Hauling an anchor has been enjoyed by no one, anywhere, ever. It’s a back-breaking chore that can only be resolved with one thing: an anchor windlass. But, blessing though they may be, anchor windlasses are known for having numerous issues that can stop them cold. The good news is that it’s usually easy to troubleshoot and resolve the problem in short order. Here’s how to figure out what the windlass issue is, and hopefully, get it running again.

Slip Sliding Away

When the windlass appears to be operating properly, but the rode isn’t moving, the most likely issue is a simple clutch adjustment. Check your owner’s manual for how to adjust the clutch (some windlasses have a knob you can turn by hand and others require a winch handle), tighten it up, and give it another try. If the clutch is sufficiently tight, but the windlass still isn’t taking up line, there’s a possibility that the gears are stripped, and the problem will have to be addressed back at the marina.

No Signs of Life

If you flip the switch and nothing happens at all, it’s likely an electrical issue. Step number one is to check the circuit breaker. If the breaker is popped ,reset the breaker and try again. If not, you need to ascertain why and where there is a lack of power. Use a voltmeter to check both sides of the breaker and switch to make sure they’re working properly, then check the motor itself. If there’s no power, check the cables running to the motor. If it shows power, but voltage drops way off when you hit the switch, you have a battery problem and the motor isn’t getting sufficient juice. If there’s plenty of power, the next suspect is the solenoid switch. A clicking noise is a sign that the contacts are corroded or it’s given up the ghost and needs to be replaced. The solenoid is good, but still no luck? In that case, the problem may be more significant, likely in the motor itself, and you’ll need to get that anchor up manually and call in a pro who can disassemble it and diagnose the motor problem.

Deployment Denied

When you’re trying to let out the rode and the windlass keeps clunking, but nothing else seems to be happening, there’s a good chance you have a tangle below decks. You’ll have to access the rope locker from below and straighten out the rode. If you don’t see an obvious tangle, also look for snags, as the rode can become snarled around a bolt-end or a hatch frame in the anchor locker.

Starts and Fits

Does your windlass work fine for a bit, shut off, then work again a few minutes later? If so, chances are the problem is with the operator, not the windlass. This is a sign of overloading the unit and an automatic shut-down taking place to prevent overheating and further damage. Most of the time this is caused by people using the windlass to pull the boat forward to the anchor. Remember, these units are designed to lift the anchor up, not pull your boat along and wrench the anchor out of the bottom. Next time, use the boat’s engines to pull forward while the windlass takes up slack. When the rode is vertical, cleat the line then shift the boat’s engines in reverse to pull the anchor free. Then and only then, resume operating the windlass to haul up the anchor.

What Goes Up Must Go Down

Except for when it doesn’t. When a windlass operates in one direction only, it’s usually another solenoid issue and this time the switch is stuck. It may start working again if you rap the exterior of the switch, as sometimes that will jiggle it free. This is a temporary fix at best, however, and you should replace the switch before your next cruise.

Naturally, there are other problems that can arise with a windless. Stripped gears, broken teeth and worn brushes are all issues that you might encounter. Troubleshooting and fixing these problems, however, generally require the services of a boatyard and/or replacing the unit. Which, of course, you’ll want to have happen asap—unless you’re the one person who finds hauling the anchor manually fun exercise.

The post Troubleshooting Common Anchor Windlass Issues appeared first on Yachting.

Over time, even the shiniest boat will turn faded and dull as its gelcoat oxidizes. UV exposure is the culprit, and as chalky oxidation fills the gelcoat’s microscopic pores and cracks, that once-lustrous shine will slowly dwindle away. But all is not lost. If, that is, you know how to restore the gelcoat on a boat.

Step 1: Remove the Oxidation

This is a very simple, but very labor-intensive process. You’ll need to get oxidation remover, a power buffer and plenty of bonnets. Whatever you do, don’t eschew the power buffer and try to tackle this task manually. You’d need to firmly rub in circles tens of thousands of times to de-oxidize even a relatively small boat, and unless a severe case of tennis elbow sounds like fun, that buffer is a must-have for this work.

Before you begin buffing, tape off any fittings, the rubrail and anything else that could be damaged by the abrasives in the oxidation remover. Next, squirt a dose of it onto the bonnet, hold it up against the hull side, and pull the trigger. Again, and again, and again, until that hull begins to gleam once more.

Tip: Be careful not to hit the power button on the buffer before it’s placed firmly against the gelcoat. Do so, and its orbital motion will sling the viscous liquid in every direction.

Plan on spending hours of buffing to get rid of the oxidation, noting that the worse the damage is, the more work it will take. Also remember that the buffer won’t reach all of the tight spots, like under the rubrail or lips in the hull side. Once the large areas are completed, you’ll have to attack the parts you couldn’t reach by hand. Even though it may be a tiny fraction of the surface area of the hull, rubbing these free of oxidation can take hours or even days.

Step 2: Wash the Boat and Give It a Close Visual Inspection

Next, you’ll want to wash the boat and give it a close visual inspection. Then, get ready to attack it with the oxidation remover again. You’ll almost certainly see some areas where the oxidation remover obscured your view and some cloudiness remains in the gelcoat.

Step 3: Apply the First Coat of Protective Wax

Is that gelcoat shining like new? Great. But it won’t stay that way for long, because now fresh, unprotected gelcoat is exposed to the sun and the air. It began deteriorating the moment you washed away the last of the oxidation remover. Now, you need to cover it up with a protective coat of wax. Use thick paste wax. It lasts the longest and provides the best UV protection. Time to start rubbing again.

Step 4: Apply the Second Coat of Protective Wax

You knew we were going to tell you to wax the boat a second time, right? One coat simply doesn’t cut it, because there are always areas where the wax coat is too thin or were missed entirely on the first go-round.

Step 5: Apply the Third Coat of Wax, This Time Carnauba

The gelcoat may be protected now, but it’s not shining as brightly as it could be. To get the very best finish, you’ll now want to do a third waxing. But this time, use a liquid carnauba wax. This stuff gives the best shine, and although it won’t last as long as a paste wax, it will give that gelcoat a gleam that can’t be beat.

Read Next: Stripping Bottom Paint from a Boat

Step 6: Maintain the Restored Gelcoat

Maintain the shine. That means keeping the boat clean and reapplying the carnauba wax every few weeks. At least twice a season, give it another base coat with the paste wax, too. As long as you do so, you’ll keep the oxidation at bay. But, if you let a few months go by without waxing, the shine will begin to wither once again.

The post How to Restore Gelcoat on a Boat in Six Steps appeared first on Yachting.

Nobody gets excited at the thought of stripping bottom paint from a boat, but this is one of those dirty jobs that’s a necessity every so often. And, in most cases, stripping bottom paint makes less of a mess (and is less of an environmental hazard) than sanding. It’s also more economical than hiring a professional to get the paint off via soda blasting.

Before we dig into steps, we need to lay out a few bottom-paint-stripping ground rules. First, completely read the manufacturer’s instructions before getting started, and follow them to a tee. Some strippers need to be covered with a plastic barrier to prevent the solvents from gassing out. Others can harden, if they’re left applied to the hull for too long. Many need to be applied within a specific temperature range. And some may even damage the boat’s gelcoat, if used improperly. Each is a bit different, so you need to familiarize yourself with the particular product you’re using before you use it. That said:

Step I: Dress in Tyvek or clothing you don’t care about, including eye protection and rubber or nitrile gloves.

Step II: Cover the ground under the boat with a disposable tarp or plastic drop-cloth. Gobs of the stripper and paint will be falling off the boat and you’ll need to contain it. Also, tape off the paint line to protect the gelcoat immediately adjacent to the paint.

Step III: Apply the stripper as per the manufacturer’s instructions. Usually, this means more or less painting it on with a brush or roller. Some strippers can be sprayed on, but overspray onto nearby surfaces can be problematic. In general, you’ll want to lay it on as thick as possible, but not so thick that gobs fall off of the boat.

Step IV: If the stripper is one of the types that needs to be covered, apply the plastic film or sheets as instructed.

Step V: Sit back and wait. You can’t hurry this stuff up, and it usually takes a matter of hours for the stripper to work to full effect. It’s also critical that you don’t wait beyond the recommended period, or some strippers may harden.

Step VI: With a putty knife or scraper (with sharp edges rounded to prevent gouging the gelcoat), begin scraping off the softened paint. If possible, place a waste bag directly under the area you’re working on as you scrape to catch the falling paint and stripper. Move it as you go and replace the bag as it fills up. Keeping the mess contained along the way will help in reducing the cleanup at the end of the job. Note: Some strippers can be power-washed off in controlled circumstances, however, this generally isn’t recommended for DIY bottom-paint stripping due to environmental concerns.

Step VII: Be prepared to do it all over again. In most cases, the stripper will take off a few layers of paint, but when there are three-plus layers on the hull most products will require a second application.

Step VIII: There will often be some small areas where for whatever reason the stripper didn’t quite do the job, and you may need to sand away some remaining paint. Finally, give the bottom a thorough wash.

With stripping the bottom paint from the boat now complete, you can prep the hull bottom for a fresh coat of paint, and begin the bottom-paint cycle all over again.

The post Stripping Bottom Paint from a Boat appeared first on Yachting.

My damn phone never stops ringing. I’m going undercover,” my pal Ed grumbled. Ed has earned a reputation as one of the marine industry’s best yacht-systems experts. He stopped advertising years ago and now drives a plain, unmarked van.

“If I’m within sight of a marina, they hail me like a taxicab,” Ed groused.

Ed’s experience made me think about a scolding I’d endured from a visionary industry pal in the 1990s. He hadn’t been keen on a column I’d written promoting self-reliance at sea. It had included an image of me toiling in my steaming-hot engine room. He insisted that boats would soon be as reliable as subcompact cars, and that white-glove marine service would be the industry standard.

“Well, the guy had a vision problem,” Ed grunted. “I’d like whatever they’re pumping through the ventilation ducts at corporate headquarters.”

My industry pal’s vision was that if there were a mechanical problem, there’d be no more need to look under the hood. Yachtsmen would simply push a button, and a satellite-sourced voice would promise a free tow and a late-model loaner until your ride was returned, fit as a fiddle and detailed to perfection. During rare boatyard visits, you could relax in the customer lounge, sipping lattes and nibbling on scones.

The marine industry has worked hard to fulfill my pal’s vision and has had some success. Boatbuilders and equipment manufacturers have chased reliability with computer chips, and a new generation of plug-and-play shoppers is touching screens, reading glass cockpits and wiggling joysticks. In many cases, boatyards are far more approachable; they no longer look like Superfund sites. The problem is the boating environment and lifestyle: Electronic devices prefer salt-free chips, and mechanical devices need regular exercise.

Read More from Jay Coyle: Tell Tales

Given the complexity of new boats, some people believe that even if an owner were willing to read a manual, modern marine systems are too much for hands-on types to tangle with; that those who are qualified to sort out today’s high-tech systems no longer wear grease-stained boiler suits and turn wrenches; and that modern marine technicians rely on a computer and carry a tool bag stuffed with data port adapters.

Ed has a different take: “BS. There should be a witness-protection program for the dumb ‘smart systems’ I’ve seen. You don’t need a computer to find a leak or a clogged filter.”

He arms customers with spare parts and tools that can often save a cruise by keeping the air-conditioning and beer cold, the head empty, and the generator and engine running.

If you’re interested in white-glove service, don’t call Ed. It’ll be three months before he can get to you in shorts and a T-shirt, and there’s no loaner.

Years back, my industry pal moved to another industry, and I’ve heard he’s done well. Obviously, his vision has improved.

The post Seeking Reliable Service appeared first on Yachting.

Most boat and yacht owners take care when it comes to their vessel’s engines, but unfortunately, few pay the same amount of attention to the generator. And what is a generator, after all, but another engine. In fact, in some ways marine generators live an even more difficult life than a boat’s primary propulsion. They may sit for extended periods without being used, get pressed into service for hour upon hour, suffer from deferred maintenance and live in a compact corner of an engine room. If not properly maintained, they’re subject to failure. So be sure to treat your boat’s marine generator with respect, including:

• Following the Manufacturer’s Recommended Maintenance Schedule
• Performing Pre-Trip Checks
• Preventing Generator Overload

Following the Manufacturer’s Recommended Maintenance Schedule

As is true with any internal-combustion engine, generators have regular service needs. The specifics will vary from unit to unit, so this is one of those cases where the best we can say is to follow the manufacturer’s recommended procedures. You can expect most marine generators to require regular daily-use, checks on fluid levels and oil- and fuel-filter changes at specific engine hour intervals; air filter cleanings and/or replacements; water/fuel separator replacements; belt checks/tensioning/replacements at specific intervals; impeller inspections and changes; and sacrificial anode inspections and replacement. Remember, this isn’t a complete list so be sure to check the owner’s manual to find out what else is required, along with the timing of each check or replacement.

Performing Pre-Trip Checks

Each and every time you leave the dock, the generator should be on the pre-trip checklist even if you don’t think you’ll be running the generator on that specific voyage. Again, we suggest consulting your generator’s owner’s manual, but as a rule you’ll see these items on the list:

• Visually inspect to be sure ventilation is not impeded.
• Make sure the water intake is not impeded (including checking raw-water strainers, and making sure seacocks and valves are open).
• Visually inspect wiring connections and mounting hardware, to make sure nothing has vibrated loose.
• Check belt tension.
• Check all fluid levels.

On top of checking these items every time you run your boat, there are also some things you’ll want to look at on a regular basis if you haven’t run your generator for more than a week. These include:

• Starting the generator, visually inspecting for leaks, and listening for unfamiliar noises.
• Running the generator for 15 minutes or so under load, while eyeballing the temperature and making sure it holds steady.
• Visually inspecting exhaust to make sure it’s not producing excessive smoke.
• Test the charge on the starter battery and top it off, if required.
• Check hose clamps to make sure they’re tight (and tighten if necessary).

Preventing Generator Overload

Your boat was likely outfitted with an appropriately sized generator from the start, but sometimes the units aren’t quite up to the task. In other cases, you may have added or upgraded systems on the boat and increased the electrical load. Either way, it’s important not to overload your generator or failure may be one flick of a switch away.

Judging how much is too much can be difficult, and overload breakers are meant as a backup measure, not the first line of defense. Still, most often, boaters who overload a generator realize it after the fact. So whenever the generator is running, be on the lookout for signs of an overload. One of the most common is overheating. If you notice the temperature gauge is peaking higher than normal, or if you hear the generator working harder than usual, reduce the load immediately. Another common sign is failing systems. If the air conditioning is struggling when you run the microwave, for example, you’re overloading the generator.

If there is soot buildup at the generator’s exhaust port or it looks abnormally smokey while the generator is running, take that as a sign it may be overloading. There can be other causes for excessive or dirty exhaust, such as fuel, air or injector issues. But overloading can cause it to happen, too, so if you suspect that could be an issue the first step is to reduce load and see if it continues.

When you flip those switches aboard your boat you want everything to work, and you need power for that to happen. In other words, you need your generator. So treat it wisely, give it the maintenance it needs, prevent overloads and you’ll keep that marine generator running reliably for years to come.

The post Keep Your Boat’s Generator Running appeared first on Yachting.

Replacing fuel tanks for boats is no easy chore, but if a tank starts to leak or otherwise fail, swapping it out for a new one is necessary. Just how big a job this is depends on the boat. Some manufacturers wisely provide sufficient access to do the job, but some others foam or fiberglass the tanks in place and then cover them up with a solid deck. In many situations, you’ll have to saw through the pieces-parts of your boat and then re-fiberglass major sections back together to get the replacement done. It’s a big enough job that the majority of tank replacements are done by professionals as opposed to DIY boaters. In all cases, however, the basics boiled down to four parts:

1. Disassembling and/or opening up the boat as necessary to remove the old tank.
2. Replacing the tank with a new one.
3. Plumbing and wiring the tank and sender.
4. Repairing or reassembling the deck and structure.

Removing the Old Fuel Tank

The nature of this job can vary from simple to complex, depending on the boat. If you’re in luck, it might mean peeling up a strip of silicon, undoing some screws and popping off a large section of the deck. In other cases, it can mean sawing open a very large hole. All boats are different and there’s no one-size-fits-all description as to what will need to be done, but suffice it to say, you’ll need to open up an area large enough to remove the tank.

Unfortunately, there’s more to this process. If the tank was foamed in place (a fairly common boatbuilding procedure) and the tank leaked, the foam is likely saturated with fuel. That makes it hazardous, so along with the tank you’ll need to remove the foam. Then there’s the plumbing running to and from the engine(s) as well as to the fuel fill and vent. Since these lines are all probably as old as the tank, it makes sense to replace them while you have these normally inaccessible areas opened up. Same goes for the fuel gauge sender and the wiring.

Replacing a Boat Fuel Tank

With the old tank and associated materials removed, you can drop in a new tank. The main choices on today’s market are aluminum and rotomolded polyethylene. Aluminum used to be the standard, but since polyethylene tanks don’t corrode; are available in a number of shapes and sizes; and cost significantly less, their popularity has grown in recent years. There are, however, some potential downsides to polyethylene tanks. First, is the inability to customize them beyond what shapes and sizes are commercially available. If you have a peculiar space to fill, you’ll likely need to have an aluminum tank custom-made to fit. Room for the plastic’s expansion has to be accounted for when mounting poly tanks, which may swell to some degree. And sometimes you’ll see a loss of overall capacity comparatively speaking, because molded-in baffles have to be relatively wide for molding and structural requirements, which eats into interior volume. Finally, poly tanks only get so big, and your choices become very limited once you get beyond 150 gallons or so.

New tanks are not just dropped into place, either, they need to be mounted as per the manufacturer’s instructions and in accordance with USCG regulations. This typically includes prepping the mounting surface and securely strapping the tank down. Most manufacturers do not recommend re-foaming the tank in place even if the boat was originally built that way, and some explicitly state that foaming the tank in place will void the warranty.

Replacing Plumbing and Wiring

With the tank in place, it’s time for attaching all the plumbing and vent lines. Hose clamps are used to secure them, and then the sender and grounding wires can be connected.

After the tank is in place, plumbed, and deemed ready for use, a leak test should be performed. Pressurize the tank to three psi (or as per manufacturer instructions), then apply soapy water to all the connections. Each connection should then be carefully inspected for the presence of bubbles, indicating a leak. If any leaks are found, the connection should be re-seated, tightened and tested again.

Repairing the Deck and Structure

With the new tank in place, properly secured, plumbed, and leak tested, the boat’s structure can be repaired or reassembled as necessary. Naturally, if cutting out the deck was part of the project this can be quite an undertaking. And ensuring a structurally sound deck is critical on any boat. This is just one more reason why in most cases, replacing a fuel tank is a job that’s best left to the professionals.

The post Replacing Fuel Tanks for Boats appeared first on Yachting.

Vacuum-flushing toilets offer many advantages over other marine waste-management systems thanks to their efficiency, reliability and form factor, and Dometic’s line of VacuFlush systems in particular are found on a huge number of yachts. But, like anything aboard a boat, they’re liable to require a little TLC at some point. So, while vacuum-flush systems are unlikely to leave their owners ankle-deep in effluent, at the risk of disappointing a group of growingly antsy crewmembers it’s worth having expedient troubleshooting plans prepared just in case.

How Marine Vacuum Toilet Systems Work

Before getting down to business, it helps to have an understanding of how vacuum flushing works. Note: Dometic offers a wide variety of designs and diagrams for them, and these are available on its website, but they all function in much the same way. There are four main components: a toilet, a vacuum pump, an accumulation chamber and a holding tank.

The toilet is the user’s main interface with the system. There are pedal- and button-operated systems, sometimes with a separate status panel to indicate vacuum pressure and remaining holding-tank capacity. On one end, there’s a supply hose that fills the bowl from the freshwater system. On the other end, there’s a ball valve between the bowl and the inlet pipe leading to the accumulation chamber or vacuum generator (the latter refers to an all-in-one accumulation chamber and vacuum pump). Between uses, the vacuum pump builds negative pressure in the accumulation chamber so that black water can be sucked down when the toilet is flushed. After the ball valve is closed, the pump pushes the black water out of the accumulation chamber, through the outlet pipe, and into the holding tank where it can then be pumped out.

Bad Odors

Foul odors are a good indicator that something needs attention, but the toilet system shouldn’t always be the first suspect. Other culprits include showers and sink traps, refrigerator or AC condensate drains, stagnant bilge water and even fuel leaks. The first step to identifying the origin of the malodor is to re-sensitize your nose by getting some fresh air above deck. If there’s a septic smell outside the cabin, then the vent filter (or lack thereof) is probably to blame. If the scent is localized to the head compartment and the traps have been ruled out, then it’s time to check the toilet system for leaks, especially if the smell gets stronger when the toilet is flushed. It’s also worth noting that sometimes saltwater systems will develop an eggy (sulfur) smell despite being in good working order.

Permeated Hoses and Leaky Fittings

Vacuum-flushing systems have a lot of pipes and fittings and, without visible drips, leaks and permeated hoses can be difficult to identify. The best method is to grab a clean rag or paper towel (and maybe a pair of gloves) and wipe down each pipe, fitting, and hose individually while checking for any discoloration or foul smells. Using a new rag or cloth for each component will help cut down on any misidentifications.

Permeated hoses need to be replaced but it’s advisable to do a full overhaul of gaskets and other hoses. Leaky fittings can be replaced as well but, it’s also worth checking their gaskets and whether or not they’re properly tightened down.

Flushing Frustrations

It’s common knowledge among boat owners that when there’s a flushing failure you don’t just reach for a plunger as you might do at home. To borrow a trope from the IT world, the first step is to make sure the system is turned on — that means checking the breaker panel. If the system is fitted with them, the next thing to check is the indicator panel for the holding tank and/or accumulation chamber. The toilet will not flush if the holding tank is full and fixing that will require a pump out. If the holding tank is not full, but the vacuum status panel shows that the unit is not ready to be flushed, that can indicate a problem with the pump or accumulation chamber. If the pump is audibly running but the system still isn’t flushing, it may indicate a vacuum leak or a problem with the pressure switch.

Clogs

Most cases where the system is functional, but not flushing involve a clog. And in general, clogs caused by foreign items have to be pulled out and discarded elsewhere. Before going to remove the clog, shut off the freshwater pump to prevent water from entering and overflowing the bowl. It’s a good idea to have a trash receptacle close at hand and a pair of rubber gloves. Once the water is turned off, depress the foot pedal to open the ball valve, then reach in and remove the offending item — don’t try to flush it back down the toilet.

Water Not Staying in Bowl

When freshwater isn’t staying in the bowl, check for loose clamps on the freshwater supply hose and tighten or replace them as needed. Then look to see if the ball valves are closing properly. If not, try cleaning them and removing any obstructions. If any wear is visible, they should be replaced. A stuck valve can sometimes be remedied by slightly loosening the screws holding it in place or by lubricating it.

When it comes to vacuum-flush systems on boats, an ounce of prevention is worth an hour of mopping up black water. The easiest way to do that is through regularly flushing the toilet, annual maintenance and proper winterization. For replacement parts as well as comprehensive guides to troubleshooting and maintenance of VacuFlush models in specific, check out Dometic’s website.

The post Fixing Marine Vacuum Toilet Systems appeared first on Yachting.

Painting a fiberglass boat is a bit different from painting a house or a car, but any relatively handy DIY boat owner can get the job done. And once it’s done, the boat should gleam like never before. So, just how does one paint a fiberglass boat? The process breaks down into three basic steps:

• Choosing the right paint
• Prepping the surface to be painted
• Applying the paint

Choosing the Right Paint for a Fiberglass Boat

Paint for boats is very different from the paint one would use for other jobs, and when painting a boat you may even need to use more than one kind. The best paint for use on the hullsides and gelcoat is very different from the paint used for decks, and antifouling paint used on the hull bottom is yet another different variety.

Paints with shiny finishes for use on gel-coated areas include single-part enamels, single-part polyurethanes and two-part polyurethanes. Single-part enamels are used most commonly because they’re easy to apply and inexpensive. Single-part polyurethanes are also easily applied and their shine lasts longer, but they’re more expensive. Two-part polyurethane paint looks as good, or even better, than a boat’s original gelcoat when applied properly, and most people would agree that they provide the best overall results. However, they’re significantly more expensive than the other options, require special primers, have to be carefully mixed and can only be applied in the proper temperature and humidity ranges.

Paints used for decks and other surfaces that regularly see footsteps include some non-slip properties, often in the form of tiny rubberized pellets or beads. These paints won’t give you the blindingly bright finish of the ones used on a boat’s hull sides, but they are generally very easy to apply and provide a grippy surface.

Bottom paints with antifouling characteristics are entirely different. There are countless versions to choose from, but they boil down to “hard” paints and “soft” (ablative) paints. Hard paints are usually best for boats that are performance-oriented, but paint buildup can become a long-term issue. Ablative paints wear away as the boat gets used, but if a boat sits motionless in the slip for weeks or months at a time, it can lose its effectiveness. In both cases, a biocide is mixed in with the paint to prevent marine growth. Different bottom paints work better in different environments, and specific types may be regulated or even banned in certain waterways, so before choosing a bottom paint it’s best to consult with a professional in your specific area and find out what they recommend.

Prepping a Fiberglass Boat to be Painted

Regardless of which part of the boat you’re painting, or what type of paint you use, a general rule of thumb is always remember two critical things: the prep job is the most important part of any paint job, and follow the manufacturer’s recommended prep procedure because certain different products can have different specific requirements. That said, in all cases the paint preparation consists of:

1. Fixing any scratches, gouges, or cracks. Remember, a fresh coat of paint won’t cover up imperfections, but instead is more likely to increase their visibility.
2. Washing the entire boat from stem to stern to remove all contaminants.
3. Protecting all hardware and/or fittings with painter’s tape, or removing it from the boat entirely, so you don’t accidentally damage or paint over stainless-steel, plastic, or wood items.
4. Dewaxing all areas that have been exposed to wax.
5. Thoroughly sanding and/or stripping the surface(s) to be painted, as per the paint manufacturer’s instructions.
6. Cleaning away all sanding dust and/or stripping chemicals and materials.
7. Applying the primer (if necessary, as per the manufacturer’s instructions).

Applying Paint to a Fiberglass Boat

With the prep work completed, it’s time to apply the paint. At this point, we’re going to say this one more time: follow the manufacturer’s recommended procedures. Each paint has its own application and curing characteristics, and it’s critical to do as the instructions suggest. That said, most glossy-surface paints can be applied with the standard roll-and-tip method of using a roller to apply to large surfaces, followed by using a brush to smooth out the paint. This is most effective when two people work in tandem, one with the roller and the other following along behind them with the brush. In the case of non-skid or bottom paints, it may not even be necessary and simply rolling it on then touching up the edges with a brush should do the trick.

After allowing the paint to dry or cure, you’ll probably want to paint on an additional coat or two. In most cases, two to three coats will be in order and always remember that multiple thin coats of paint generally tend to look a lot better than fewer, thicker coats.

If you’ve painted over a gel-coated area with a shiny finish paint, there’s one more step to add to the procedure. Once the final coat is dry, give it a couple of coats of a thick paste wax. This will go a long way in protecting that paint, and help ensure that your boat looks shiny and new for years to come.

The post A Primer on Painting a Fiberglass Boat appeared first on Yachting.