topside paint for bottom paint - bunks concern

[whatbrown]

I just want to make sure I understand the issue of using topside paint for bottom paint, because its still not clear after reading the archives. I keep reading that you can never do this because of blistering. But all I want to do is find a better looking and cheaper option than vivid to paint my ugly faded bottom on my trailered boat (it came with the paint already on it), and I don't see the problem because my boat is NEVER in the water for more than a day at a time. I am just confused because it seems like I'm missing something, but where is the blistering issue here?

The trailer bunk/residual wetness concern makes sense about the potential blistering there, but if I only lightly sand the existing bottom paint in those areas and then apply the topside paint, I don't see the risk because the underlying bottom paint and gel coat weren't materially affected; ie nothing changes so what's the hidden evil of topside paint here?

Somehow, I only got a lot more confused reading the archives, and I'd just like to know if the sky will start falling if I use topside paint here. Thanks everybody

Zack

[modunlavy]

I took all the bottom paint and applied top coat paint on my boat probably 6 to 7 years ago - I keep my boat on a lift and I have rubber on the lift and not carpet, though I have kept in on the trailer with carpet bunks for 2 winters since I did it - I have had no problems with the paint at all and no blistering. I have left the boat in the water for as long as 2.5 days without any problem either - I did mine with a 2 part paint. The only downside is I did it with a dark paint and it still needs to be waxed to keep from looking bad.

I am very happy I did it.

[whatbrown]

Thank you Michael, that's the kind of answer I was hoping for. I'm good to go.