Protection with yacht coatings
The Malaysian boat owners are often concerned with the protection and appearance of their vessels and naturally are looking for the best coating options. yacht coating is a general term for all types of coatings that are applied on yachts, speedboats and other small and middle size vessels. The three main groups of boat coatings are
- Antifouling paint for under-water boat hull to protect it from microorganisms such as algae.
- Topside coatings for above the water line for decoration and protection from corrosion, UV radiation and weathering.
- Deck coatings for safety and protection
Antifouling paint for underwater
Anti-fouling paints repel microorganisms, plants and shells from the paint surface, which increases the durability of the surface and reduces need for maintenance. They additionally brings along other benefits:
- significantly lower fuel consumption; cost efficient and environmentally friendlier
- preventing transfer of living microorganisms into foreign waters
The best anti-fouling paint is dependent on the type of the boat. Hard anti fouling solutions are recommended for race and power boats and eroding solutions are better for cruising yachts and displacement motor boats. Furthermore, the coating choice should always consider whether the boat is in salty or sweet water.
Note that anti fouling systems with high copper content may cause trouble on metal hulls. Therefore, it is crucial to control whether the paint is suitable for metal hulls. Usually, metal hulls also require a high quality primer before anti-fouling application.
Durable topside coating
Topside coatings are most of the time subject to changes in the weather; they must endure heavy rain as well as burning sun shine. The topsides of sea vessels are additionally in touch with salty sea water; the topside paint must thus be carefully chosen to make sure the water does not cause corrosion.
Boat paint for different materials
The following table shows how to prepare for antifouling and topside paint application and how to apply the paints. This advice is for new boats and completely blasted and sanded clean surfaces.
| MATERIAL | ANTIFOULING | TOPSIDE |
|---|---|---|
| Wood | Dry sand the substrate to make it ready for yacht paints. Apply a varnish or a wood primer which preserves oil. Next, bring a layer (or two) of vinyl primer on the surface and finally, apply anti fouling. | Dry sand the surface and apply a primer preserve the wood’s oils. The apply a wood primer followed by a finishing topcoat. One pot systems are the most effective on wood. |
| Aluminium | As preparation, grind the surface. Then apply undercoat suitable for aluminium/aluminum and finish the paint job with anti fouling application. | Grind the surface and choose a suitable primer to apply. After applying the primer, bring on a 1 or 2 component top coat. |
| Steel | For steel, grinding the surface is a sufficient preparation. As a primer, an extremely water proof, two component epoxy system is the most suitable. Additionally, apply an undercoat which increases adhesion and prevents water penetration. As last, apply the anti fouling systems on the surface. | Prepare the surface by grinding it. Apply an epoxy systems primer followed by an undercoat application. Finally, bring on a one or two component finishing layer. |
| Fiberglass | Prepare the substrate by dry sanding it . Apply several layers of undercoat which prevents water penetration and osmosis. Finally, apply one or more layers of anti-fouling coating. | Dry sand the surface, choose a primer, and apply either a 1 pot system or 2K paint. Finalize with topcoat. |
Deck coatings to make it safe
Also the deck and ramp coatings have an important role in the boat coating. These must be weather resistant but also safe to walk on. Therefore, anti slip coatings are common on boat decks to reduce the chance for slips and trips.
Leave a Reply
Want to join the discussion?Feel free to contribute!