Best paint for bilge

[Strettonman]

I’m in the process of wire brushing and degreasing my bilge/engine bay before repainting and wondered what paint people might recommend. Some have said specific bilge paint is a waste of money and I’ve always sworn by hammerite whenever painting metal  that gets exposed to the elements. 

 

Any thoughts ? 

[dmr]

I've messed about with rusty old vehicles all my life and now live on a boat.

Never been impressed with Hammerite and I believe its gone downhill of late due to regulations. Its very brittle and cracks easily.

Danboline bilge paint (International) is very very good so surprised you have heard bad reports.

If you can get to clean steel then I like Bonda Primer under any further coatings. If good prep is not viable then I have used Owatrol CIP and then Danboline, it lasts several years, but lots of forum folk like various rust converters such as Vactan, I am less impressed. If you can get close to bare steel then surface tolerant epoxy primers are the dogs knees

 

...............Dave.

[LadyG]

2 hours ago, dmr said:

I've messed about with rusty old vehicles all my life and now live on a boat.

Never been impressed with Hammerite and I believe its gone downhill of late due to regulations. Its very brittle and cracks easily.

Danboline bilge paint (International) is very very good so surprised you have heard bad reports.

If you can get to clean steel then I like Bonda Primer under any further coatings. If good prep is not viable then I have used Owatrol CIP and then Danboline, it lasts several years, but lots of forum folk like various rust converters such as Vactan, I am less impressed. If you can get close to bare steel then surface tolerant epoxy primers are the dogs knees

 

...............Dave.

Lots of opportunities for mixing metaphors, dogs doolies[?}, or bees knees ................ imho Bilge paint is the best of all. Needs perfect preparation to get perfect result.

[Tony Brooks]

I am much happier with Hemple (was Blakes) bilge paint than Damboline.

[MtB]

12 hours ago, Strettonman said:

Some have said specific bilge paint is a waste of money

 

Like DMR, I cannot rate International's "Danboline" highly enough, but unlike DMR I find it takes and bonds brilliantly to the most improbable surfaces including dirty/oily/rusty steel, and silicone with no preparation whatsoever. 

 

When I first started fixing boats back in the dawn of time, I was told this is the whole point of Danboline was that it was formulated be painted directly onto any surface likely to be found in an old engine bay with no prep necessary and bring a vast improvement.

 

Sadly this is no longer what the label says, but the paint in the tin still seems to have those properties. 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 2, 2019 by Mike the Boilerman
Add a bit

[Sea Dog]

3 hours ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

Edited 3 hours ago by Mike the Boilerman
Add a bit

Obviously quite a helpful bit - good post.

[Wildling]

I've used a metric f-ton of no nonsense red oxide followed by a cover of topac, switched to danbonine (international) in the end as it was cheaper but price per metre essentially the same due to it being thinner. Would recommend proper bilge paint as it has a nice rubberyness(hard to crack) to it esp on a coat of red oxide 

 

Have just painted 66ft of bilge so will report back in a couple of years