Getting the bottom done

[sbillis]

In September I am taking Bulrush to get her bottom done. The hull will be grit blasted and the painted in epoxy resin. I have spoken to several people who say that it is not worth having the base plate attended to as any covering just gets scrapped off. There is a substantial additional cost to get the base plate done, so is it worth the extra and if so what benefits ?

 

Simon

nb Bulrush

Edited August 10, 2014 by sbillis

[Traveller]

I think this one has been talked through many times on this forum. Some say don't do the base-plate others say it is better to do it. My surveyor is one of the "don't bother doing it brigade". Personally, I don't bother and the last survey showed the base plate as in pretty good condition. When, and I do intend to, I opt for grit blasting and two-pack I will probably have the base plate done as well...........but there-again what is the additional cost and will it be prohibitive.

Edited August 10, 2014 by Traveller

[dave moore]

We have never had the bottom blacked, although the sides are done in 2 pack epoxy ( Dacrylate ). The base plate is12mm steel, which should last for many years....14 since first launch and still in good nick. I suspect that the costs are built up by the difficulties involved for many yards of being able to get to the bottom to do the work. I go around many yards in the course of my work, I'm finding it hard to think of one whose facilities would make this viable. I certainly wouldn't fancy lying on my back in a cramped area under a boat wielding a brush or roller. Would you?

 

Cheers

 

Dave

[sbillis]

I think this one has been talked through many times on this forum. Some say don't do the base-plate others say it is better to do it. My surveyor is one of the "don't bother doling it brigade". Personally, I don't bother and the last survey showed the base plate as in pretty good condition. When, and I do intend to, I opt for grit blasting and two-pack I will probably have the base plate done as well...........but there-again what is the additional cost and will it be prohibitive.

We are looking at round about £900.00 extra for the base plate. The boat is 45'.0".

 

Simon

nb

[Guest]

Just had our ten year old boat blasted and epoxied (previously bitumen.) Base plate has been left bare from new and is in immaculate condition, as is the waterline area. Given the condition, I couldn't see the sense in paying for the baseplate to be done.

[Traveller]

I agree and especially so given the extra cost reported by the OP. Simon, could you share the price for hull only? I'll understand if you would rather keep that to yourself.

 

Colin

Edited August 10, 2014 by Traveller

[b0atman]

look on here for post about zinger

Edited August 10, 2014 by b0atman

[Traveller]

Ah yes, I remember that one. Thanks b0atman

[Paul G2]

look on here for post about zinger

 

Or Google "Zinga", which I think turned out to be the correct spelling - although the thread you refer to here does call it "Zinger" as you said.

[frangar]

I had the baseplate grit blasted and comastic put on when I brought my boat 22 years ago...the boat at the time was 10 years old and only has a 6mm baseplate....it was fairly badly pitted at the time....

 

I have blacked it every time since when doing the rest of the hull....choosing where I get the boat lifted so it's possible...Uxbridge boat centre...now at Debdale wharf and on the last hull survey a couple of years ago I've not had any more pitting or corrosion.

 

I would say it's well worth doing...if I was doing it now I would use a 2 pack or possibly zinc sprayed.

 

As I said Debdale has all the kit to get to the baseplate easily...possibly worth giving them a ring.

 

Cheers

 

Gareth

[DHutch]

Ours was done when new, the paint loss is surprisingly low, and we have so far repainted it every docking.

 

That said, £900 is nine hundred quid, and it would take a long time for a 12/15/20mm thick bottom to go through, and it may well be rusting as fast from the inside!

 

Daniel

[Traveller]

Not that i helps many, but Ely Marina on the Great Ouse navigations do the base-plate at their yard in Earith. It really is difficult to know whether it is worth doing or not as not many of us will be aware of what caused the pitting in the first place. I try and limit the risk by not using shore power for a start - but then I am not a live-aboard. I guess it really is down to personal choice.

 

 

That said, £900 is nine hundred quid, and it would take a long time for a 12/15/20mm thick bottom to go through, and it may well be rusting as fast from the inside!

 

Daniel

How many £900s = a new base-plate I wonder?

Edited August 10, 2014 by Traveller

[Guest]

Ours was done when new, the paint loss is surprisingly low, and we have so far repainted it every docking.

 

That said, £900 is nine hundred quid, and it would take a long time for a 12/15/20mm thick bottom to go through, and it may well be rusting as fast from the inside!

 

Daniel

Good point, though I am pleased to say I took some floor up earlier today and met a piece of baseplate I hadn't seen since new 10 years ago (making a beer cooler in locker base.). I am pleased to report the baseplate is immaculate and the blacking has done a fine job

Not that i helps many, but Ely Marina on the Great Ouse navigations do the base-plate at their yard in Earith. It really is difficult to know whether it is worth doing or not as not many of us will be aware of what caused the pitting in the first place. I try and limit the risk by not using shore power for a start - but then I am not a live-aboard. I guess it really is down to personal choice.

How many £900s = a new base-plate I wonder?

Another good point, and if ever our base plate shows signs of corrosion it will be blasted and expoxied forthwith!

[sbillis]

I agree and especially so given the extra cost reported by the OP. Simon, could you share the price for hull only? I'll understand if you would rather keep that to yourself.

 

Colin

Its around £1300.00 Colin.That includes lifting and cleaning. VAT extra

 

Added to this will be tunnel bands and new anodes. The cost of which I do not yet know.

 

There is some minor pitting on the water line which may need a bit of welding.

 

Simon

nb Bulrush

Edited August 10, 2014 by sbillis

[bigste]

For metal to start coroding it needs oxygen. There is not much of that 2ft under the water.

[Traveller]

Its around £1300.00 Colin.That includes lifting and cleaning. VAT extra

 

Added to this will be tunnel bands and new anodes. The cost of which I do not yet know.

 

There is some minor pitting on the water line which may need a bit of welding.

 

Simon

nb Bulrush

Ouch! Just had my hull blacked and it came to £500 inclusive of everything. My hull is circa 1980 and no pitting around the waterline was evident at last survey (about 2 months ago).

 

This steel boat stuff really is a black art (no pun intended)!

 

Colin

Edited August 10, 2014 by Traveller

[Guest]

Am I right in thinking that having had our hull blasted and epoxied, that in future it will not require blasting again when using epoxy?

 

Also the guy who did the job gave me some blacking in unmarked tins for touching up purposes. it is mixed at a ratio of 3 parts paint to one part hardener. Whwn this runs out can I use any make epoxy for touching up, or is it imperative that the same make is used?

(I intended to ask what brand it was, but forgot.)

Many thanks.

[dave moore]

We have abraded the existing coating before re-blacking, to give a key. Usually 2 coats of epoxy. I wouldn't be inclined to mix brands of 2 pack, although I can't back that up scientifically. Scuffs are touched up regularly, as a company demonstrator we can't have the boat looking tatty!

 

Dave

[Guest]

We have abraded the existing coating before re-blacking, to give a key. Usually 2 coats of epoxy. I wouldn't be inclined to mix brands of 2 pack, although I can't back that up scientifically. Scuffs are touched up regularly, as a company demonstrator we can't have the boat looking tatty!

 

Dave

Thanks. In that case I will buy a bit off the guy when I need more. Do you brush or roller it on for touch ups?

[Bee]

Well, the bottom of most canals is mostly soft mud with a varying amount of old bikes, bricks and discarded guns and knives. Most boats spend most of their lives tied to the bank and a few weeks a year moving with only an occasional brush with the bottom so the theory that any paint you put on will be scraped off doesn`t really hold. Bare steel in water rusts. Painted steel only rusts when the paint fails. Modern Epoxy paint is excellent. Ships are painted all over (and under). My boat is painted everywhere I can get a brush to and I am notoriously tight when it comes to wasting money. That's it really, if it gets wet, paint it.

[David Mack]

Blacking the bottom is a pig of a job - I know because I've done it - and it is difficult to get the same quality of cleaning as on the sides. And you still can't do the bits of the bottom where the supports are unless you move the supports - doable perhaps on hardstanding, but not in dry dock.

 

So I'm not surprised that the boatyard want a substantial premium to do it. Many boatyards will only do the sides anyway.

 

How thick is the bottom? If it is 10mm plus and in good shape I wouldn't bother. On the other hand if you have a 6mm bottom plate with significant pitting, then getting it done might put off the day when you have to consider overplating/replating.

[pete23]

We are looking at round about £900.00 extra for the base plate. The boat is 45'.0".

 

Simon

nb

£900 extra for the base plate to be washed and blacked??

 

just blacked me hull sides and bottom in two pack at debdale for £400, first time ive been there and will be going back!! never known blacking so easy and clean, one very good set up they have there. blacked it myself. and used my own twopack

Edited August 10, 2014 by pete23

[sbillis]

Thanks to all of you who have responded. Reading all the resposnses I think it may be best to have a survey done and then go with the surveyor's recommendation on whether or not the bottom should be done. I will need a report in a year or so for my insurnace so perhaps best to get it done now.

 

Simon

nb Bulrush

[Bloomsberry]

I had my 34 year old narrowboat surveyed recently and the thinest the original 6.1mm baseplate was down to was 5.4mm and I think most of that loss was from the inside of the boat.

 

If you were really concerned about the baseplate thickness then why not get it surveyed and you'll know for sure then what condition it is in.

[Bee]

Agree with Bloomsbury, the inside can rust alarmingly, I have seen sheets of rust shovelled out of an old boat, scary.