Painting Instructions for Bare Aluminum

Bare Aluminum:

Clean the hull surface thoroughly with de‐waxing solvent and plenty of clean rags. Sand the de‐waxed hull lightly with 80‐grit paper. Wipe down the area again to remove all sanding residue. Now apply 190 Primer. Follow the manufactures recommendations for primer application.

You are now ready to apply bottom paint.

Paint Mixing:

The antifouling in bottom paint is often heavy and will settle to the bottom of your can. Make sure you take the time and effort to mix your paint properly.  If you have a paint shaker, run it for at least 5 minutes to get the pigment evenly distributed throughout the paint. If you are Doing it by hand keep dredging up the sediment off the bottom of the can. Each time you add to your roller tray you will want to stir again to ensure consistency.

Application:

Roll the paint onto the hull using a short‐nap roller cover.   Wear sleeves and gloves to keep the paint off your skin. Don’t add any thinner to bottom paint unless the manufacturer specifies otherwise. Fill your paint tray with paint. Dip your roller and roll it up and down on the hull. Each time you refill the paint tray, first stir the paint in the can to keep the pigment in suspension.

By the time you work all the way around the hull, many bottom paints will be dry enough to overcoat. Check the specifications on the paint.  A second coat is usually recommended and will increase the life of almost any bottom paint; copolymers benefit from 3 or 4 coats. No sanding or other prep is needed between coats. Once the paint dries to the manufactures specifications, you are ready to launch.

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