have anyone heard of rytex (blacking)

[tjderby]

The boat I'm buying requires blacking and to save money I'm going to do it myself as it doesn't look that difficult. Any recommendations for bitumen? And any knowledge on rylex?

[Nightwatch]

I have used Rytex twice. It's okay.

 

Take any advice from the drydock/slipway owner. Use their pressure washer if available, it will be more powerful. Take your time. Allow to go off between coats. Try to get 24 hours between last coat and relaunch.

 

If it needs doing, get it done as part of the purchase, at the sellers cost. Share cost if you must. Are you buying private or from/via a broker.

 

Martyn

Edited March 28, 2014 by Nightwatch

[OldGoat]

You didn't ask, but are you equipped to remove all the rust especially around the waterline. You may need access and power for some serious power tools..

 

 

 

[Nightwatch]

You didn't ask, but are you equipped to remove all the rust especially around the waterline. You may need access and power for some serious power tools..

 

we are doing ours in June, we are taking the hull back to metal and removing old blacking. It's not a cheap exercise, it's worth doing well. I'm buying an attachment to go on my hand drill to take off the old blacking. £50 for the attachment. Then goggles masks etc. blacking will cost upwards of £150 I guess.

 

Midland have a freaky Friday coming up. 20% off for either their own blacking or international.

 

Martyn

 

Martyn

Edited March 28, 2014 by Nightwatch

[tjderby]

The boat it from a broker. As for equipmen. Not 100% sure what I need. Read a few threads about blacking. And it just says you need to Gove it a good pressure wash and scrap any fungi and rust flakes off. The site selling rytex recommend going over patches with the paint before coating the whole hull. I'm a complete novice so I appreciate the advice. I've checked and the stuff I need comes to £200 all together. As aposed to £600 to have it done professionally.

[Timleech]

If there's significant rust around the water line, just brown rust, it'll need a powered wire brush (eg in an angle grinder) to prepare it.

If there is actual rust scale (a solid layer), then that will need some sort of impact tool (eg air chisel, needle gun, scabbler) to remove it, & if you don't do that you are pretty much wasting your time.

 

Edit - for just small areas of scale, a hammer and cold chisel will do the job perfectly well. Rather tedious to have to go all round the water line that way, though.

 

Tim

Edited March 28, 2014 by Timleech

[tjderby]

Thanks tim. I think what I'll do is get some advice from the boat yard and see what state its in. Would it he cheap to pay someone to prep her for me and I apply the bitumen, over paying someone to black her?

[Nightwatch]

The boat it from a broker. As for equipmen. Not 100% sure what I need. Read a few threads about blacking. And it just says you need to Gove it a good pressure wash and scrap any fungi and rust flakes off. The site selling rytex recommend going over patches with the paint before coating the whole hull. I'm a complete novice so I appreciate the advice. I've checked and the stuff I need comes to £200 all together. As aposed to £600 to have it done professionally.

£200, plus brushes, scrapers, rollers, gloves, power tools, docking. DIY is not always the cheapest way. A few years ago we had the boat done for us. We stayed on the boat in dock took the opportunity to slap another coat on in the evening on the water line. You can't have too much on the waterline.

 

Don't go into this half cocked. If you say where you're going to be, there are people on here who can recommend drydocks for self do or getting it done for you.

 

Our very first docking we did, I think the dry dock owner, Bill Fisher at Newbury, was very good and probably answered a million questions from us over the few days we were there. Possibly regretted letting us have his dock.

Edited March 28, 2014 by Nightwatch

[nb Innisfree]

Last time we paid to have ours Rytexed, previously we had always done it ourselves. We used to pressure wash and remove any loose rust or blacking with a blunt scraper followed by rubbing with a white spirit rag, this cleaned and softened the surface of the old blacking and allowed the new stuff to adhere well. We had built up a nice thickness over the years but it was undone by the two man team scraping with sharp cornered blades which took off large areas of perfectly good blacking. A thick coating gives the best protection but it takes years to build up.

[tjderby]

Lol well the dry dock is at sawley marina. Priced up the bitumen for it and that comes to £170, brushes and rollers £5ish. Wirebrush again £5ish. Oh and overalls lol.

[FidoDido]

I got my 70ft narrowboat blacked for less than that!!

 

JD Narrowboats in Shardlow (Dobsons) will do a better price.. But, yes, cheaper to do it yourself. Kingfisher narrowboats have a good dry dock at Trent Lock (Start of the Erewash). Also, Trethwicks in Nottingham, and PJ Barber at Sheet Stores in Long Eaton worth talking to..

 

Stenson (Midland Canal Centre) also do a very good job blacking (3 coats) at £9.50 per foot.. http://www.mccboats.co.uk/narrowboat-services.html

 

Lots of options...

[tjderby]

Really that's a good price. I'll definitely bare them in mind. Thanks for the info

[stagedamager]

Dacrylate also do excellent bitumen, very reasonably priced. Based in Kirkby, by J27 M1.

Dan

[OldGoat]

The problem with DIY for the inexperienced is that, keenness is no substitute for experience. The chap who does blacking day in and day out knows what to do where and when, what tools he needs and how to make the material work for him.

 

The process as you explain looks simple, wash, clean, chip off bits, bung on several coats of blacking, LEAVE TWO DAYS to "cure" and bung it back in the water.

 

NOT.

 

This time watch the experts, learn and perhaps DIY it yourself next time....

 

 

[Nightwatch]

The problem with DIY for the inexperienced is that, keenness is no substitute for experience. The chap who does blacking day in and day out knows what to do where and when, what tools he needs and how to make the material work for him.

 

The process as you explain looks simple, wash, clean, chip off bits, bung on several coats of blacking, LEAVE TWO DAYS to "cure" and bung it back in the water.

 

NOT.

 

This time watch the experts, learn and perhaps DIY it yourself next time....

 

I agree.

[bizzard]

I've blacked numerous boats over the years and to be honest I wasn't all that keen on Rytex. I found it more viscous than the Rylards premium bitumen and sort of plasticy and harder to apply. And it doesn't seem to last any longer than the premium either. Rytex's finish is more of a dark grey satin finish than black. Both go flat and dull after a while just the same.

[Nightwatch]

Having read the above post, I think it is Rylard premium that I gave used.

 

Not sure what I am going to use on Nightwatch in June. Cost is important but quality equally so.

 

Martyn

[Alan de Enfield]

Lol well the dry dock is at sawley marina. Priced up the bitumen for it and that comes to £170, brushes and rollers £5ish. Wirebrush again £5ish. Oh and overalls lol.

 

Have you included the 4 or 5 day rental charge for the dry-dock ?

[Timleech]

I've blacked numerous boats over the years and to be honest I wasn't all that keen on Rytex. I found it more viscous than the Rylards premium bitumen and sort of plasticy and harder to apply. And it doesn't seem to last any longer than the premium either. Rytex's finish is more of a dark grey satin finish than black. Both go flat and dull after a while just the same.

 

Rytex is described as a 'bodied' bitumen, it's intended to build up a thicker layer than 'ordinary' bitumen paint. Yes, that means it takes more effort to apply it. Warming the tin in a bucket of hot water helps, if the ambient temperature is low.

 

Tim

[FidoDido]

Really that's a good price. I'll definitely bare them in mind. Thanks for the info

Dobsons, trethicks and barbers will be cheaper than Stenson, but only 2 coats.. Take yet pick. You'll get a good job at any of em..

[NB Lola]

Paul Barber is your man. He does ours and also takes a good look at the steel. Paul is not a surveyor but is a shell builder and he knows steel. No connection other than as a very satisfied customer. I will be down there next week for its next blacking. Wyvern marina.

[jelunga]

we are doing ours in June, we are taking the hull back to metal and removing old blacking. It's not a cheap exercise, it's worth doing well. I'm buying an attachment to go on my hand drill to take off the old blacking. £50 for the attachment. Then goggles masks etc. blacking will cost upwards of £150 I guess.

 

Midland have a freaky Friday coming up. 20% off for either their own blacking or international.

 

Martyn

 

Martyn

Unless you have a professional quality drill, I fear it will not survive the experience of extended use. Edited March 29, 2014 by jelunga

[Nightwatch]

I have a PSB something or other drill made by Bosch. A green one.