Hello all,

The purpose of this thread is to help new owners make decisions concerning, plan for, and execute, owner-completed short-term yet high-yield, haul-out of their boat. It is not meant to be a "how-to" or definitive guide, but more so a musing and checklist of how I plan to juggle completing too many projects in too little time with too little help!

Our boat is located in SW Florida and is kept in the water (and sailed) year round. Short-term hauling incurs daily yard fees and is, in general, quite expensive, thus it is best to complete work in as short of period as possible.

I would appreciate comments from others concerning their own methods of preparing and completing this universal-maintenance, as well as from those with questions. Suggestions to my requests for advice are greatly appreciated, too!

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We're planning to haul our W32 for the first time since we acquired her a few years ago. Yes, I know, we should be ashamed! But, in our defense, we've kept the zincs fresh, and the bottom has only recently started to develop growth. We've been able to keep the hull slime, barnacle, and weed free with a bi-yearly scrub; but she has a copperclad bottom with four coats of some form of antifouling paint, so it has been nice.

Anyway, we're planning a five-day haul, during which my sister and I aim to accomplish the following rotund list:

• Remove two seacocks, plus an old depth transducer, and fill their holes with vinylester FRP patches.
  
• Barriercoat the rudder: I've observed small pin-size blisters on the rudder (but ONLY the rudder), so I plan to strip the paint off of it below the waterline and coat with a Interlux 2000e epoxy barrier coat. This barrier coat requires very specific intervals between coats.
  
• New Anti-fouling on the bottom: Assuming the hull is happily blister and problem free, (and I believe it is as I spent two hours under in clear water with SCUBA gear going over the whole hull my hands and a scotchbright pad, looking for blistering issues and anything else that might cause a longer haul time...none found), we'll sand the boat and apply new bottom paint.
• Prime and paint the topsides: I plan to use either 100% Acrylic Latex Exterior, or Glidden Porch & Floor Polyurethane Oil Gloss (more on this below).
• Varnish bottom of bowsprit (this is quite easy to do from the dinghy, but we'll have the supplies out, anyway.)
  
• Reinstall the MaxProp (several months after buying the boat, the old bronze prop shaft sheared off from the terrible electrical situation the boat was left in by the previous owner. Luckily we were running the boat in the slip, adjusting the shift cable, so we were able to recover the prop). I was able to replace the prop shaft and cutlass bearing with the boat in the water, but the maxprop has too many small parts to fumble with in the water, so we put the old fixed blade on.
• Replace zincs
• Add line-preventer to gap on bottom of keel between keel/rudder.
  

Practically speaking, I have three options for painting the bottom; I would appreciate opinions on this matter. Clearly we're not in a particularly high-fouling area, which has allowed our long haul lapse. I realize this is a fairly personal subject, but everyone's situation is different, so I don't think there can be enough dialogue concerning the matter. I'm considering using three methods:

1. All ablative; I can get West Marine CPP Plus Ablative paint for $48/gal (normally $120). If I choose all ablative, I'm thinking of applying 3 coats, plus a fourth to high-drag areas. I would make the first coat a different color from the second two (Red, then black, likely). This should be doable with six gallons (~$300).
2. All hard (modified epoxy): This would be more expensive, but I could apply three coats of Unepoxy, which I can get for $100/gal (5 gals, $500)
3. Hard base, ablative top: This seems like a good mix; apply two coats of Unepoxy for a durable, contact-leeching backup, then two coats of a different color ablative on top of that, with perhaps a third coat on the leading edges. (3x$100, 3x$50 = $450). The advantage I see to this method is that, if sometime rubs agains the ablative paint, it can almost literally "wipe it off". In this case, the hard would take over. Also, once the ablative wore through to the hard paint, we would still have some anti-fouling power left in the hull until we have time to haul. 
4. Due to cost, I am only able to consider the paints listed above. $200/gal is not within our budget.
   
5. Thoughts? Other options?

As for the topside paint, I do have rational.

1. I have seen three boats painted with 100% acrylic latex paint and they looked fabulous. The paint, if thinned a smidgen, then rolled and tipped like any other, will level and leave a beautiful finish, quite on par with Awlgrip (believe it or not).
   
2. It is long-lasting when compared to some marine paints I've seen, and that makes sense; these paints have received exponentially more research than marine paints, driven by an exponentially larger market, which has allowed their development into very formidable coatings. Great gloss retention in high UV exposure, virtually no color fading (this is one of the important things to building painters; they want to be able to touch up three years later without a new paint formula).
   
3. The coatings are quite durable, while being easy to repair; just sand and recoat, feathering the edges.
4. Easy preparation; no buying five surface-preparing solvents, special thinners, etc. Of course, the surface has to be as fair as with any other coating if it's to look good.
   
5. Very affordable by any measure, especially marine! The highest quality 100% acrylic paint is about $25/gal, and can be mixed in any color. Coverage is good, prep is the same as with any paint; a single coat of latex primer binds the topcoat to the surface. I anticipate this will require 1 gallon of primer, 2 gallons of topcoat, for a whopping total of about $90, including roller covers, brushes, tape, and beer. That is less than the cost of the solvents used for Awlgrip and other 2-part paints. 
6. Easy cleanup; waterbased paint.
7. I am also considering using Glidden's Porch & Floor Polyurethane Oil Gloss, the paint we used for our non-skid on deck. It has held up very well, showing no chalking, loss of color, adhesion, etc, in a year and half of southern Florida UV.

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Planned schedule to accomplish all of this with two bodies (Asia and Aaron) and five days of Florida heat:


Days before - Get ready, gather materials and scout out

• Determine whether paints/materials must be purchased from yard's store. If so, verify they have your chosen product in stock (make sure they have your colors, and MORE than needed, if possible. It takes one mistake to mess up timing!)
• What are yard rules - Do I need a vacuum sander, and if so, what type (100% industrial or joe's rig-it-yourself vac sander...#2 is our answer). Do I need to visqueen the boat for sanding; if so, are there open days that do not require it?
• If I can buy materials elsewhere (I can), get them stocked up before hand. Bottom paint, topside paints, fillers, rollers, tape, tape, tape, tape, more tape, and stuff. Find a place that will shake your bottom paint the day before you need to apply it, or have a drill stirrer with you.
• Stop by the yard to say "hi" and confirm your arrangements. Be nice and they may let you look around the yard; See if there is a place where a tree or boat awning may cast the your boat in shade at some point of the day; see if they can arrange to put your boat there.
  
• Scout out if there is anything special you should bring. i.e., plastic chairs or something to sit on, yards are sometimes devoid of seats, a sheet of plywood for work table, shade umbrella if there isn't a rest area, trash can, etc.
  

Day Before - Get there

• Sail boat to yard. In our case, we have about 25mi total travel, and have to time arriving at a lock at high tide.
  
• "Confirm" with yard (aka, remind them) we'll be ready to haul in the AM.
• Ask about your shady spot.
  
• Make sure there is a place to anchor, moor, or dock near or at the yard
• Many yards will, if you are the first haul of the next morning, haul your boat the evening before and leave it in the slings overnight, or let you dock up in the hauling slip.
  

Day 1

• Haul scheduled at 7 AM, so the workers will show up and be ready at 7:40; pressure wash to remove as much old ablative as possible to minimize sanding dust. The hull is pretty darn clean now.
• Bring ice chest with water and gatorade for the yard workers; often more appreciated than a tip, especially if you tell them they can come back for more later after it's hot (which is a good time to ask them when they can help reposition stands...this is a good time to invite them back after work for a beer; a great way for them to remain helpful and forgiving of you, a DIY dork, putzing along in their yard).
• Make sure space is left under keel to install line-keeper on keel.
• Blocked up and tarped by about 9:00am.
• Ensure prop nut will come lose; apply PB Blaster if necessary.
• Inspect pintals/gudeons and riding bushings.
  
• Inspect packing gland to determine if replacement is necessary (do early so you can get it!)
• Have the beer iced by the end of the day for your yard helpers. Buy good beer.
  

Aaron:

• Remove two seacocks and old transducer.
• Once holes are open in the hull, get them ground back and prepared for glasswork (To be completed following day). Soak ground glass with denatured alcohol to help purge moisture. Pattern, cut out, and prepare fiberglass sandwich patches. Lay out materials for next day.
  

Asia: Boot stripe, Rudder prep, service seacocks

• Sand and fair bootstripe and area above/below, tape off.
  
• Coat of bootstripe paint
• Strip the rudder to gelcoat or glass below the waterline in prep for barrier coat.
  
• Tape off rudder so it's ready to receive coating immediately in morning.
• Disassemble, inspect seacocks and grease (do this early in case I need parts.)
• 2nd coat of bootstripe paint, remove tape
  

This will likely take the majority of the working day; if time is available, remove decals/hull lettering from topsides and apply a round of body filler to imperfections.


Day 2

Asia: Rudder barrier coating, topside prep, prime

• Once applied, Interlux 2000e (at the temp we're working in) must be recoated between the 2nd and 3rd hour. After mixing the paint, there is a 20 minute  "standing" or "setup" period. The standing time and time between coating rudder can be spent prepping topsides; applying filler and sanding overall.
  
• I want 4 coats on the rudder, so it'll take all day with the necessary cure times. 
• Plan to put one coat of bottom paint on right before leaving, but 2 hours after last coat of 2000e (you MUST put the bottom paint on within three hours!)
• Tape off bootstripe with low-grip green tape, with scuff-resistant tape on top.
  
• The topsides are in pretty good condition, I expect it to take roughly four hours to apply fillers and get the hull sanded and prepared; to be done between rudder coatings
• While sanding topsides, lightly sand bottom of bowsprit for fresh varnish.
  
• Scrub topsides/bowsprit with brush and rinse to remove sanding dust.
  
• Prime with Glidden Gripper white, slightly thinned, roll and tip with Aaron.

Aaron: fiberglass patches and gelcoating, bottom prep, prime topsides

• Mix vinylester, coat glass to be patched; let setup to tack stage. Wet out and apply patches on inside, then apply patches to outside, taping in place. Leave to cure, then fill with underwater putty, let cure, apply vinylester gelcoat, leave to cure, sand down. Cure times of the vinylester should allow the patching, including gelcoating and finish sanding, to be completed by mid-day.
• Have Asia apply two coats of the rudder's Interprotect 2000e to patches while doing rudder.
  
• Bottom paint prep: Tape off waterline and course-sand hull, especially high-drag areas.
• Wire brush/clean pintals/gudeons.
• Wire brush/clean engine intake (interior/exterior)
• When ready, help Asia with rolling and tipping primer
• Coat of bottom paint on 2000e and high-drag areas right before leaving, or full coat if time.
  

Day 3

Asia: sand/fair primer, washdown and first topcoat

• Sand/fair topside primer with 180
• Remove tape from bootstripe
  
• Vacuum and Wash down hull
  
• Coat of varnish on bottom of bowsprit while waiting for hull to dry
  
• Replace Bottom and topside tape on bootstripe.
• 1st coat of topside paint with Aaron, roll and tip
  
• 1st coat of bottom paint
  
• Lightly sand bottom of bowsprit for another coat before leaving
  

Aaron: Topside paint, hardware

• Help with topside paint when needed
  
• Install keel's line-keeper
• Remove fixed prop
• Remove/replace cutlass bearing and packing if necessary
• Install maxprop

Day 4

Asia and Aaron: Bottom and topsides

• Lightly sand topsides
• Aaron applies 2nd coat of bottom paint
  
• Remove boot tape and vacuum/washdown
• Coat of varnish on bowsprit while waiting for hull to dry
• New bootstripe tape
  
• Roll/tip 2nd coat of topcoat
• Third coat of bottom paint
• Remove bootstripe paint
  
• Hull-lettering artist to paint name/port in late afternoon after topside paint has setup.
• Lightly sand bottom of bowsprit for 3rd coat of varnish
  

Day 5

Asia: Any remaining coating needs

• 3rd coat of varnish on bowsprit
  
• Address any topside paint issues
• Use remaining antifouling paint for 4th coat or additional on high-drag areas.

Aaron: Any remaining mechanical needs

• Flush engine with salt-flush (to remove calcium and residue buildup in radiator)
• Replace engine zincs
• Replace cranse iron zinc

Launch in the late evening, give the yard workers some more beer and they'll let you stay on a dock overnight. It's late in the week at this point, Friday night, so they'll be especially happy for a good cold beer from a couple of folks who accomplished a ton of work, all while being clean, courteous, and professional.

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By planning a logical schedule, based on coating cure times and realistic expectations, we have been able to have several high-output, short-period haul-outs with previous boats. Will everything progress exactly as planned? Of course not! But by having a good plan, we have a better chance of accomplishing what we need to in an affordable amount of time.

Love, luck and sweet coconuts to you all!
Aaron N.

Aaron,

Aaron Norlund wrote:

1. I have seen three boats painted with 100% acrylic latex paint and they looked fabulous. The paint, if thinned a smidgen, then rolled and tipped like any other, will level and leave a beautiful finish, quite on par with Awlgrip (believe it or not).
   
2. It is long-lasting when compared to some marine paints I've seen, and that makes sense; these paints have received exponentially more research than marine paints, driven by an exponentially larger market, which has allowed their development into very formidable coatings. Great gloss retention in high UV exposure, virtually no color fading (this is one of the important things to building painters; they want to be able to touch up three years later without a new paint formula).
   
3. The coatings are quite durable, while being easy to repair; just sand and recoat, feathering the edges.
4. Easy preparation; no buying five surface-preparing solvents, special thinners, etc. Of course, the surface has to be as fair as with any other coating if it's to look good.
   
5. Very affordable by any measure, especially marine! The highest quality 100% acrylic paint is about $25/gal, and can be mixed in any color. Coverage is good, prep is the same as with any paint; a single coat of latex primer binds the topcoat to the surface. I anticipate this will require 1 gallon of primer, 2 gallons of topcoat, for a whopping total of about $90, including roller covers, brushes, tape, and beer. That is less than the cost of the solvents used for Awlgrip and other 2-part paints. 
6. Easy cleanup; waterbased paint.
7. I am also considering using Glidden's Porch & Floor Polyurethane Oil Gloss, the paint we used for our non-skid on deck. It has held up very well, showing no chalking, loss of color, adhesion, etc, in a year and half of southern Florida UV

Finally, a subject that I know a little about. I once painted a work van with an exterior, acrylic latex house paint and it held up beautifully! I agree that it could be a viable option for your boat. The only problem is that when sanding latex you will not be able to get it to feather down to an invisible edge, so if you have a ding or scrape it will show when repainted. If i were you I'd go with the oil based product because it will sand down nicely. Also, I'd use a slow drying alkyd primer (not kills or parks primer sealer!). The fast drying primers will leave you with a huge cracking mess. If your painting your topsides a dark color use a grey primer or have the paint shop tint it. It may save you having to do an extra coat. Good luck.

Aaron Norlund wrote:

Yes, this is an ambitious schedule, but having worked in a yard for a short while, as well as on a couple tall ships during their VERY ambitious yard periods, I learned that by setting up a schedule based on cure times and planning the use of time between coatings, then slave driving some, a remarkable amount can be accomplished. Much hinges on being able to remove the through-hulls quickly, but that should be doable by cutting them out.

In Norway we have a saying: “Good preparation is half the job”.

You`ll make it, you are half the way already!

Ole.

Werner Hamp wrote:

Did you use a non-skid additive such as silica in the paint or did you use a texture roller to create a non-skid surface?

 

Hi Werner,

We used the non-skid additive that was available at Home Depot by Behr. We doubled their suggested amount; two packets per gallon. The deck is pretty nice to work on now, although I generally am barefooted or wearing deck boots or shoes; a couple folks who've come on board thought it was slippery in their land-shoes.

I didn't use a textured roller for two reasons. 1) They leave the coating VERY thick in some areas, and I think the paint would have to be designed to cure in that thickness. 2) This leaves an extremely grippy surface; we used KiwiGrip for our cockpit sole, utilizing a textured roller. It's kinda uncomfortably grippy, and painful to kneel on.

Would our deck be adequately non-skid for a commercial boat? No. But for us, it's a good balance between comfort and grip.

~Aaron