Soda blasting, then Inerprotect, then Micron Extra

[BALANCE]

Since there is no thread dedicated to this process (with pictures). I thought I'd give it a try.

Soda blasting was done and yesterday I sanded and sanded and sanded - knowing there was a week of rain ahead, starting today.

The process: (as per the tech guy at Interlux)

1. After soda blasting, scrub the bottom with fresh water (neutralizing any remaining soda). Allow to dry for 24 hours before going to Step 2.
2. Sand the bottom with 80 grit.
3. Wipe down bottom with 202 to remove all sanding residue. During # 2 and # 3 you will notice areas that need to be filled and faired - RESIST THE TEMPTATION AND THE OPINIONS OF PASSERSBY.
4. Apply first two coats of Interprotect. Do not apply if humidity is greater that 70-75%. The less humidity the better.
5. Now is ok to to fill and fair - Watertite is good to use. Sand again only these areas.
6. Apply remaining coats of Interprotect (I'm doing 5 total white -grey-white-grey-white). This is suggested so that you are sure that each new coat is covering the previous one. Not always obvious depending on weather conditions.
7. Apply bottom paint. What is improtant to know here is that there are no time constraints between coats of Interprotect (they say no more than 6 months). But, you need to plan the last coat of Interprotect and the first coat of bottom paint. The interprotect can not be completely dry. It should still be tacky when you put first coat of bottom paint on - this is key. After that, no time constraints. I'm sure there are details I've neglected to mention but these are the foundation steps to success. I'll be curious to get some feedback on my 'post soda blasting, pre sanding pictures'.

I will add pictures of Steps 1 and 2 shortly...I have to go and take pictures of Step 2 now.

[Paulus]

you need to plan the last coat of Interprotect and the first coat of bottom paint. The interprotect can not be completely dry. It should still be tacky when you put first coat of bottom paint on - this is key. After that, no time constraints.

I was told the same thing - and did just that. Funny thing is, by the time the Interprotect is just right and the time you're done putting on that crucial first coat, the Interprotect is "too dry" as you are finishing up with the bottom paint. I was told to start bottom painting once I could press my thumb against the Interprotect and twist, without pullng it off, while leaving a mark...

The "pro's" that did the boat next to me put on a lot of filler on the bottom and sanded it between coats.

By the time they were ready to put on the seventh and final coat, the bottom had zero dings and blemishes left on it. The were artists.

[BALANCE]

Yes Paulus, they use the term 'thumb tacky' or something like that.

Funny thing is, by the time the Interprotect is just right and the time you're done putting on that crucial first coat, the Interprotect is "too dry" as you are finishing up with the bottom paint.

How much time between the two coats elapsed and what was the temperature/weather that day? This is why I'm wondering if one person can do this.... The 'tackiness' is to have that chemical bond, my understanding is if you don't have this bond....you've thrown a lot of money out the window.

Below are pics of post soda blasting and post Nanette sanding. In one of the post soda blasting pics, note the brown sort of streaks. Anybody know what this is? This boat always had blue bottom paint until I came along. I have and will again apply 1 coat blue and 2 red.. Port side has a lot of what I call 'reverse acne', both sides had some 'mumps'. The mumps sanded away flat as if nothing lay beneath - for the most part, a few just ended up opening in the middle.

Post Soda Blasting (professional)





This is the brown stuff I referred to:




Post sanding 80 grit



Where the brown stuff was..

[Paulus]

It was a dry, windy and relatively warm (80 degrees) day...

[BALANCE]

Paulus, how much time did you have between finishing last coat of Interprotect and starting 1st coat of bottom paint? How did you manage to find an 80 degree day? :) After a month of rain (April) and a stellar beginning of May...never saw 80 for too long though. Must be the diff between NJ and CT.

I think the answer is 'windy'.

Ahem, what are you doing on line when you are at risk of loosing your dvd library card?

[mitiempo]

I think the answer to getting the first coat of bottom paint on while the last coat of Interprotect is still tacky is to have 2 people, one applying bottom paint as the surface of the Interprotect gets tacky. I don't think one can accomplish this.

[Rachel]

I don't have full web access right now to look it up, but while I do remember that the window between the last coat of Interprotect and the first coat of paint is the shortest, I don't remember it being so short that I had any worries about being able to complete the job properly. I'm going to have to look it up again to double check.

And while there are some highly skilled craftspeople in yards; I have also found much misinformation, so it is worth double checking with the specs (which you may already have done).

[BALANCE]

Oh, I've got what Interlux folk say down pat, I was just wondering about the details of Paulus' experience. He's a smaller hull than mine too.

As for yard people. There are no 'pro's' at my yard that I'm aware of - not that work for the yard. For instance, the scrubbing of the hull with fresh water after soda blasting....my friend who works there said 'we never do that'.

The real bummer/risk with this endeavor is there seems to be no way of knowing that your doing it wrong - in the moment or the week, if you catch my drift.

I'm already worried that I did not do the scrub part mentioned just above properly.

[Paulus]

Paulus, how much time did you have between finishing last coat of Interprotect and starting 1st coat of bottom paint? How did you manage to find an 80 degree day? :) After a month of rain (April) and a stellar beginning of May...never saw 80 for too long though. Must be the diff between NJ and CT.

I think the answer is 'windy'.

Ahem, what are you doing on line when you are at risk of loosing your dvd library card?

The Interprotect passed the thumb test even before I finished putting it all on... It was hot and windy..

My dvd library card is good for another few days... ;-)

[BALANCE]

Well since possession is 9/10's. Renewal...that will be when the bell tolls.

We've got a forcast of a week of rain, I am now at the alter praying that it's not followed by serious summer weather!

[BALANCE]

Update:
Not much to say. One barrier coat after another. A gallon takes care of the bottom, just barely. They calculate for a 32'er 1.25. This is correct if you want to include the rudder :). I've discovered I am lousy at creating just 1/4 gallon so the rudder has a few less coats than the bottom. Whatever the size of the batch you make, it's pot life is only about 5 hours. Yesterday was filling and fairing (faring? ((Rachel?)) ) Working with Watertite is easy. It took about 10 minutes to get the technique down and a quick run home for that yellow piece of plastic for fiberglass use.

In an attempt to kill more than one bird yesterday I removed the cockpit floor, brought it down and put a new gasket on it. Left it on the horsies overnight for the caulking to cure. Wouldn't you know I had to do a 7 a.m. run to the yard to get that million pound piece of fiberglass back up and in place because of rain. I really overdid it on the caulking this time and I woke up sort of dreaming about painting over the caulking on either side of the gasket. They say you work things out through your dreams. I'm thinking this might be a good idea. I am thinking that the black could end up in places I don't really want, over time as I often remove the floor to access the engine.

Any thoughts?