What would you do..?

[theguitardoctor]

If all goes well next week, I shall be taking ownership of our prospective narrowboat...

 

In the event of no major survey problems, the remedial work that needs doing is some patching to the paint (for now) and blacking. I would like a bit of advice as to the best course of action....

 

The boat needs blacking. I would like to go for the epoxy system ideally but it looks like the Boat company based at the marina do not have grit blasting facilities.

 

I work 7 days through December, so my options are...

 

1. put her back in the water even though she is desperate for blacking, then around Feb/March haul her out and do the tercoo disc treatment or grit blast if I can find somewhere local...then Epoxy it myself...risking the extra damage that the winter will do to the part exposed hull. Will it do anything in that time...?

 

2. Have the bottom blacked with Coflex (one pack Coal tar system) if compatible with what's already on there...(cost about £650). I'm not sure if the boatyard realise that Coflex won't go over regular bitumen blacking...(as far as I know).

 

3.Have the bottom blacked with Intertuf, which is what they have said they get good results with as they apply 3 coats over a week..(cost about £550) and hope it doesn't drop off in a short space of time.....

 

Not sure what the best option is....

 

Rich

 

Apologies again if this goes over old ground. I know the differences with the coatings though, and that's not what I'm asking..!!

[Dominic M]

If all goes well next week, I shall be taking ownership of our prospective narrowboat...

 

In the event of no major survey problems, the remedial work that needs doing is some patching to the paint (for now) and blacking. I would like a bit of advice as to the best course of action....

 

The boat needs blacking. I would like to go for the epoxy system ideally but it looks like the Boat company based at the marina do not have grit blasting facilities.

 

I work 7 days through December, so my options are...

 

1. put her back in the water even though she is desperate for blacking, then around Feb/March haul her out and do the tercoo disc treatment or grit blast if I can find somewhere local...then Epoxy it myself...risking the extra damage that the winter will do to the part exposed hull. Will it do anything in that time...?

 

2. Have the bottom blacked with Coflex (one pack Coal tar system) if compatible with what's already on there...(cost about £650). I'm not sure if the boatyard realise that Coflex won't go over regular bitumen blacking...(as far as I know).

 

3.Have the bottom blacked with Intertuf, which is what they have said they get good results with as they apply 3 coats over a week..(cost about £550) and hope it doesn't drop off in a short space of time.....

 

Not sure what the best option is....

 

Rich

 

Apologies again if this goes over old ground. I know the differences with the coatings though, and that's not what I'm asking..!!

I'll come clean here, as the broker of this boat. Have it blacked whilst it is out of the water with a suitable coating. Your surveyor will have laid bare the steelwork at numerous points in order to make an assessment of the.steel thicknesses using an ultrasonic meter.

 

I'm a big fan of two pack epoxy, but you will need to go back to steel to do that. 99% of narrowboats are not two packed. They survive happily with good old fashioned bitumen. 99% have no coating on the bottom plate at all. I would do this if possible, but it is rare.

[Lady Muck]

this is exactly what we did. Good advice.

[wrigglefingers]

Black her and have done. Grit-blasting will cost thousands - Cobbett cost nearly 4k and she was new - with a good coating of rust to get the mill-scale off. It's not worth taking off all the old blacking that is adhered to the hull as the build-up of even the old stuff will be providing some protection. Just make sure the loose blacking is removed and she's pressure-jet washed. If she's being hauled at Overwater, they'll do a good job. Good luck for the survey - it is Mole?

[blackrose]

If you really want it epoxied that can always be done at a later stage. I've been in exactly the same position for the last few years (wanting to epoxy my boat but have to get all the bitumen off first). Save yourself the headache and expense this time around and just bitumen it with Intertuf or Rylards Rytex or another decent brand. I used International Primicon underwater primer. If you scrape the blacking off in a lock etc, you still have some protection.

 

Not all pressure washers will take off loose blacking, so after pressure washing, a light scurfing of remaining blacking with wire wheels or sanding discs on an angle grinder is good, but don't try to take it all back to bare steel unless the paint has already gone and it's rusty. Don't forget your eye protection. I did 2 coats of Primocon (quick drying) and 3 coats of bitumen in a week by myself on a widebeam. First coats are generally applied with something like a wallpaper brush and then you can use rollers. Some of those long red rubber gloves you can buy at wilkinsons are useful.

 

Also, grit blasting is not the only option when you do come to remove the blacking. Ultra-high water blasting is also available. Much less messy but I'm not sure if it gives the best key for epoxy?

Edited November 4, 2011 by blackrose

[Burgiesburnin]

Is grit blasting the same as sand blasting?

[Graham Bowers]

Is grit blasting the same as sand blasting?

Sort of.

The generic name for the process is abrasive blast cleaning.

There are many types of media that can be used for blast cleaning.

Graham

[alan_fincher]

My personal view, (others may disagree), is that not all commercially so;d Bitumen blacking is equal.

 

Although International Intertuf is probably the most popular, even with reasonable preparation, it never seems that durable to me.

 

Early days yet, but last time we used Rylards products, and I think it is faring rather better.

[RLWP]

Is grit blasting the same as sand blasting?

 

 

Sort of.

The generic name for the process is abrasive blast cleaning.

There are many types of media that can be used for blast cleaning.

Graham

 

Except no-one blasts with sand anymore because of the risks of silicosis

 

Richard

[wrigglefingers]

Except no-one blasts with sand anymore because of the risks of silicosis

 

Richard

 

Correct, copper grit is the media these days, hence the expence.

[Albion]

My personal view, (others may disagree), is that not all commercially so;d Bitumen blacking is equal.

 

Although International Intertuf is probably the most popular, even with reasonable preparation, it never seems that durable to me.

 

Early days yet, but last time we used Rylards products, and I think it is faring rather better.

 

I found that two pack wasn't that good because it faded to a light dove grey and made touching up scratches a poor job as it looked like a grey and black patchwork quilt afterwards.

I subsequently used Rylards Premium Protection and was very pleased with the way it stayed on and stayed black making touching up an invisible process. I was given the recommendation by our local hire fleet whose hulls always look smart and remain black in colour.

Roger

[carlt]

Correct, copper grit is the media these days, hence the expence.

"Mediums"

[Albion]

"Mediums"

Oh noooooo, not on this thread as well. You know not what you do!

Roger

[RLWP]

Correct, copper grit is the media these days, hence the expence.

 

I think the last medius I bought was aluminium oxide

 

Richard

[Grace and Favour]

Correct, copper grit is the media these days, hence the expence.

 

 

"Mediums"

 

"expense"

[bizzard]

Rylard Premium on mine now 4 years,Winched it over both sides from a tree to check,still good perhaps 2 more years. bizzard.

[wrigglefingers]

"Mediums"

 

Contact spirits.

 

"expense"

 

And don't be so bloody rude either. I do get pissed off with this at times - I know it annoying for folk to mispell words but for those of us who are dyslexic and rely on a spellchecker to get it right, we're reliant on what the machine gives us. Moreover, it doesn't add to the sum of the answer the OP was looking for either.

 

If you want to play silly buggers go and do it in the Virtual Pub and I'll join you there.

 

Wriggly (now not annoyed because she's finally got it off her chest, the nasty stain that is ...)

[Neil TNC]

I found that two pack wasn't that good because it faded to a light dove grey and made touching up scratches a poor job as it looked like a grey and black patchwork quilt afterwards.

I subsequently used Rylards Premium Protection and was very pleased with the way it stayed on and stayed black making touching up an invisible process. I was given the recommendation by our local hire fleet whose hulls always look smart and remain black in colour.

Roger

 

Concerning 2-pack, I presume you are talking about Albion, what make was this?

What did Sagar use on Phoenix?

Riversdale have used Hempel 2 pack on MA and other barges* they have built, this has stayed black.

 

barges*

Hempel on the barges, but single pack International Intertuf on wide-beam narrowboats.

[carlt]

And don't be so bloody rude either. I do get pissed off with this at times - I know it annoying for folk to mispell words but for those of us who are dyslexic and rely on a spellchecker to get it right, we're reliant on what the machine gives us. Moreover, it doesn't add to the sum of the answer the OP was looking for either.

 

If you want to play silly buggers go and do it in the Virtual Pub and I'll join you there.

 

I wasn't actually correcting you but making a (to me) humorous aside.

 

I don't believe that humour is, or should be, restricted to the VP but, should the rules change, I will comply (probably by going elsewhere as the forum would be so diminished as to be not worth bothering with).

[Albion]

Concerning 2-pack, I presume you are talking about Albion, what make was this?

What did Sagar use on Phoenix?

Riversdale have used Hempel 2 pack on MA and other barges* they have built, this has stayed black.

 

barges*

Hempel on the barges, but single pack International Intertuf on wide-beam narrowboats.

 

Can't remember now what was used on Albion (it was early 2000s after all) but Graham stopped using it for the same reason. I just remember (I think) a white tin with blue and red towards the top of the tin. Bit vague I know.

Sagar use Comastic for the black.

Roger

 

I wasn't actually correcting you but making a (to me) humorous aside.

I don't believe that humour is, or should be, restricted to the VP but, should the rules change, I will comply (probably by going elsewhere as the forum would be so diminished as to be not worth bothering with).

 

I know what Carl was alluding to and it's in another thread so, if anyone hasn't followed that, they won't get the humour.

 

Carl, I think it was G&F that Wriggle was getting at, and not you at all, for correcting 'expence' to 'expense'.

Roger

Edited November 4, 2011 by Albion

[wrigglefingers]

I wasn't actually correcting you but making a (to me) humorous aside.

 

I don't believe that humour is, or should be, restricted to the VP but, should the rules change, I will comply (probably by going elsewhere as the forum would be so diminished as to be not worth bothering with).

 

Carl, you know I don't want that, but you also know that I'm dyslexic and that I have to try really hard to get it right. Hence nearly all of my posts get re-edited. I understand the impulse and I also understand that it adds greatly to the cut and thrust of forum life. I was just hurt that's all.

 

Roger is correct - it was the second post that really got to me.

 

I originally posted on my phone and it wasn't until I got downstairs to my proper 'pooter that I saw the comments before I had time to change the spellings.

Edited November 4, 2011 by wrigglefingers

[carlt]

Carl, you know I don't want that, but you also know that I'm dyslexic and that I have to try really hard to get it right. Hence nearly all of my posts get re-edited. I understand the impulse and I also understand that it adds greatly to the cut and thrust of forum life. I was just hurt that's all.

I didn't know you were dyslexic. I probably overlooked it, being far more sympathetic to your concertina affliction .

 

I did notice the spelling error but it isn't funny (imo) to correct simple spelling or grammar errors, unless it's in a post trying to correct someone else, hence why I made an issue out of Dave's "referenda/referendums" idiocy.

 

Pedantry is a noble art form that is frequently demeaned by people who use it not to correct factual errors but to score points over simple errors in grammar or spelling.

 

I've given up putting "Edited for poor spelling" at the end of nearly all my posts, btw. I just edit and forget.

[wrigglefingers]

I didn't know you were dyslexic. I probably overlooked it, being far more sympathetic to your concertina affliction .

 

I did notice the spelling error but it isn't funny (imo) to correct simple spelling or grammar errors, unless it's in a post trying to correct someone else, hence why I made an issue out of Dave's "referenda/referendums" idiocy.

 

Pedantry is a noble art form that is frequently demeaned by people who use it not to correct factual errors but to score points over simple errors in grammar or spelling.

 

I've given up putting "Edited for poor spelling" at the end of nearly all my posts, btw. I just edit and forget.

 

The concertina affliction will remain with me forever; but I've worked hard to erase the dyslexia stain.

 

I would like to apologise for blowing a gasket. That's all.

Edited November 4, 2011 by wrigglefingers

[Mick_B]

The concertina affliction will remain with me forever; but I've worked hard to erase the dyslexia stain.

 

I would like to apologise for blowing a gasket. That's all.

:hug:

[Burgiesburnin]

Correct, copper grit is the media these days, hence the expence.

 

 

Is the copper grit "brushed up" and re used?