Blacking

[becki]

Hi there, next weekend we're getting a 2nd hand boat we plan to buy taken out of the water for a hull inspection and held out over the weekend to be blacked. I have been told by plenty of boaters that we can black the boat ourselves, but I wonder if anyone here has any tips on technique/equipment? Cheers, Becki

[RLWP]

Hi there, next weekend we're getting a 2nd hand boat we plan to buy taken out of the water for a hull inspection and held out over the weekend to be blacked. I have been told by plenty of boaters that we can black the boat ourselves, but I wonder if anyone here has any tips on technique/equipment? Cheers, Becki

 

Over the weekend is quite a short time to black a boat and then allow it time to harden off. I'm all for DIY but in this instance I would pay to have it done.

 

Richard

[becki]

thanks richard, the boat will be out from friday morning til monday morning. you don't think this is enough time?

[Jo_]

Hi Becki

 

This is off topic ( ) but just wanted to wish you well with your narrowboat. We take ours over tomorrow - four years' old and in great nick thank goodness because we're not brave enough to do too much for our first boat. I hope we all have a great weekend!

 

Jo

[RLWP]

thanks richard, the boat will be out from friday morning til monday morning. you don't think this is enough time?

 

It's a bit difficult to say. We blacked Tawny Owl ourselves and it took us about a week. But she is 70' long, although she was undercover it was December and we spent a lot of time wirebrushing old blacking off. A boatyard will probably pressure-wash, give a bit of a scrape and then slap on a couple of coats of blacking in a day or two then let it stand for a day.

 

Without knowing how big the boat is, what state the blacking is in, what weather you are going to get or how skilled you are it's difficult to know.

 

If this isn't your boat yet, who will pay for the blacking if you decide not to buy after the survey?

 

Richard

[Guest User]

Seems ambitious ... will the boat be under cover ? .... you'll need to allow time to scrape/jetwash/sandblast the bottom ... then allow it to dry out ... then apply a couple of coats of blacking ... then allow that to dry .... then back in the water ... if its not under cover it rather depends on the weather playing ball .. and are you aiming to fit in the inspection during the same weekend before blacking ? .... and its assuming the survey doesn't pick up on anything else that needs doing to the hull.

 

I paid to have mine done and booked it in for a week ..

[FadeToScarlet]

We did ours over a weekend, but it was undercover and (supposedly) summer.

 

http://nbluckyduck.blogspot.com/2008/07/blacking.html has details of how we did it, and some photos.

 

PS> I suggest not mooring next to a railway line with a piledriver working from 10pm until 9am....

[becki]

thanks jo, yes, all the best with yours. have a great time!

 

thanks all for your replies - will check out that link in a bit...

[nb Innisfree]

To do a proper job, i.e. cleaning and scraping etc. 2 or 3 coats and leaving to dry for at least 24 pref. 48hrs, needs 7 days

[deletedaccount]

Mine's being done in two and a half

 

Took it into dry dock this morning for a presure wash. Scraping this afternoon and first coat on. Second coat tomorrow morning then 24h to dry off and out.

 

Not ideal, but cheap and the only slot available for ages.

[Lady Muck]

Mine's being done in two and a half

 

Took it into dry dock this morning for a presure wash. Scraping this afternoon and first coat on. Second coat tomorrow morning then 24h to dry off and out.

 

Not ideal, but cheap and the only slot available for ages.

 

See this is what often happens, (IMO), alot of boat yards are so busy (we've found), they neither have the time nor inclination to do it for you. (After all it's such a horrible job), if you find a slot, it often has a short time limit.

 

We did ours ourselves last time and probably will do it ourselves again. Not looking forward to it!

[deletedaccount]

See this is what often happens, (IMO), alot of boat yards are so busy (we've found), they neither have the time nor inclination to do it for you. (After all it's such a horrible job), if you find a slot, it often has a short time limit.

 

We did ours ourselves last time and probably will do it ourselves again. Not looking forward to it!

 

I'm planning on doing it myself next time. So I can make sure it's properly sorted out and any bits that need filling are actually filled. It'll also give it enough time that any millscale will have finally gone. Apparently.

[johnjo]

thanks richard, the boat will be out from friday morning til monday morning. you don't think this is enough time?

 

In a word, no!

To do a proper job, i.e. cleaning and scraping etc. 2 or 3 coats and leaving to dry for at least 24 pref. 48hrs, needs 7 days

 

Good advice.