Repainting my steel boat

[Sailing August]

Talk to the US paint manufactures. Give them a call, they will tell you everything you need to know:
1. International
2. PPG
3. Juotun

These are American marine paint companies that supply paint to shipyards for steel ships. These epoxy paints are no more expensive than the imported paints you buy at West Marine.
They will tell you exactly how to prepare the surfaces and apply the paint system; Thicknesses and drying times between coats.
Follow all of their advice and you will be fine.

Sailing August

[JimMann]

Thanks for all the great replies!

I’m uk based so a lot of these products like Ameron are not available here.
I’m trying to find alternatives at the moment

[conachair]

Originally Posted by JimMann

Thanks for all the great replies!

I’m uk based so a lot of these products like Ameron are not available here.
I’m trying to find alternatives at the moment

Can't find Ameron or the new equivalent anywhere in Europe anymore, promain used to do it in UK - they might know more?
Pity, really liked amerlok sealer.

[hpeer]

Ameron has been bought and sold.

Try looking for PPG commercial coatings. That’s Pittsburgh Plate Glass. Ameron ABC3 is supposed to be the most common commercial steel ship bottom paint in the world. You will find Ameron anyplace they are refitting ships or oil rigs, that sort of thing.

Here for example.

https://www.newguardcoatings.com/protective-marine/

[conachair]

Originally Posted by hpeer

Ameron has been bought and sold.

Try looking for PPG commercial coatings. That’s Pittsburgh Plate Glass. Ameron ABC3 is supposed to be the most common commercial steel ship bottom paint in the world. You will find Ameron anyplace they are refitting ships or oil rigs, that sort of thing.

Here for example.

https://www.newguardcoatings.com/protective-marine/

If you can find amerlok sealer in Europe I'd love to get some

Spoke with PPG, all went quiet when it transpired I was a yachtie and not 100M long
Not even sure it's made anymore, pity - it was great for steel when sand blasting wasn't an option. Like the inside of a boat Took days to go off and seeped into every little pore.

[JimMann]

Yeah it’s a major pain, I can order through eBay but it’s shipped from the US and I’m going down to repair the boat on Tuesday. Managed to free up 2 weeks for repair work so have to find the right stuff quick. I think i’ve got the bottom paint covered, it’s just finding the right rust converter, epoxy and primer to treat the rust spots and seal up the areas where I will cut off the gunnels.

[conachair]

Machine mart do phosphoric acid - https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/rust-remover-1-litre/

Wickes used to be cheapest place, grout film remover, that seems to have been discontinued now though.

[JimMann]

Originally Posted by conachair

Machine mart do phosphoric acid - https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/rust-remover-1-litre/

Wickes used to be cheapest place, grout film remover, that seems to have been discontinued now though.

Thanks for that Conachair.

I was pointed to this stuff https://amzn.to/2GVYwnl to repair any above the waterline rust spots, what do you think?

I’m about 50% through the book you recommended, I must admit I’m more confused than when I started.. I can’t believe there’re so many ways a boat can rust and now I’m terrified to use my angle grinder in the boat yard I’m learning a lot. Thanks

[conachair]

Originally Posted by JimMann

I was pointed to this stuff https://amzn.to/2GVYwnl to repair any above the waterline rust spots, what do you think?

I just use phosphoric acid from wherever i can get it. Grinder with cup brush/flap disc back to as shiny as you can then spray on some acid, usually fizzes away as it reacts with the rust even though the steel looks shiny clean. Hot day helps. Then wash and more acid. Then wash really clean and leave to dry. Then blow torch to blow off any last moisture and lots of coats of epoxy. Seems to work Ok. You get quite a lot of forum "this way is absolute best with this paint!" but unless you have a football pitch sized boat and ten years spare to try them all there's just no way to be sure. Worst bits are anything bolted through and any wood touching yhe steel, those will rust. Welding fittings on is much better imho. Good luck!

[JimMann]

Originally Posted by conachair

I just use phosphoric acid from wherever i can get it. Grinder with cup brush/flap disc back to as shiny as you can then spray on some acid, usually fizzes away as it reacts with the rust even though the steel looks shiny clean. Hot day helps. Then wash and more acid. Then wash really clean and leave to dry. Then blow torch to blow off any last moisture and lots of coats of epoxy. Seems to work Ok. You get quite a lot of forum "this way is absolute best with this paint!" but unless you have a football pitch sized boat and ten years spare to try them all there's just no way to be sure. Worst bits are anything bolted through and any wood touching yhe steel, those will rust. Welding fittings on is much better imho. Good luck!

Sorry last question. What epoxy would you recommend?

[JimMann]

Originally Posted by turtleofdart

First of all don't panic about a bit of rust. it is a process that happens relatively slowly and steel coats itself with a protective layer...above the waterline.
We have a small steel bilge keeler and have replated sections in the bilge where it had rusted quite thin ... between tides and without lifting out... we have found that you can treat rusty steel effectively with owatrol or penetrol after removing loose rust. sveral coats of that and then oil based paint mixed with a bit of owatrol and you can get a good finish that sticks to to rusty steel.

any epoxy based coating is a waste of time unless you get it back to absolutely shiny metal by grit blasting and paint immediately.

I would stick to traditional oil based paint... we use skip paint(dumpster paint) and owatrol for most of the boat....and its cheap!

If the paint is sound, leave it on!... chip and grind any rusty patches, get oil based paint on, antifoul and GO SAILING!

the world's oceans are full of strong, waterproof rusty ships that will do thousands of miles.... don't let them scare you into thinking the paint has to be fantastic and the boat has to be completely rust free before you can go sailing.

if you are really broke and your bilge is very rusty indeed you can even fill the bilge with concrete and scrap metal and she will float for your grandchildren with no further maintenance. I might be exaggerating a bit but don't listen to the fearmongering about steel boats. Steel will cry its eyes out for years and years before any real structural damage occurs. when it does rust through it is easy to weld new plates in!

your boat looks great, my friend! get a compressed air chisel and get the worst of the rust off the bottom, paint with oil based paints and GO SAILING!

youtube: putyoursailsup for a nice little film of our boat and a journey....

Thank you for reply,
do you use dumpster paint for everything above the waterline?

Really enjoyed your video by he way, you seem like a very interesting man, I hope to dump into it one day

[conachair]

Originally Posted by JimMann

Sorry last question. What epoxy would you recommend?

Tricky one... I see what is actually av@ilabke locally then spend a while pouring over the data sheets. Jotun yacht epoxy or something like that at the moment doing a refit in Portugal. Trouble is you need 5 or 10 years to see if it's any good. But definitely only ever 2 part epoxy on bare steel. And lots of coats. Amerlok sealer and think it was maybe ameron 400 done in Trinidad still good after a decade. Would do that again if it was available.

[RaymondR]

I agree with turtleofdart on the uselessness of epoxy paints on rusty surfaces without sand blasting. I worked for a major shipping company whose maintenance management stated that if they could still get it they would go back to oil based, red lead paint as the first coat on mechanically cleaned steel as it was far longer lasting than the epoxies.

I also gave up on epoxies on internal surfaces and switched over to boiled linseed oil and cement slurry and wax oil.

[Pete7]

I have been following this YT channel as he rebuilds an old steelie. I thought he was barking when he first started but he has the skills and is taking his time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EV21bMFbxE

[JimMann]

Originally Posted by RaymondR

I agree with turtleofdart on the uselessness of epoxy paints on rusty surfaces without sand blasting. I worked for a major shipping company whose maintenance management stated that if they could still get it they would go back to oil based, red lead paint as the first coat on mechanically cleaned steel as it was far longer lasting than the epoxies.

I also gave up on epoxies on internal surfaces and switched over to boiled linseed oil and cement slurry and wax oil.

Wow I just went full circle the previous owner said to red lead it as well. I’m really new to all this so just wanted some second opinions.

Excuse me for asking a stupid question but would I just patch anywhere that needs it with red lead or use it as a primer as well?

Thanks