This fall we decided to store our boat on the hard for the winter. I think this is the first time it has been out for an extended period since it was new in 1989.
In preparation for winter storage we pressure washed the bottom, scrubbed it with 3M pads, and put on a fresh coat of ablative paint. This is the same paint we have used for the past 3 years.
When we checked the boat recently we discovered a significant amount of paint flaking off the rudder, right down to the original barrier coat. The barrier coat is smooth and there is no sign of blistering or other problems.
We were shocked to discover this problem because we had examined the bottom thoroughly when we painted in October.
We are interested in knowing if other members have had similar experiences? Can the drying of the paint cause the bond to break? What else might be happening???
Gary Teeter
1989 C36 "AnnieG"
Std Rig #966, M25xp
Everett, WA
That does seem odd. Is it just on the rudder that it's flaking off? Since there is more water friction on the rudder than most other places I'm wondering if the underlying coating has gotten too smooth and doesn't offer any "tooth" for the ablative to cling to.
I noticed a couple of small spots of flaking on our rudder last fall but its just the top coat and I put 3 coats on, all different colours, so I'm not too worried about it but I'm also not sure why it did that. The paint around those flakes is solid, so far anyway.
Other thing to try would be ask the paint manufacturer, Interlux has a forum that is monitored by their staff and I found them extremely helpful when I had some questions about their Interprotect, I also emailed Petit with some questions about their ablative and got a very thorough and prompt response.
I've had this happen several times over the 13 or so years we've owned the boat. I've had large patches of paint come off in large flakes right down to the barrier coat. It's not limited to any particular part of the boat and does include the rudder. We've used blue Interlux Fiberglass ACT Bottomcoat ablative the entire time. The rudder is painted with Micron CSC (white), an entirely different paint, so doesn't seem likely to be related to a particular product.
My completely uniformed opinion is that the bond of the initial layer is failing, causing everything above it to come off. It seems that the patches that have come off are pretty thick, so maybe the build up is cracking as it dries??? I've come to view this as helpful as, if it all comes off eventually, it will avoid a soda blasting someday:rolleyes:
Gary and Cathy Price
1997 C36 Mk II Tall Rig/Wing Keel Imagine...
Hull # 1617
Worton Creek, Md.
Northern Chesapeake Bay