Boat U.S. - March 2009 - (Page 33)

removing the masking tape. You can test for adhesion, but where there is doubt, use 80-grit sandpaper to completely remove the original finish. [Ed: DIY 2009-#1 issue, page 14, describes how to perform a paint adhesion test.] It’s important to determine if the boat floats on its lines. A scum line can be a valuable clue to the true waterline. If this is the case for your boat, you will need to designate the correct waterline or shift weights onboard to correct trim or list. Consider raising the top edge of antifouling to about 2 inches above the waterline as polyurethane paints don’t tolerate constant immersion and can blister if submerged for extended periods. Step 2: Setup The yard lifting equipment moves the boat to the paint booth and blocks it there. Scaffolding goes up around the boat. A paint booth is fitted with an “air makeup unit” designed to supply high volumes of filtered, temperature-controlled fresh air at one end and exhaust it out the other through a tall chimney. This airflow serves both safety and practical purposes. It protects the technicians by providing a safe working environment and prevents paint spray mist from hanging in the air and resettling on the wet surface as well as precluding a potentially explosive buildup of volatile vapor. Intense illumination is provided in the booth to ensure enough light to reveal the slightest flaw. In warm weather, 600F (15.5 0 C) and higher, it’s feasible to paint outdoors. Lots of pro paint jobs are carried out in the open air but it’s hard to beat the finish quality that is possible in a proper paint booth. appear during 3 prep sanding but if not, they are filled after priming. Stress cracks or any deep chips that break the glass laminate FIttIng are ground Out out and repaired with new glass fiber and block sanded to level. Old name graphics, registration numbers and pin stripes are removed. The painter may want to remove hull fittings if they cannot be masked cleanly and the fitting is simple to remove. The hull is scrubbed with detergent and rinsed with freshwater and/or cleaned and dewaxed using proprietary cleaners recommended by the paint manufacturer. Step 4: Masking Carefully 4 mask all the edges of the paint job with 3M Fine Line #218 tape. This tape is backed up by regular masking tape overlapping the Fine Line almost to the definitive paint edge. A polyethylene sheet goes over the top of the boat, is trimmed to fit and taped to seal against the upper tape stack. This seals the deck and interior from sanding dust and paint fumes. Attach a brown paper skirt to the lower tape edge. It’s not necessary to hermetically seal the bottom. Never use newsprint for masking as it can stain the paint surface. BoatU.S. Magazine M arch2009 Step 3: Initial Prep Work Any chips, dings, nicks, or gouges in the hull that are deep enough to feel are filled and faired, sometimes with gelcoat, sometimes with filler. Fine scratches and abrasions usually dis-

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Boat U.S. - March 2009

Boat U.S. - March 2009 Contents Reader Forum Boat U.S. Reports What’s New In The Brew? The Perfect Paint Job Launch Into Spring Boats Gear Wheels One Mom, Two Teens, No Exit So, Nigel Had This Idea Ice Devices It Was A Club Of Their Own Expanding The Boating Universe Tech Connection A Case Study In Getting Results Let’s All Do This Together Classifieds Member Benefits/At Your Service

Boat U.S. - March 2009

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