4LikesNeed Help Totalboat Bilge paint fiasco
09-05-2019, 04:34 PM
#1
Admirals Club
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location:
Posts: 205
Need Help Totalboat Bilge paint fiasco
Hi All,
a couple weeks back I posted asking for the best bilge paint I could purchase in MA for work done over epoxy based repairs, folks here recommended total boat as well as interluxes product. I ended up going with total boat and got f'd over good by some bad product. The sad part is jamestown distributors will NOT acknowledge that they sold some bad product and want me to paint a piece of raw wood and leave it outside in the sun for multiple days and if it cures under those conditons the product is fine. I'm not sure which planet the person is on, if they are marketing a paint which is supposed to go in a bilge of a boat, it should be able to cure out in a bilge of a boat.
here's where I'm at....
I painted the bilge 1-2pm on sunday afternoon, the temps were low to mid 80s and sunny at the time. My buddy had done over a seacraft and warned me the paint would take long to cure if I went heavy in any way so I was real conservative and only used 2 pints. I did not modify the paint in any way. At 6pm I did a touch test and the panit seemed dry to the touch. The next morning at 11am went in the boat and tried to sand with the recommmended 220 grit sandpaper and the sandpaper loaded up instantly. I decided to wait another day and tried again tuesday morning, same results. I was on vacation this week so I left my house to have some fun. Wanting my boat done sometime soon I came home this afternoon hoping the paint was cured and could be sanded and it wasn't, it was 4 days after applying the paint.
I called Jamestown distributors support line and the guy there was accusing me of putting it on too heavy, I used 2 quarts of epoxy primer to cover the same space I used 2 pints of totalboat bilge so that definitely was not the case. He then said the boat being covered in shrink wrap caused it, I had left the door of the shrink wrap open and had another window cut in the front of the boat which I placed a fan in and kept it running all 4 days. The can says it can be overcoated in 8hrs, then he came up with the line of painting a raw piece of wood and leaving it in the sun for 3 days and if it cured it was fine.
to me I think the guy is giving me line after line of BULL $hit.
As a test he asked if I wiped it with a rag with mineral spirits and see if it would come off, it did. I also tested with acetone and the acetone worked better, the surface would craze in about 30 seconds after painting the surface with the acetone.
now for my ask, I've got a lot of area to cover to get this CRAP paint off, whats a good method?? I tried using a paint brush and painting on acetone then wiping it off with paper towels. It seemed to work ok but my gloves didn't seem to be acetone proof and I didn't want to get sick pushing it.
What can I do to get this done quicker / safer? I have a 3m respirator mask with painting cartridges and seems to cut the odor.
a couple weeks back I posted asking for the best bilge paint I could purchase in MA for work done over epoxy based repairs, folks here recommended total boat as well as interluxes product. I ended up going with total boat and got f'd over good by some bad product. The sad part is jamestown distributors will NOT acknowledge that they sold some bad product and want me to paint a piece of raw wood and leave it outside in the sun for multiple days and if it cures under those conditons the product is fine. I'm not sure which planet the person is on, if they are marketing a paint which is supposed to go in a bilge of a boat, it should be able to cure out in a bilge of a boat.
here's where I'm at....
I painted the bilge 1-2pm on sunday afternoon, the temps were low to mid 80s and sunny at the time. My buddy had done over a seacraft and warned me the paint would take long to cure if I went heavy in any way so I was real conservative and only used 2 pints. I did not modify the paint in any way. At 6pm I did a touch test and the panit seemed dry to the touch. The next morning at 11am went in the boat and tried to sand with the recommmended 220 grit sandpaper and the sandpaper loaded up instantly. I decided to wait another day and tried again tuesday morning, same results. I was on vacation this week so I left my house to have some fun. Wanting my boat done sometime soon I came home this afternoon hoping the paint was cured and could be sanded and it wasn't, it was 4 days after applying the paint.
I called Jamestown distributors support line and the guy there was accusing me of putting it on too heavy, I used 2 quarts of epoxy primer to cover the same space I used 2 pints of totalboat bilge so that definitely was not the case. He then said the boat being covered in shrink wrap caused it, I had left the door of the shrink wrap open and had another window cut in the front of the boat which I placed a fan in and kept it running all 4 days. The can says it can be overcoated in 8hrs, then he came up with the line of painting a raw piece of wood and leaving it in the sun for 3 days and if it cured it was fine.
to me I think the guy is giving me line after line of BULL $hit.
As a test he asked if I wiped it with a rag with mineral spirits and see if it would come off, it did. I also tested with acetone and the acetone worked better, the surface would craze in about 30 seconds after painting the surface with the acetone.
now for my ask, I've got a lot of area to cover to get this CRAP paint off, whats a good method?? I tried using a paint brush and painting on acetone then wiping it off with paper towels. It seemed to work ok but my gloves didn't seem to be acetone proof and I didn't want to get sick pushing it.
What can I do to get this done quicker / safer? I have a 3m respirator mask with painting cartridges and seems to cut the odor.
09-05-2019, 04:58 PM
#3
Admirals Club 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 2,340
what a mess.
Safety first- get yourself some thick gloves from home depot. Not the thin disposable ones, but the thicker ones that will hold up.
Will it scrape off? Have you tried a sharp paint scraper?
Xylene Solvent?
It's a real sh_t show, but my strategy would be to scrape, rub with solvent, and scrape, repeatedly.
Then let what is left dry as best as you can, and sand off.
Also, be really careful of fires- go slow, and don't leave solvent soaked rags or paper towels laying around. Spontaneous combustion is real.
Safety first- get yourself some thick gloves from home depot. Not the thin disposable ones, but the thicker ones that will hold up.
Will it scrape off? Have you tried a sharp paint scraper?
Xylene Solvent?
It's a real sh_t show, but my strategy would be to scrape, rub with solvent, and scrape, repeatedly.
Then let what is left dry as best as you can, and sand off.
Also, be really careful of fires- go slow, and don't leave solvent soaked rags or paper towels laying around. Spontaneous combustion is real.
09-05-2019, 08:02 PM
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: L,I. N.Y
Posts: 502
not for nothing but that does look it was applied kinda thick.
Also whats the deal with the shrinkwrap when the temps in the 80's?
I agree with the solvent,scrape, solvent solution, BUT careful with the fumes
Also whats the deal with the shrinkwrap when the temps in the 80's?
I agree with the solvent,scrape, solvent solution, BUT careful with the fumes
09-05-2019, 08:22 PM
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: RI
Posts: 408
That same product did the same thing to me when I painted the bilge in my shamrock during a repower. Ended up finally setting up a good amount of time later. I followed directions exactly also. Ended up using a razor and scraping the runs and eventually sanding a bit before a light recover. Junk product.
09-06-2019, 06:28 AM
#10
Admirals Club
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Keller Texas
Posts: 198
A word of warning on solvents, especially Trichloroethylene (trike) and Methyl Ethyl Ketone. (MEK.) or Tolulene.(TOLIO)
They have been banned by OSHA because they are highly toxic. I took a safety class. As a demonstration the instructor
submerged his index finger in a glass of water. While it was soaking he told us if it was MEK, in 60 seconds, it will be
absorbed through your skin, into the bloodstream, through the liver to the point where fumes will actually come from
your respiratory system. It will change the odor of your breath in 60 seconds. I can’t emphasize enough, what others have said,
protective clothing, as much ventilation as possible and a good breathing apparatus. NOT a 3M particle mask.
Now if you will excuse me I have to paint my Soap Box.
They have been banned by OSHA because they are highly toxic. I took a safety class. As a demonstration the instructor
submerged his index finger in a glass of water. While it was soaking he told us if it was MEK, in 60 seconds, it will be
absorbed through your skin, into the bloodstream, through the liver to the point where fumes will actually come from
your respiratory system. It will change the odor of your breath in 60 seconds. I can’t emphasize enough, what others have said,
protective clothing, as much ventilation as possible and a good breathing apparatus. NOT a 3M particle mask.
Now if you will excuse me I have to paint my Soap Box.
09-06-2019, 06:52 AM
#11
Admirals Club
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location:
Posts: 205
The boat is under shrinkwrap for a deck off conversion to outboard power. The wrap has saved me countless hours of cleaning debris from trees in my yard out of the boat.
The pic I posted is that of the balled up paint after scrubbing a bit.
Here's the overall space after sanding down the epoxy based primer before painting the total bilge.
With acetone do I need to worry about the surface of the epoxy primer?
The pic I posted is that of the balled up paint after scrubbing a bit.
Here's the overall space after sanding down the epoxy based primer before painting the total bilge.
With acetone do I need to worry about the surface of the epoxy primer?
09-06-2019, 06:56 AM
#12
Admirals Club
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location:
Posts: 205
Im definitely concerned with safety and the paper towels went outside the boat in a metal can.
I have a 3m respirator mask and will use to that when doing the work
Other than much heavier gloves and eye protection do I need to worry about anything?
I have a 3m respirator mask and will use to that when doing the work
Other than much heavier gloves and eye protection do I need to worry about anything?
09-06-2019, 07:23 AM
#14
Admirals Club
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Keller Texas
Posts: 198
Originally Posted by ktm_2000
Im definitely concerned with safety and the paper towels went outside the boat in a metal can.
I have a 3m respirator mask and will use to that when doing the work
Other than much heavier gloves and eye protection do I need to worry about anything?
I have a 3m respirator mask and will use to that when doing the work
Other than much heavier gloves and eye protection do I need to worry about anything?
THT sponsor
09-06-2019, 10:43 AM
#17
Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 96
Originally Posted by Ebbie
A word of warning on solvents, especially Trichloroethylene (trike) and Methyl Ethyl Ketone. (MEK.) or Tolulene.(TOLIO)
They have been banned by OSHA because they are highly toxic. I took a safety class. As a demonstration the instructor
submerged his index finger in a glass of water. While it was soaking he told us if it was MEK, in 60 seconds, it will be
absorbed through your skin, into the bloodstream, through the liver to the point where fumes will actually come from
your respiratory system. It will change the odor of your breath in 60 seconds. I can’t emphasize enough, what others have said,
protective clothing, as much ventilation as possible and a good breathing apparatus. NOT a 3M particle mask.
Now if you will excuse me I have to paint my Soap Box.
They have been banned by OSHA because they are highly toxic. I took a safety class. As a demonstration the instructor
submerged his index finger in a glass of water. While it was soaking he told us if it was MEK, in 60 seconds, it will be
absorbed through your skin, into the bloodstream, through the liver to the point where fumes will actually come from
your respiratory system. It will change the odor of your breath in 60 seconds. I can’t emphasize enough, what others have said,
protective clothing, as much ventilation as possible and a good breathing apparatus. NOT a 3M particle mask.
Now if you will excuse me I have to paint my Soap Box.
09-06-2019, 02:16 PM
#18
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 7,409
About 12 or so years ago I used the Interlux Bilge paint on a small project, painting the wood bulkheads around the engine in our boat. Its held up well and there were no problems with it drying, curing etc. Still has a gloss to it. Of course the formulation could have been changed by now...
