Bilge Paint, Pettit Paints and Thinners

[tomodda]

HI Folks:

I've just bought myself a DS1 (#37, see post in DS1 section), which badly needs a good sanding and new paint. Please indulge me in a maybe silly question.....

I'd planned to paint the deck and cockpit white, but one of my sailing buddies gave me a short lecture about the horrors of our North Carolina sunshine on blinding white decks, and then gifted me a lovely quart of grey Pettit one-part topsides paint. While he's right about how strong our sun is, I really don't want battleship grey decks. But bilge paint? Now we're talking. A quart should do me quite well for painting everything below the seats and the floor of the cuddy, and even the centerboard. I'm going to trailer-sailer my boat, drain it out after every sail, so no worries about growth on the topsides paint, even used in what's nominally the bilges.

My only question is thinning the paint. Normally, if I was using topsides pain on the hull, I'd thin it a bit to help me roll and tip. Here, I'm just rolling it into bilges, and a quart is enough for a coat or two (and I have floorboards), do I need to thin it? But my buddy was pretty adamant about me using Pettit Thinners... besides the expense, I was hoping to paint this weekend and don't have the time to get it. OTOH, what if I just use mineral spirits from the local big-boxes? Anyway, comments and thoughts would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Tom

[badgley]

This sounds like a "read the can and go with your gut" type scenario to me! Especially if you're not super concerned about how the finish comes out. I've used Interluxe Brightsides on several boats, which is their one part topside paint. I've never thinned it, and always been happy with the result. I think the can says only thin if you really feel like you need to. Maybe if it were really hot and I was worried about it setting faster than I could tip it out.

If I were you, and it was just the bilge and I was in a hurry (not to mention the cost of those thinners is ridiculous) and the can doesn't strictly recommend it, I'd go without. But you should be able to try a quick test patch, no? Just sand it down and go get some thinner if it comes out terrible. It shouldn't affect bonding or durability, just finish. Unless I'm missing something. As far as generic mineral spirits, I can't help you there. I think in that case, I'd rather go without or pay for the good stuff than worry about an incompatible thinner ruining all of my work. Unless you can call Pettit and get their OK on it directly. Interluxe tech support has always been super helpful for me, I'd hope Pettit would be the same.

[tomodda]

Brian:

Thanks for your reply. Yeah, that's my gut feeling as well, and I'll try and call Pettit Support if I get the time. I just don't paint often, so have too much self doubt. I'm a lover, not a painter! (or sumpn like that).

Tom

[tomodda]

Update: Pettit Tech Support says no problem using the pain in the bilges and go ahead and thin with mineral spirits, not that they think I'm gonna need it because it'll flow just fine.

[badgley]

Wow - I'm actually shocked Pettit gave you the thumbs up to use cheap mineral spirits. Kudos to their support for giving an honest helpful answer.

Another thing to keep in mind, because this paint is so thin, it pretty much shows every surface imperfection underneath. So at the end of the day, the paint job is only going look as good as the surface you put it on, no matter how well you paint it. Unless you're sanding, fairing, and smoothing the bilge first, that will probably dictate the final appearance much more than your painting skills.

[tomodda]

Better than sanding, fairing, etc... I'm covering it with floorboards. Problem solved, although I'll probably do the cuddy interior in same paint as well.

Yeah, the tech support guy was extremely helpful!

[GreenLake]

I would not try to fair the bilge of a DS1. For one, if not covered, you'll want it to be a non-slip surface (and if covered by floor boards, you don't care). For the inside of the cuddy, I wouldn't do any sanding beyond true rough spots (like sloppy repairs, etc.).

Not sure whether the Topside paint is similar, I've used Petit "Easypoxy" (which has no epoxy in it, other than the name), and would agree that thinning isn't necessary for bilge-paint application. Slight roller marks would be a plus on the bottom of the bilge, as far as I am concerned.

Color choice is tricky. In sunny climates, dark paint gets hot and bright paint will glare. Perhaps avoid glossy paint for that reason. No need to go flat, but even a semigloss will have a more diffuse reflection and also be a bit more forgiving in terms of preparation.

If you do paint the deck, try to keep some of the non-slip pattern, or if needed, re-create some.

[tomodda]

Thank you again, Greenlake!

Well, my "gift" paint is grey, so perfect color for the cockpit, bilges, etc. Yeah, I'm just running the orbital sander over the crappy spots - cracked old paint, really bad paint runs, and getting off 20+ years of general crud.

On another note, after years of using simple painter's masks with a little HEPA filter for this kind of work, I went and invested the $40 bucks in a "real" respirator. Rubber mask over lower face, two filter housings, exhalation valve, the whole 9 yards - what a difference! Much better, I won't get into how disgusting the paper mask leaves you feeling after an hour's sanding, but this is really worth the bucks. And my exhales get directed downwards, so don't fog up my glasses and eye-shield. Not trying to sell the product, just telling folks the type of setup... it's a 3M Multi-Purpose Respirator.

Tom

[GreenLake]

+1

[badgley]

On another note, after years of using simple painter's masks with a little HEPA filter for this kind of work, I went and invested the $40 bucks in a "real" respirator. Rubber mask over lower face, two filter housings, exhalation valve, the whole 9 yards - what a difference! Much better, I won't get into how disgusting the paper mask leaves you feeling after an hour's sanding, but this is really worth the bucks. And my exhales get directed downwards, so don't fog up my glasses and eye-shield. Not trying to sell the product, just telling folks the type of setup... it's a 3M Multi-Purpose Respirator.

Tom

Definitely a +1... This is the same mask I used when sanding off bottom paint and fiberglass, it was a huge improvement. Plus it protects you better. Not to mention, you can put the organic cartridges in for vapor protection if you have to paint in poorly ventilated spaces, like a garage. Which, those dumb little round white "painter's masks" do nothing for, despite the name.