After 6 months of living in the water....

ric · **Posted:** Wed Nov 16, 2011 6:04 pm

It's time to clean and polish the hull, re-coat the outdrive, and replace the anodes among other things of general maintenance. Oh, and that's my $700 brand new trailer

Need to adjust the bunks about 6" out but otherwise it fits perfect.

Evening edit:

Gave her an initial soapy scrub down to get the loose stuff off. Aside from a slight brown staining, it looks new. Tomorrow I'll give her a gentle pressure wash to remove the rest and get to work with the hull cleaner. Then?? High speed buffer and tons of beer.

Does anyone know where I can get the paint for the outdrive? It's bubbled some places, I need to wire wheel it and re-coat. The anodes look brand new, so apparently they're not magnesium and need to be changed.

PDACPA · **Posted:** Thu Nov 17, 2011 12:47 pm

Marina that does work I cannot do is a Volvo Penta dealer. He has the cans on the shelf. Riverside Marine on Florida Ave in Tampa.

Graham R · **Posted:** Fri Nov 18, 2011 4:33 am

Iwouldn't recommend you wire wheel it; that would leave little prices of steel in the aluminium that will promote corrosion if the coating later becomes damaged. By all means use a synthetic abrasive wheel. Bare aluminium requires an appropriate primer : I have found International Paint's "Primocon" bonds well and lasts under water The anodes being perfect are probably why the paint is bubbling, the drive has been acting as the anode !

When you fit the new fresh water ones, you also need to check for electrical continuity between the anodes and the individual castings; there are wires electrically connecting all the assemblies together. No connection = no protection.

Graham

Paul I. · **Posted:** Fri Nov 18, 2011 12:07 pm

I would not use a wire wheel of any type. If you just want to scrap & paint, this is a great paint. http://bluewatermarinepaint.com/kobrcomuab.html

As to the anodes, MAKE sure you have the right ones for the type of water you are in and for that drive. In salt water, some Mercs use AL or zinc, in lakes its magnesium. It looks like an Alpha so in salt water, you should use zinc.

This is a great place for zincs, there 2 towns away from me and I have meet there staff. Great people and they know there stuff!! http://boatzincs.com/

ric · **Posted:** Sat Nov 19, 2011 12:13 pm

Well, hull cleaned and it's back white again!

Bad news.. found around 10 small blisters on the port side edge, otherwise the hull is fine. I'm almost done with my end of summer re-fresh so I'm just going to let it be and after I change the stern drive oil, repaint the sterndrive, and polish the hull it's going back in the water this week. I'm going to pull it out again in January and have it fixed/bottom painted white.

Question though. Would it be better if I grinded out those 10 blisters, filled em, and just spot covered them with white bottom paint? Or just hold out 2 months and do the whole thing at once.

LouC · **Posted:** Sun Nov 20, 2011 10:04 am

They make an epoxy product for fixing blisters, I'd research that. Gelcoat is not really water proof but epoxy is.
Man that is some difference from salt water, my boat with bottom paint and drive paint looks much worse after 6 months in salt.
But no blisters, boat is 24 years go figure.
I'd probably do it all at once. Fix the blisters, then get the bottom epoxy painted, to seal up the gelcoat, then bottom paint. Bottom paint alone will not prevent blisters.

TX H210SS · **Joined:** Thu May 27, 2010 9:10 am **Posts:** 1488

Ric - i would think hard on having the hull coated, especially if the rest of the hull looks to be in good condition. I know bigger boats that seldom get pulled from the water get hull paint anually or every other year, but i think you diminish the value of your ride by doing this.

I think you will be adding to your anual to do list by painting/coating the bottom. I would have the blisters repaired and gelcoated, polished out and be done with it. Blisters are pretty common and even excluded from most warranties.

ric · **Posted:** Sun Nov 20, 2011 9:32 pm

Nothing like a little manual labor and MaryKate Gel!

Next? Repaint outdrive, polish boat, tint windshield, mount grill, new oils. Back in the water

ric · **Posted:** Mon Nov 21, 2011 6:54 pm

My hands can't take any more vibrations, this is enough for tonight. Was only superficial paint bubbling, never went past the primer except on the skag. I picked me up some zinc chromate primer and a nice paint that looked dang close at the auto parts store. Once it's final sanded, tacked down, primered and painted it should look like a new unit!

Who said boat ownership isn't fun?? One week of work, 2 hours a day, and around $200 and it will be looking better then how it did entering the water 6 months ago!

Oh, and I came to a conclusion about what to do with the blisters. Fix what's there, and instead of epoxy and bottom painting that will cost $$$$$$$ and lower the value of the boat (why??).... buy a used boat lift that's all over craigslist for $2000. Problem solved.

ric · **Posted:** Mon Nov 21, 2011 9:34 pm

It's yelllowwwwww

St. Louis Dave · **Posted:** Tue Nov 22, 2011 5:31 pm

How much of a collection would it take from us for you to keep that outdrive the yellow color for the season...... :shock:

ric · **Posted:** Tue Nov 22, 2011 7:54 pm

I considered painting it pink, but the ha ha factor would only last about a month til people just started asking... why is your stern drive pink? It's back silver now.

ric · **Posted:** Wed Nov 23, 2011 10:39 am

Now just have to take off the prop and make her black

ric · **Posted:** Wed Nov 23, 2011 12:18 pm

Grill mounted with flush rotating mount.

What's left? I hope to get this in the water Saturday.
-Buff/Polish whole boat
-Sterndrive oil
-Fuel filter
-Tint Windshield
-Clean bilge, hard to reach places like under seats
-replace old running lights with LED units

gregs · **Posted:** Wed Nov 23, 2011 1:00 pm

You're making me tired just reading and lookin' at the pics. :!:

Good work!

Greg

www.iFourWinns.com

After 6 months of living in the water....

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