c.1960 Whaler Restoration

Repair or modification of Boston Whaler boats, their engines, trailers, and gear
LibertyBill
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c.1960 Whaler Restoration

Postby LibertyBill » Thu Jan 28, 2016 8:36 pm

I am taking on the project of restoring my grandfather-in-law's Boston Whaler boat, which was given to me instead of being junked. From the restorations I have seen on-line, I don't think its condition is that bad. I have gotten the boat completely stripped of all parts and have begun sanding. I have little experience doing anything like this, and I'm a little stumped as to how far down I need to sand. I have sanded all the way down to the glass at the bow but after reviewing some on-line pictures and recordings, I am wondering if I need to be going that far. [See pictures in following post.] Additionally, any other tips and tricks are certainly welcome.

LibertyBill
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Re: 1960s Whaler restoration

Postby LibertyBill » Thu Jan 28, 2016 9:09 pm

Image
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jimh
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Re: c.1960 Whaler Restoration

Postby jimh » Fri Jan 29, 2016 12:00 am

From the images, it appears that the original cockpit gel coat has been top coated with some other material.

In general, the best restoration will preserve the original gel coat layer of the boat hull and cockpit, but often this is just not feasible. The original gel coat layer may be oxidized, dried out, cracked, damaged, or otherwise in poor shape. The gel coat layer is only about 0.020-inch thick. You can sand through it without too much effort, so be careful when trying to remove the top coat with coarse sandpaper or a power sander.

If the boat you want to restore has a gel coat layer in good condition, without a lot of cracking or crazing, you are fortunate. You may, with careful sanding, be able to remove the later top coats, get back to the original gel coat layer, and with careful smoothing, compounding, polishing, and buffing, restore the original appearance.

More likely on a c.1960 Boston Whaler boat with added layers of top coating on the gel coat, the gel coat condition may not be so great. It may be beyond restoration. In that case a completely new layer of finish must be applied. The existing gel coat is sanded, cracks filled, the surface faired and smooth, and a new layer applied. The new layer can be either another layer of polyester resin gel coat or some other material. Modern paint compounds like AWLGRIP are often used.

The advantage of using a gel coat layer is the thickness. At 0.020-inch thick, a gel coat layer can be faired and smoothed after application, to get out any imperfections. If you apply a paint, the paint layer will be much thinner, and you won't be able to sand out and buff out any imperfections.

If you just want a 55-year-old-boat with decent appearance, you can sand off the top coats, smooth the gel coat layer, patch and fill any cracks or deep scratches, and then just paint the boat with a decent marine paint, not a fancy yacht-finish AWLGRIP.

LibertyBill
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Re: c.1960 Whaler Restoration

Postby LibertyBill » Fri Jan 29, 2016 3:46 am

Thanks so much for the thorough response. The only way I've been able to remove all spider cracks and crazing in any particular area is to sand all the way to the glass. Because of this, my plan has been to use AWLGRIP. After spending so much time sanding through to the glass I couldn't help but wonder if it was necessary. If I'm going to be using fiberglass boat bondo to fill in the fiberglass on almost the whole boat then could the same result be achieved by simply sanding just the top layers away and smoothing the original gel coat as much as possible? This would still leave small cracks/crazing. Does the fact that I've already sanded down to the glass at the bow mean that I should go ahead and do the rest of the boat the same way to keep the end result even? My concern is that not getting rid of all of the blue and going down to the glass would prevent the AWLGRIP from being smooth in the end.

jimh
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Re: c.1960 Whaler Restoration

Postby jimh » Fri Jan 29, 2016 1:15 pm

There are two aspects of the original hull gel coat layer that must be restored before applying a top-coat of paint:

--you have to stabilize all movement or flexing that could create new cracking, removing any loose material and reinforcing the hull if necessary with some new laminate layer to restore strength, and

--you have to smooth and fair the surface before painting, as the paint layer will not be so thick that it will hide any imperfections.

The ultimate degree of perfection in the finish comes down to how far away you want to view the hull. It can look very nice from 25-feet away, or it can still look very nice from 2-inches away. It is up to you to decide how much effort and money you want to invest in the hull appearance.

LibertyBill
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Re: c.1960 Whaler Restoration

Postby LibertyBill » Mon Feb 01, 2016 8:30 pm

I'm still sanding away. I'm looking to start purchasing the different products I intend to use. I am sanding away the top two layers of paint with 60 grit by hand and smoothing out the original gel coat with 120 grit on a random orbital sander. I am going to use TOTALBOAT-brand epoxy fairing compound, then sand, apply AWLGRIP primer, followed by AWLGRIP Boston Whaler blue paint.

Should I use the AWLGRIP gray primer or the white primer?

Is this process sound?

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dg22
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Re: c.1960 Whaler Restoration

Postby dg22 » Tue Feb 02, 2016 12:43 am

If you had a lot of spider cracks in the areas that you sanded down to the fiberglass it will be worth your effort. When I restored my 1967 Boston Whaler boat, I did not sand out all the spider cracks, and instead I filled them with marine filler; many of the spider cracks returned after a year of use. So the next year, I sanded these areas down to the fiberglass, re-painted, and the problem was solved.

daveb
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Re: c.1960 Whaler Restoration

Postby daveb » Sat Feb 06, 2016 4:58 pm

I have had good luck sanding down the spider cracks and layers of paint, then spreading a thin layer of West System epoxy with micro baloon filler to a thin peanut butter consistently, then fine sanding carefully and applying a couple coats of Interlux primer to accept the final paint coat, sprayed or rolled and tipped on. I have also used the West System mixture, slightly thicker to adhere the center console to the floor, rather than driving screws into it.

Dave B
Ottawa

Binkster
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Re: c.1960 Whaler Restoration

Postby Binkster » Sun Feb 07, 2016 11:00 am

Are you planning to spray your Whaler or roll and tip it? What is your experience using this product? You might want to read the Product application guide below. I've sprayed over a dozen of my own and my friends boats with AwlGrip since the mid '70's., and never really had a serious problem. Thing is when you are done with the paint job, what you have is what you have. Can't fix up screw ups. They have a fairly new product called AwlGrip 2000 where imperfect areas can be sanded and repaired much like automotive paint. I have not used not used it as of yet, but will next time. Check it out on the AwlGrip site.
http://www.awlgrip.com/prodlit/applicationguide.pdf

rich

LibertyBill
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Re: c.1960 Whaler Restoration

Postby LibertyBill » Sun Feb 07, 2016 8:55 pm

I'm now actually leaning towards using Totalboat Wet Edge paint. Mainly because I have no experience. I've never owned a boat before and never had this one on the water. I'm not sure of that makes sense or not but I feel a little less intimidated using the Wet Edge.

Another thing, does anybody have any experience purchasing replacement parts from specialtymarine.com? They seem to have most of what I need but I wasn't sure of their quality.

jimh
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Re: c.1960 Whaler Restoration

Postby jimh » Mon Feb 08, 2016 6:56 am

LibertyBill wrote:...does anybody have any experience purchasing replacement parts from specialtymarine.com? They seem to have most of what I need but I wasn't sure of their quality.


I believe your opinion and speculation are both widely held.

Oldslowandugly
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Re: c.1960 Whaler Restoration

Postby Oldslowandugly » Mon Feb 08, 2016 11:47 am

I bought my 15 foot Sport stainless bow railings from Specialty Marine and I am very happy with them. Occasionally they run sales and I saved quite a bit of money.

LibertyBill
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Re: c.1960 Whaler Restoration

Postby LibertyBill » Mon Feb 08, 2016 2:28 pm

That's good to know. I just purchased [sidelight and white all-round lamps], lifting-towing eyes, rub rail, and norman pins. I'm still on the hunt for a stainless steel steering wheel.

When painting the inside, should I be plugging up the existing screw holes that I intend on reusing?

Oldslowandugly
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Re: c.1960 Whaler Restoration

Postby Oldslowandugly » Mon Feb 08, 2016 5:54 pm

My interior was so bad I filled them all and started from scratch. I used white Marine Tex on the holes and gouges then used Interlux Epoxy Primercoat on everything. It is a thick primer that fills nicely but is hard to sand and fair, however it is tough as nails. I still need the mahogany bow hatch but the shipping cost was high so I'm waiting on a sale. EDIT: Guess what? The mahogany bow hatch (blemished) is on sale right now for only $76.00. It is for the 17 foot Montauk and is for the larger size model, 20 5/8" at the front. I have a plan and I will make that fit my 15 no problem. Somehow I got 10% off and with shipping (ugh) it came to $100, not bad for what I want to do.

LibertyBill
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Re: c.1960 Whaler Restoration

Postby LibertyBill » Tue Feb 09, 2016 5:26 pm

So I'm putting together my thoughts for painting as I finish up sanding the interior and I have a few questions as far as in what order I need to do some things. It has been a long time since I stripped the boat of all parts and I don't think I remember exactly everything that came out as far as wiring. I am not using any of the original lights, wires, steering wheel, motor, throttle,and won't be using the pulley steering system. What is the best way to run the wire for the bow light? I believe what I removed was ran along the side and painted over but I think it would make more sense to put it under the rub rail? There was a pretty old looking panel with wires going to it at the stern that I imagine will need to be replaced as well. I do not have a new motor yet but planned on making that purchase as the last step. As for now, I need to know what I should prepare BEFORE painting,like running any wires that need to be painted over so as to not have to paint twice. Forgive me if I'm over thinking this(or under thinking), as I've said before this is all VERY new to me.

Oldslowandugly
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Re: c.1960 Whaler Restoration

Postby Oldslowandugly » Tue Feb 09, 2016 9:55 pm

I painted everything first. Mine had the bow light wires running under the rub rail, from through the hull below the bow light back to the plastic cover near the stern. The wires were in good condition so I reused them. I placed a wiring box with a removable stern light bracket at the spot where the plastic cover used to be. I did however extend them and I made up an all new harness with marine grade wiring and then enclosed in plastic conduit and ran it to the console. I did not want to cut into the deck so I instead used extruded aluminum door tread plate to cover the wiring and control cables. So far I haven't tripped on it. Hidden under the hinged bench go two six gallon gas tanks, and a wiring junction box. In the box are Blue Seas terminal studs that extend the motor battery cables up to the console. I used a large gauge marine grade for no voltage drop. The battery is in front of the console. It is very hard to hide the wiring on these boats, but as you can see in this pic it is all well protected and discreet.Image

LibertyBill
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Re: c.1960 Whaler Restoration

Postby LibertyBill » Wed Feb 10, 2016 1:09 pm

Great looking boat you got there! I guess I can paint first, run the bow light under the rub rail, and having the side console it shouldn't be too hard to run wires there.

As far as bottom painting, do you use bottom pain on the outer transom? What about the lowest part of the sides, what I think are the chine areas?

Binkster
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Re: c.1960 Whaler Restoration

Postby Binkster » Wed Feb 10, 2016 1:23 pm

Unless you use quality paint and have the ability to do a professional paint job, don't spend a lot of money on your project.

rich

Oldslowandugly
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Re: c.1960 Whaler Restoration

Postby Oldslowandugly » Wed Feb 10, 2016 3:37 pm

My Whaler came with the water line painted but I knew my changes would affect that. I launched the boat for a test run and to mark the new waterline. When I had that, I used waterline tape to make a boot stripe, then painted three coats of Interlux Epoxycop ablative bottom paint on all underwater areas. The part of the motor bracket that is in the water needs special bottom paint that is compatible with aluminum. Copper based paint will corrode aluminum. Here is a pic of the boot stripe. As you can see it is very different from the old line. ImageImage

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dg22
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Re: c.1960 Whaler Restoration

Postby dg22 » Wed Feb 10, 2016 5:27 pm

Jim H has a reference somewhere on this site for painting the bottom of a 13 footer in regards to the water line. I used this reference and it turned out really nice. It's a good starting point and you can adjust the water line according to your setup.

[UPDATE: I just noticed this comment. The drawing that gives a guide to the water line contour for applying anti-fouling paint to a Boston Whaler 13-foot boat or a Boston Whaler 17-foot boat is included in the OWNER'S MANUAL which I have reproduced on-line in HTML in the REFERENCE section. You can see the drawing at

http://continuouswave.com/whaler/refere ... tml#bottom

The drawing that is latter appended to an article in this thread is the same drawing as I used in the REFERENCE article for the HTML version of the owner's manual. The drawing comes from Boston Whaler and is their drawing as it appeared in the original owner's manual published by them.--jimh.

LibertyBill
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Re: c.1960 Whaler Restoration

Postby LibertyBill » Wed Feb 10, 2016 9:05 pm

I tried searching around both the new and old forums and couldn't find it. Maybe you (or Jim) could point me to it?

[UPDATE: the drawing is not part of the forum, old or new. It is part of the on-line HTML version of the owner's manual I created. See

http://continuouswave.com/whaler/refere ... tml#bottom

The drawing originated with Boston Whaler.--jimh]

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dg22
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Re: c.1960 Whaler Restoration

Postby dg22 » Wed Feb 10, 2016 10:31 pm

I tried finding it but had no luck. Possibly it did not make it over when Jim re-did the site. [No--all site content has been maintained, and nothing was lost--jimh]

I wish I had more photos but here are three of my boat after I painted the bottom.

http://s1004.photobucket.com/user/dg22/library/Bottom%20Paint?sort=3&page=1

LibertyBill
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Re: c.1960 Whaler Restoration

Postby LibertyBill » Thu Feb 11, 2016 10:07 am

I'm going to hold off on bottom paint. I will be trailering it all the time so I'm thinking it really isn't necessary. That will also save me from having to sand away every layer of paint on the exterior. I'll be sanding it down with 120 grit, applying primer, and then TotalBoat Wet Edge white on the entire exterior.

So I was sanding in the bow locker and came across an unexpected surprise. I thought any numbers on this boat were long gone.
Image

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dg22
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Re: c.1960 Whaler Restoration

Postby dg22 » Thu Feb 11, 2016 2:03 pm

Yes, if you are not going to be leaving the boat in the water for an extended period of time you should be good. I think top side marine paint will begin to bubble after 1 or 2 days of sitting in the water. I used bottom paint because my boats sits at the dock for the entire summer. It was a big job because i had to sand off all the old paint down to the original gel coat before applying the specific bottom paint that i decided to use.

LibertyBill
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Re: c.1960 Whaler Restoration

Postby LibertyBill » Tue Feb 23, 2016 10:15 pm

Still sanding... I have a couple more questions for anyone willing to help. I'm replacing literally everything on this boat. That being said, I still need to get a motor and all steering parts. I'm hoping to find a deal on a 40 hp motor and I intend on getting a teleflex steering system with probably a stainless steel destroyer type steering wheel. Is there a particular order in which I should be purchasing things? Do I need to know what motor I have before I get the teleflex system or vice versa? Is there one "go-to" teleflex system for classic Whalers? Does the particular type of steering wheel or location of the console factor in to any decisions? Thanks in advance.

Oldslowandugly
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Re: c.1960 Whaler Restoration

Postby Oldslowandugly » Wed Feb 24, 2016 11:24 am

I can only speak for Johnson/Evinrude motors. I have used them for 40 years and I like them. With the older models the same 737cc powerhead can be found on various 40-48-50-55-60 hp motors, the weight stays the same- almost 200 pounds. New E-tec 40-50-60hp motors are 853cc at 232 pounds. That is a lot to hang on a 13 footer. My own 15 footer is a bit aft heavy with a 48hp but it is a perfect combination of speed and fuel economy. The old and new 25-28-30-35 hp motors are much lighter at around 150 pounds. All of these motors are equipped for tilt tube steering. I like the Teleflex Safe-T rotary steering system. The rotary helm fits into tight spaces better than a rank-n-pinion type. But if you can fit the rack-n-pinion, it is rated better for smoothness and longevity. You can buy a whole kit including cable and hardware cheaper that piecing it all together. The cable is the last thing you decide on because you need to measure from the motor to the steering head to determine the length. Teleflex explains all this on their website . Read. http://www.seastarsolutions.com/support-2/installation-manuals-controls-cables/installation-manuals-mechanical-steering/ A side console would be the easiest to rig for steering and controls as you can run the cables along the gunwale. In my case I found a small Todd center console and I got everything to fit with some imagination. See the pic I posted above. So to sum up- pick a motor that works with tilt tube steering, install a console/steering station, decide on a steering system, measure the cable length, purchase a complete kit that includes everything needed. Enjoy.

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Dutchman
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Re: c.1960 Whaler Restoration

Postby Dutchman » Wed Feb 24, 2016 2:54 pm

dg22 wrote:Yes, if you are not going to be leaving the boat in the water for an extended period of time you should be good. I think top side marine paint will begin to bubble after 1 or 2 days of sitting in the water. I used bottom paint because my boats sits at the dock for the entire summer. It was a big job because i had to sand off all the old paint down to the original gel coat before applying the specific bottom paint that i decided to use.


As the dictionaries indicate "topsides--the surface of a ship's hull above the water line." This is the part of a boat that gets wet all the time and stays wet quite often for more than a day or two without a problem. Marine Topside paint is specially formulated for wet environments and does not bubble when getting wet. The difference with bottom paint is that most of the time it is ablative paint that gets thinner and thinner to fight of growth. Many fast going vessels have topside paint on the bottom as it has less resistance (better flow over) than regular ablative bottom paint.

The problem is you could get more growth on it when left in the water for longer (week and up) periods of time.
Hence if you moor a boat for a season it is best to have Bottom paint. If you trailer and or have the boat in for less than a week at the time you can use Topside paint for the complete boat. Totalboat Wet Edge from Jamestown is fine or any Interlux Topside paint.
EJO
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LibertyBill
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Re: c.1960 Whaler Restoration

Postby LibertyBill » Wed Feb 24, 2016 5:15 pm

Dutchman: Thanks for that clarification. I'm hoping to have this project completed before my vacation in June to Sanibel Island, FL so I can bring the whaler. The house we stay at has a dock on the water but a boat ramp is easily accessible. It would definitely be easier to leave the boat floating for a day or two (or three or 4) throughout the week as opposed to taking it out of the water after every use. If I need to take it out I can but why bother if it's not needed?

Oldslowandugly: The run-down is much appreciated. I have been through seastar's website and got pretty overwhelmed with options using lingo I was unfamiliar with. I still haven't seen the complete kits you referred to but I am not at that point yet so I still have some time. I'm strongly considering getting all new wood in the super sport setup (2 consoles) from specialty marine and biting the bullet and getting a NEW 40 hp motor. I haven't had much luck finding anything used locally that doesn't look beat up.

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dg22
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Re: c.1960 Whaler Restoration

Postby dg22 » Wed Feb 24, 2016 10:10 pm

If you paint the bottom of your boat with top side paint and you leave it more than 2 days in the lake, there is a good chance the paint will form small bubbles on the bottom of the boat. Just speaking from experience and not from a marketing brochure.

LibertyBill
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Re: c.1960 Whaler Restoration

Postby LibertyBill » Wed Feb 24, 2016 11:25 pm

I appreciate both of your opinions. I'd say without further education and experience of my own I will err on the side of caution. I won't be leaving it in the water for more than a day's use until I go to Florida in June so Im sure I'll get more opinions, speculative and from experience, between now and then.

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dg22
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Re: c.1960 Whaler Restoration

Postby dg22 » Thu Feb 25, 2016 8:23 am

Not a big deal. Worst case scenario is you just sand it off and re-paint the bottom the next year with bottom paint. The bubbling in the paint and the scum line will help show you where the waterline is on your boat. You could go with white bottom paint to match your top side paint. Harder to find but I do believe it is available.

padrefigure
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Re: c.1960 Whaler Restoration

Postby padrefigure » Thu Feb 25, 2016 9:18 am

You will probably not be able to use the tilt tube and drag link for steering connection on your 1960 13 footer. There is not enough clearance in the notched transom. There is a ball socket assembly that attaches to the transom instead. Clunky from a design standpoint, but functional. I suspect you will love having your Whaler at Sanibel, but remember it is best in protected waters.

LibertyBill
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Re: c.1960 Whaler Restoration

Postby LibertyBill » Thu Feb 25, 2016 9:39 am

dg22: I never thought of the idea of having to do all of this sanding again as a good thing but that is a good point.

padrefigure: I was up late last night looking around at different ways to combat that. I saw somewhere (on this site I believe) Jimh posted pictures of options that I think will lead me in the right direction. I'm looking at putting a 40-50 hp motor on a backplate.

As for the protected waters recommendation, yes I was aware. We always stay at the same house which is actually on Connie Mack Island just before the causeway to Sanibel with a dock on protected waters. Spending our days going back and forth across the causeway. The boat will save from paying tolls just to go to dinner. :)

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Re: c.1960 Whaler Restoration

Postby LibertyBill » Fri Feb 26, 2016 7:56 am

I'm still not sure about the best way to tackle the original non skid texture. Much of it doesn't look bad and I'm thinking (my thinking can be dangerous) it could probably be primed and painted? But several areas are looking a little rough and I'm not sure if sanding it is even possible. I did sand a little and I quickly became hesitant, not wanting to smooth it down. I'm now beginning to wonder if I need to just sand the entire thing down. I think it goes without saying that I'd rather keep as much of the original non skid as possible. Any recommendations based on the pictures?

IMAGE LINK 1
IMAGE LINK 2
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IMAGE LINK 4

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dg22
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Re: c.1960 Whaler Restoration

Postby dg22 » Fri Feb 26, 2016 9:37 am

For the non-skid area on my 1967 13-footer, I used a wire brush, lightly sanded, vacuumed, wiped down with one of the Interlux cleaning solvents and then primed and painted. To keep the glare down inside the boat I added a flattening agent to the paint.

LibertyBill
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Re: c.1960 Whaler Restoration

Postby LibertyBill » Fri Feb 26, 2016 10:02 am

So your approach retained the original bumpy texture? If I go that route at this point I will have a few spots that will have a different texture than the rest from my experiments but overall I'm not looking for something to hold value. I'll never get rid of this boat so I just need something useful and not an eyesore.

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Re: c.1960 Whaler Restoration

Postby Oldslowandugly » Fri Feb 26, 2016 10:29 am

My deck was even worse if you can believe that. I had so many holes and cracks it was a lost cause to try and maintain the original finish. Thus, after I was done repairing everything I laid down several coats of Interlux epoxy primer which is very tough and has a thick consistancy. After fairing that I gave it a top coat of Interlux urethane and in the final coat I added Interlux Polymeric Noskid Compound. Nowadays it is called Intergrip. It dulls the finish and makes the surface totally non-skid. I am very pleased with the results. I use Interlux products exclusively.

Image

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Image

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dg22
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Re: c.1960 Whaler Restoration

Postby dg22 » Fri Feb 26, 2016 10:55 am

I was able to keep the original non-skid. I did have repairs which I had to flatten out the surface. Since these repairs were located at the back of the boat where the battery sat, I did not worry about it from a cosmetic point of view.

If you want a consistent, new look, what oldslowandugly suggested is a good option.

LibertyBill
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Re: c.1960 Whaler Restoration

Postby LibertyBill » Fri Feb 26, 2016 1:09 pm

Does the Intergrip change the color at all or just flatten it? Do you just mix it in with the same topside paint you use on the rest of the boat? I had looked into intergrip a while back and was under the impression you used a shaker to flour it across a still wet first coat, and once dry, vacuum and add another coat of paint. This approach wouldn't require mixing it. It sounds like I can just sand it all smooth and prime it with the rest of the topside. Then add another coat mixed with the intergrip inside the channel.

Oldslowandugly
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Re: c.1960 Whaler Restoration

Postby Oldslowandugly » Sat Feb 27, 2016 9:47 am

No it does not change the color, it flattens it. The correct procedure is to put down all your primer and finish coats first. Then add the No-skid to the very last coat by mixing it well into the paint container. What happens is the micro spheres float to the top of the paint film to produce the non skid surface. If you paint again over that, it kind of remains, but not as well. I would add the No-skid to any additional coats. I use my boat strictly for fishing in all kinds of weather. No one has ever slipped on my decks. In that pic it was a cloudy day. The tops and sides of the gunwales are glossy but the decks are flat.

LibertyBill
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Re: c.1960 Whaler Restoration

Postby LibertyBill » Mon Feb 29, 2016 7:45 pm

Nearing the end of the interior sanding. I've been using 40-60 grit to get rid of the top two paint layers, mostly by hand but some with the random orbit. All of the contours and crevices are a real PITA. I've spoke with the people at Jamestown Distributors and they seem to think the primer will go on fine in the scratches left by the 60 grit because it's a high build primer. I'm wondering if it's safe to follow that direction or if it would be wise to go back over the whole interior with 120 or even 220. I definitely don't want to apply primer just for it to fail because I didn't sand enough. I'm about to the point of never wanting see sand paper ever again. :)

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Re: c.1960 Whaler Restoration

Postby rtk » Tue Mar 01, 2016 5:20 am

Yes sanding is fun! As to the final sanding preparation prior to applying the high build primer- I would defer to the primer manufacturer recommendation in the instructions- they usually get it right.

My gut tells me that 220 grit is way too fine a surface for initial primer coat adhesion. 80 grit to 100 grit range sounds right to me for high build primer adhesion and coat building for the first couple of coats from my wood boat painting days. 120 grit to 150 grit range next couple of coats. Then the final sanding of the primer prior to top coat application will likely be in the 180 grit to 220 grit range.

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Re: c.1960 Whaler Restoration

Postby Oldslowandugly » Wed Mar 02, 2016 10:16 am

I hate to suggest this so late in the project , but did you try a power washer? I am preparing a skiff for paint and I started with the highest pressure nozzle. It blasted layer after layer of old paint right off. What didn't come off lifted, and I can use a scraper to get under that. If a lot remains then I use a chemical stripper. Not a harsh toxic type but rather a water soluble friendly type. Wrapping with plastic sheeting keeps it from evaporating and forces the stripper to stay on the job. Left wrapped over a couple of days the paint just falls off. THEN I sand to roughen the surface.

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Re: c.1960 Whaler Restoration

Postby LibertyBill » Wed Mar 02, 2016 11:01 am

--I laugh aloud--, no I didn't try a power washer. I was under the impression that keeping it as dry as possible was best so it didn't occur to me. At this point I don't think I'll bother. I have about half of the non skid to sand smooth and I'll be done sanding the interior. I'm going to flip it on the trailer and sand the outside with 100-120 instead of removing the existing paint. Prime and paint the exterior and then flip back over and prime and paint the interior.

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Re: c.1960 Whaler Restoration

Postby Dutchman » Wed Mar 02, 2016 2:17 pm

dg22 wrote:If you paint the bottom of your boat with top side paint and you leave it more than 2 days in the lake, there is a good chance the paint will form small bubbles on the bottom of the boat. Just speaking from experience.


dg22 what kind(brand) was your Top-Side paint? I speak from experience too. Maybe because of how it was applied you got bubbles after 2 days?
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Re: c.1960 Whaler Restoration

Postby dg22 » Wed Mar 02, 2016 4:11 pm

dutchman, I used Interlux Brightside paint. Yes maybe it was how I applied it or possibly because it is a one part paint it is more sensitive to the paint bubbling when below the waterline for an extended period of time. When I say 2 days, it could of been 3 days or 4 but regardless I don't want tell someone that there boat will be fine with topside paint on the bottom for an extended period of time especially after all the work he has been doing on his boat.

I had used Interlux Brightside on the top and sides of my boat and noticed it bubbled in the areas that were below the waterline on the sides. When I re-did the bottom, I just made sure the bottom paint was high enough on the sides so it would not occur again, unless your bilge pump fails during the week when you are not around -- that is another story. --I laugh aloud--

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Re: c.1960 Whaler Restoration

Postby Oldslowandugly » Thu Mar 03, 2016 8:50 am

LibertyBill, what kind of paint is on the outside and bottom? Anti fouling can be tough to cover over and is best removed entirely. If that is impossible then a primer/sealer like Interlux Primocon can be used to encapsulate the old paint so it won't react with the new. It is rated for underwater use even on metals. I use it on outboard lower units. Brightside is a great paint, very tough and keeps it's gloss over time. But it will soften and detach if used underwater very long. I used it on a trailered skiff with no problems at all but it was not in the water over a day.

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Re: c.1960 Whaler Restoration

Postby Acseatsri » Thu Mar 03, 2016 6:08 pm

I'd suggest mixing in some flattening agent into the non-skid mix. Without it, my deck had quite a bit of glare from the sun. I mixed it 50/50 and then added the Intergrit.

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Re: c.1960 Whaler Restoration

Postby dg22 » Fri Mar 04, 2016 12:10 am

Libertybill, I finally found on the web [some other website that stole the drawing from my article--jimh] the drawing that shows you the measurements for the waterline on a Boston Whaler. I found this very helpful when I painted the bottom of my boat. I know you are thinking of using a topside paint for the entire boat but if you change your mind at least you'll have this reference handy.

http://s1004.photobucket.com/user/dg22/library/Bottom%20Paint?sort=3&page=1


[Here is the drawing from Boston Whaler as I created it for use in my on-line version of the owner's manual--jimh]

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Re: c.1960 Whaler Restoration

Postby LibertyBill » Fri Mar 04, 2016 1:10 am

The previous owner (my grandfather in law) painted it a couple of times using one part paint. Im almost positive he never used any kind of anti-fouling paint but I can verify that tomorrow.

I'm getting the impression that I'll be re painting the bottom next year. As for now, I think I'm going to go the quicker route using topside paint all around so that I can get it all put back together with new parts and get a motor on it before I go on vacation in June. By next year I'll know where the waterline is.

I live in a townhome and don't have anywhere to work on it at home. All of my work is being done at my job early in the morning, when it's slow, and for a little while after we close. Luckily I work for myself so I'm afforded the luxury of personal projects at work. I'm expecting to be done with the non skid tomorrow and be ready to flip it. We'll see how that goes.