Bilge Paint

[Jackman]

I may have asked this before but I don't remember the answers I got.

Anyhow, I'm looking for a top notch bilge paint to "refresh" my bilges while the engines are out. I want a durable epoxy paint in grey for under the motors as well as a good white paint for the area above the bilges. Any ideas? I want something that will last as long as the original stuff Hatteras put in my bilges.

Thanks!

[GCombos]

Back in 2000, I repainted the bilges using white Imeron and a brush. Still looks new.
The stuff is as tough a nails and leveled of to a very high gloss, which accentuates the existing engine room lighting.

[Seasession]

When I did my repower last winter I used EasyPoxy by Petit. I have used this paint in various other high abuse areas and have always been pleased with the results. As I am sure you know the key to any paint is preparation. In a bilge cleaning of the surfaces of petroleum products is a key factor to the success of the paint.

[Jackman]

Yeah..

I plan on a lot of prep work. I don't want the engines going back into a crappy looking bilge. I need to make it look good for all of my fellow "motorheads" when they come down to inspect my job!

I'll be using Simple Green first, with paper towels to remove all visible grease and then dispose of the muck in a trash bag. There really isn't much to remove...things don't look too bad at this point. Then I'll get a good environmentally safe detergent and scrub away until I can almost eat off of the floor. The water I'll suck up with the shop vac and dispose of back home. (Don't know if all the bad stuff will be out of the bilges at that point).

Once dry, I'll sand everything in sight and vacuum up the dust. In one last ditch effort to remove grease I'll wipe everything down with acetone using papertowels or clean rags. This should get the surface in good shape for the paint.

I think I'm staying with the grey Hatteras used and the white for the upper portions. Just have to figure out what company's product I'll go with. I want something good and heavy since the original paint seems to have had issues with either oil or tranny fluid degrading it. (On occasion the engines probably had leaks in the past and in the lowest parts of the bilge there is some fiberglass visible because the paint didn't hold up).

I should be able to get all of this done in a day or so...with the help of my Dad of course...Don't know if he knows I volenteered him to help out yet!

Thanks for the responses so far, I think I'll look into both types of paint mentioned.

[surfdancer45]

I used Easypoxy on everything except the very bottom of the bilge (stays damp and subject to most abuse) where I used Bigecote. This has held up very well. Bob

[eze2bme]

I talked with Hatteras customer service several weeks ago and the bilge paint that Hatteras used in the late 70's and early 80's was Sherwin Williams Landmark 2 part latex epoxy - grey on the bilges and white on the walls and ceilings.

[Jackman]

Thanks,

I'll see if they even make it anymore.

Jack

[67hat34c]

have you thought of replacing manifolds and risers? since you are getting rebuild you may want to change out the manifolds and risers. if yours are the old rear discharge you may consider the center riser. they are more efficient. go to 4" output. i am currently shopping risers and elbows for my rear discharge and was told by more than one person to replace manifolds with center riser style. they also said go from 3" output to 4" output risers and manifolds. we are considering this set up. have not made a final decision. we may save cost by pulling manifolds off and have the gasket surfaces machined and install with old style rear discharge to save expense. however if we were rebuilding as you are would definitely upgrade the exhaust system. you also may want to change to 6" exhaust pipes and through hulls as if you ever go up to diesels you will have at least this out of the way.

[Jackman]

I guess I'll try the bilgecote...I'm painting the bilges Saturday and need to do a few other things before the motors are put back into their homes...Anyhow, what kind of paint is this bilgecote? Is it a type of epoxy? I hope it holds up....its not easy to get to the bilge once the engines are in place.

[davesommers]

I used the interlux Bildgecoat when i did the repower in 00 and it still is holidng up very well. It is a one part enamel paint used straight from the can, applies easy and covers well. Two coats were used and covered very well. Cleans easy as the surface is nice and smooth and petro products don't phase it once cured. You could check the interlux product info here www.yachtpaint.com/usa/ (http://www.yachtpaint.com/usa/) as they have excellent product/application guides.

I have touched up a couple of areas that got dinged for reasons other than paint failure and where I did not do through prep cleaning prior to original painting, but otherwise very satisfied. The touch-ups blend in geat as well. Not too pricy a product either.

[Jackman]

Thanks Dave,

I was a bit leary because I had myself set on a two-part epoxy or the original paint they used on my Hat but I had a hard time finding a source for the latter choices I was looking into using.

I'll post the results. I am taking pictures and have a bunch already but I want to show a progressive slide show so I'm holding off until done with the repower.

[captddis]

The gray Bilgecoat holds up fairly well and is easy to apply and covers well. The epoxy paint is tuff but does not brush easily. Be careful with Easypoxy or other one part white enamels. When used inside they yellow quickly. They need the UV to keep them white.

[davesommers]

I even used the bildgecoat on the backside of the deck hatches to seal the original soundproofing that was powdering off. It worked out fine for that as well. It is on all of the sidewalls and deck hatch beams as well. My entire engine room is light grey bildgecoat now...

Good luck with it.

[Jackman]

Yeah...I'm doing thew two-tone thing. Grey on the bottom and white on the walls. I'll probably keep going once the engine rooms done because I'll see that nice new paint and want to continue to the stern in the bilge!

[jim rosenthal]

Interestingly, I used gray bilgecoat or something like it when I had my engines out/in, and it held up fine. Later on, I decided to do the live well, when we painted most of the rest of the boat, and there was a new Awlgrip product, a two-part gray paint for bilges and engine rooms. So I tried it...and it all fell off. Not much good. I would stick with the Interlux product, for the price you can't beat it, and it stays on. And cleans up well. (and Dave I don't want to hear about how my engine room never gets dirty)

[jackman]

Painted the bilges under my engines this weekend and all I can say is Bilgecote is awesome! At least so far. I degreased the bilges twice, sanded and used acetone to wipe them down. It went on very well and looks 150% better than what it did. (I'll include these pictures in my slideshow of my rebuild once I get everything together for those of you interested!) As long as it holds up I'll be 100% satisfied. My only issue was that it rained up here the whole weekend and I had to cover the boat with a tarp and crank up the heater to keep things dry and help the paint cure. It seemed to bond to the old Sherwin Williams Landmark 2 part latex epoxy - grey very well. The white covered equally as well. I noticed that the grey had a stronger odor that required "more beer breaks" than the white to get fresh air.

Anyhow....thanks for the info guys. Now onto finishing the cleaning up of parts and making sure all the new ones came in so I can put the engines back where they belong.