mean by core? I think my boat was constructed similar to your as it did come with foam insulation between all stringers and around tank.

A core is a layer of material between the glass on the outside of the hull, stringers...... For example you have a couple layers of glass, then a layer of balsa, then a couple layers of glass, then stringers and so on.

Thanks for the info audio. Does anyone have any ideas for a type of paint or primer to help protect the fiberglass on the stringers and bulkheads? I'm am looking to close the floor up in a week or so and need to find some stuff asap. Thanks!

gelcoat !!!!!!!! if anything.

I've done a few engine rooms. The easiest to use is Bilgekote by Interlux. It's a one part paint designed to protect the bilge area. If you want to go one step better I would recommend Inerlux Perfection. It's a two part polyurethane that's pretty easy to use. Awlgrip is also a two part polyurethane that works well but when working with two part paints the prep, mixture, temperture and humidity are critical.

Good luck

I am installing diesels in a 32ft sportfishing boat and recently used Sherwin-Williams Duraplate 235. It is a 2 part epoxy when mixed can be easily applied w/a brush or roller. I wouldn't recommend spraying it and make sure the area is well ventilated!!! Once dry it is extremely hard and impervious to oil and/or fuel. I would highly recomend it and am very happy with the results.

Are you able to apply these coatings without sanding the fiberglass. Going through and resanding all the stringers and bulkheads does not sound fun.

Bump cuz I need to get movding on this part of the project

I know it's a little late but this is what I did. (A snip from the SuperNova24.com website)

http://img708.imageshack.us/img708/8008/62319013.jpg

This is how it’s going to happen. Drill a ½ inch hole in the top every foot or so. Drill a inch and a quarter hole in the bottom every five feet or so. Grind up anything on the inside and fish it out through the hole in the bottom. Sounds easy enough.

http://img176.imageshack.us/img176/263/26488450.jpg
SuperNova Race Boat

This is a little of what it took to get everything out of there but the most important tool is not there. My trusty Shop Vac. I would start with the hole over top of the bottom outlet hole. Grind up the stuff inside, fish it through the hole and then move out from there.
After 3 days of this I now have stringers in a can.

http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/3204/22559644.jpg
SuperNova Race Boat

I was lucky. For the most part what was left of the wood came out pretty easy with my assortment of tools. Drill, drill, push out with a chunk of all thread. Repeat with some chopping and breaking up chunks with needle nose pliers. Suck it all up with the shop vac. I think I got it all where it was bad. There is one spot I want to go over again tomorrow that may require pulling the bolts out of the V drive plate but this is a one time thing and will be done if necessary.

http://img709.imageshack.us/img709/1768/95137240m.jpg
SuperNova Race Boat

Stringers in a can.
I love this stuff. Searched for something like it for a long time when I had to fix the 19’s strikes. I forget who mentioned it but I do owe that man a beer.

Man, ever since I started this project I have been afraid of this happening and now it’s here.
http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/3874/60582190.jpg
SuperNova Race Boat


What a mess!
http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/5913/90232575.jpg
SuperNova Race Boat


I got all the access holes I cut ground down and glassed over. Then sanded and painted. Only got one coat of paint on. It was taking forever to dry so I gave up. I still have four holes in the top if the last stringer to fill so I can put another coat on then. The last 4 holes will be hand sanded this time to keep the dust down. I thought about it for about a second when doing the other holes but gave up on that real quick. I thought it would have been easier just to clean the boat after. Hummmmmmm……
http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/1211/31890500.jpg

Last everything was painted with 1 part epoxy garage floor paint. Got it from the Home Depot oops cart. 4 gals for 20 bucks.
http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/3442/44461587.jpg

So to answer my question can this stuff be brushed on to the stringers without sanding?

There was a grey coating already applied to the fiberglass from the factory/builder. I cleaned the crap out of it and then wetvac all the water out, towel dry every square inch and then painted over the grey. No, I did not sand it first because I was applying it over an existing coating. The SW duraplate235 worked very well and only time and use will tell how it holds up.

In my opinion any time you're going to repaint something prep work is needed. It may be just cleaning and a light scuff sanding so the new product bonds properly, or up to possibly needing to completly sand off an existing coating, prime then apply the new coat. It really depends on what you have on there now and what the new product will be. There can be compatability issues. Neverthess the minium should be a good cleaning and scuff sanding when you apply a coating that is compatable with an existing coating, assuming that the existing coating is already bonded well. It that's coming up you're looking at a full sand down.

I'm currently looking at recoating an engine room where a previous owner did not properly prep the suface before applying Interlux Bilge Kote. It's actually very nice product but it's all peeling off and looks like heck because the guy simply did not properly prep the surface. When or if the engines get removed we have to completely sand everything off and then prime and coat. I wish the guy has jsut left it all alone it would have been easier.

The easiest thing to do is if you have any coating on there now find out what it is then and look for a product that's compatable. If you find a compatable product you still should do a good cleaning and mild scuff to enable a good bond you really want to do it right.

I wear many hats at my company, which is an industrial painting contractor. I am a UHP Technicial, Maintenace Supervisor, Robotics Consultant, Nace Certified Paint Inspector, etc. Just depends on what permit or visa we need.

To Answer your questions. Possibly Yes and Yes for sure.

While the expoxy resin is waterproof, if the boat was orginally of poly ester or vinyl ester resin, whatever you ground and exposed needs to be painted. Poly/vinyl ester resins are not 100% water proof, thus the need for gelcoat or paint.

As far as sanding the epoxy resin, that depends. How long is the recoat window? Some coatings I deal with have no recoat window and must be sanded if any recoat or touchup is needed. Some others only need degreasing and pressure washing up to 6 months. You will have to read the spec/data sheet on the resin and determine this. If in doubt, wash with soap and water, lightly sand with 80 grit or so, rewash with soap and dry, then paint.

I personally would wash everything with a good water based degreaser, lightly sand EVERYTHING you want painted, rewash with soap and water, thoroughly rinse everything with clear water and dry, then apply an epoxy paint.

Your average expoxy coating is very waterproof, but does not have any UV protection. Anything exposed to daylight needs to be UV compatible or it will chalk up, loose gloss, and generally get ugly in a short period of time.

Sorry for being long winded. Just happens to be something I know a little something about, lol.

Patrick

alright guys I still cant decide what to do. I redid all my stringers and bulkheads recently, the boat has no floor in and is just the exposed stringers and hull. What I noticed in some spots of the finished product was some very fine pin holes in the fiberglass. My original idea was to use interlux bildgekote to help protect the fiberglass on the stringer and bulkheads from water damage. But after taking a harder look in to all the prep that goes in to it I'm not so sure if it is worth it. I would have to sand everything down from the rear bulkhead all the way to the tip of the bow thats about a 1-2 day job, then paint and let dry, then sand again, which is another day or so, then paint, and sand, and paint........you get the idea. Thats about 5 days worth of work...is there anything out there that can be applied to bare fiberglass that has a thick and resistant shell? The fiberglass is in good condition I guess I'm just looking for a different product that will be less time consuming to apply. And one last thing, this area shouldn't be getting wet anyway, so am I just being a little over protective?

Seriously, check out the SW Duraplate 235. Any SW commercial location had the spec sheet and details.