29 replies to this topic

[emkay]

Painting the bilge is depressingly rising to the surface of "jobs to be done" just a little surface rust as only 6 months old but a few patches under the engine that are almost impossible to get to, can I get away with leaving these or am I storing up problems? Planning on using yacht primer and paint.

[Grace & Favour]

Painting the bilge is depressingly rising to the surface of "jobs to be done" just a little surface rust as only 6 months old but a few patches under the engine that are almost impossible to get to, can I get away with leaving these or am I storing up problems? Planning on using yacht primer and paint.

Can't you just tape a paintbrush / mini roller to the end of a stick/pole just to paint those difficult to reach places - - always better painted than not!

[J R]

Painting the bilge is depressingly rising to the surface of "jobs to be done" just a little surface rust as only 6 months old but a few patches under the engine that are almost impossible to get to, can I get away with leaving these or am I storing up problems? Planning on using yacht primer and paint.

Suggest that you flat off the rust with some sandpaper and repaint with International Damboline, colour to suit, as the paint is designed to withatand the ravages of an engine hole. Painted ours four years ago and apart from the usual dirt etc one gets in the engine bay it has stood up well. Stick on a couple of coats and it should do the job. Make sure that the surface/s are prepared well. Swine to get under the engine but worth it imo in the long run.

[David Mack]

Can't you just tape a paintbrush / mini roller to the end of a stick/pole just to paint those difficult to reach places - - always better painted than not!

Or use one of these.

David

[PhilR]

Painting the bilge is depressingly rising to the surface of "jobs to be done" just a little surface rust as only 6 months old but a few patches under the engine that are almost impossible to get to, can I get away with leaving these or am I storing up problems? Planning on using yacht primer and paint.

If you can't get at the base plate under the engine to apply paint, the chances are you won't be able to clean and prepare it adequately enough to accept a good protective paint layer. A better option might be to pour or spray some Owatrol oil onto the base plate. This will prevent any further rusting for a few years and it will dry and form a good watertight seal which can be painted at a later date if your engine doesn't drip oil and diesel. ........ But, the chances are, in a few years time the engine will have leaked enough oil and diesel to prevent further rusting. I'm not keen on any of the *yacht primers* ..........

[Derek R.]

Go with Owatrol. It takes ages to dry, but that's due in part to its linseed oil content. The 'oil' penetrates well, and once dry you can overpaint. David shows a radiator brush - they and the comparative small roller are good at reaching awkward places. Clean off what you can, but the Owatrol will penetrate the surface rust no problem (though the cleaner the better). I wouldn't bother with expensive rust converters and after primers, used them in the past after thorough hammering and descaling only to find them lift off along with the overpaint after a good hammering from outside. Something soft and creepy is what a bilge will like - with engine room and visible areas the Owatrol overpainted with International Floor Paint has done me proud so far. Mind you - Owatrol Oil is not cheap, but goes a long way with many uses.

Owatrol also do a red oxide coloured rust prevention treatment, it's called CIP - catalogue page 15 HERE. Now that IS expensive!

Derek

[blackrose]

If you can't get at the base plate under the engine to apply paint, the chances are you won't be able to clean and prepare it adequately enough to accept a good protective paint layer. A better option might be to pour or spray some Owatrol oil onto the base plate. This will prevent any further rusting for a few years and it will dry and form a good watertight seal which can be painted at a later date if your engine doesn't drip oil and diesel. ........ But, the chances are, in a few years time the engine will have leaked enough oil and diesel to prevent further rusting. I'm not keen on any of the *yacht primers* ..........

I would agree about using a thin layer of oil for the hard to reach 'contained' area directly below the engine & gearbox. However, I wouldn't put oil anywhere else, especially if you're going to stand on the baseplate in the area. You'll just trapse oil onto your decks and into your boat. Not very nice.

If your bilges stay dry I wouldn't worry too much about a bit of surface rust - mine have been like that for years. It's a job I need to do at some point but it isn't getting any worse.

[capnthommo]

Go with Owatrol. It takes ages to dry, but that's due in part to its linseed oil content. The 'oil' penetrates well, and once dry you can overpaint. David shows a radiator brush - they and the comparative small roller are good at reaching awkward places. Clean off what you can, but the Owatrol will penetrate the surface rust no problem (though the cleaner the better). I wouldn't bother with expensive rust converters and after primers, used them in the past after thorough hammering and descaling only to find them lift off along with the overpaint after a good hammering from outside. Something soft and creepy is what a bilge will like - with engine room and visible areas the Owatrol overpainted with International Floor Paint has done me proud so far. Mind you - Owatrol Oil is not cheap, but goes a long way with many uses.

Owatrol also do a red oxide coloured rust prevention treatment, it's called CIP - catalogue page 15 HERE. Now that IS expensive!

Derek

and here's a third for owatrol.
cheers
nigel

[WotEver]

and here's a third for owatrol.

and a fourth.

[PhilR]

I would agree about using a thin layer of oil for the hard to reach 'contained' area directly below the engine & gearbox. However, I wouldn't put oil anywhere else, especially if you're going to stand on the baseplate in the area. You'll just trapse oil onto your decks and into your boat. Not very nice.

If your bilges stay dry I wouldn't worry too much about a bit of surface rust - mine have been like that for years. It's a job I need to do at some point but it isn't getting any worse.

Owatrol oil soaks into rusty steel and after a few days it dries and forms a protective layer, so no worries about treading on it.

[FORTUNATA]

My bilge is pretty bad because it's an old cruiser. I find the original steel is really rusted so will allow water to get at the new steel below where the boat was overplated. That is, between the skins, so to speak. My plan is to seal it and then paint as much bilge as I can.
I never understood why boatbuilders have eternally left boat owners with these problems of ingress of water into unprotected bilges. Cruisers seldom have deck drainage so we have to rely on covers which always seem problematic.

Painting the bilge is depressingly rising to the surface of "jobs to be done" just a little surface rust as only 6 months old but a few patches under the engine that are almost impossible to get to, can I get away with leaving these or am I storing up problems? Planning on using yacht primer and paint.

[BlueStringPudding]

Painting the bilge is depressingly rising to the surface of "jobs to be done" just a little surface rust as only 6 months old but a few patches under the engine that are almost impossible to get to, can I get away with leaving these or am I storing up problems? Planning on using yacht primer and paint.

Pour in the Vactan, rock the boat a bit, wait two days. Pour in the primer, rock the boat a bit, wait two days. Pour in the topcoat, rocks the boat a bit...

Okay, I'm talking twoddle. My engine bilge is suitably coated in gearbox oil, so I'm not one to talk.

[AlanH]

and a fourth.

I'm impressed and so have just ordered some.

[emkay]

Owatrol it is then...thanks all very helpful inputs

[luctor et emergo]

Where can I buy this Owatrol? That website is really awful too navigate...


Cheers

[soldthehouse]

Where can I buy this Owatrol? That website is really awful too navigate...


Cheers

http://www.deksolje.com/

[WotEver]

Where can I buy this Owatrol?

Let's Google it.

Surprisingly, a chandlery is one of the cheapest suppliers.

Tony

[luctor et emergo]

http://www.deksolje.com/

That is a varnish for teak decks? I'm not rich enough to finish the bilge in teak...

Let's Google it.

Surprisingly, a chandlery is one of the cheapest suppliers.

Tony

I know, I know.. I was more looking to the experiences of the forum members who have used it as wel as where they bought it. Simply looking at websites tells you little (if anything) about the level of service, and rarely the cost.

Thanks

[WotEver]

... I was more looking to the experiences of the forum members who have used it as wel as where they bought it.

I've used it - it does exactly what has been said in the thread. I think I bought it from here: http://www.boatpaint...onditioner.html At least, I have that site bookmarked, so I guess I did.

Tony

[ChrisPy]

That is a varnish for teak decks? I'm not rich enough to finish the bilge in teak...

try these decks for luxury finish:

http://narrowboats.a...phtml?id=143224