<p>This image shows some more of the hull's paint condition:</p><p><a href="/daysailer/repair/images/paint_lg.jpg"><img src="/daysailer/repair/images/paint_sm.jpg" alt="Paint on bottom of hull" border="1" width="142" height="95"></a> (click for a larger image)</p><p>It looks to me like the hull needs washed, sanded, and re-painted. I've been reading about boat painting some, but I don't think I quite get it yet.</p><p>My work area is limited to my wife's parents' farm, out of doors (and in an unheated barn if I'm lucky). I suppose this makes for good ventilation, but I don't want to destroy the environment, either. Will a sander with a vacuum-bag attachment really keep me from getting paint dust all over the ground?</p><p>I think I'm OK with the safety requirements, as I intend to wear goggles, gloves, and a mask approved for painting and sanding.</p><p>I am really confused about my painting options. If I sand the hull all the way back to the fiberglass, what comes next? Do I just start painting or is this a multiple-step process? How does a "primer" fit in?</p><p>Looking through the E&B Marine catalog, I see references to "top-coat" and "bottom-coat" paints. Does this mean a coat for the top of the boat and one for the bottom, or does it mean you apply the bottom-coat first and finish off with the top-coat?</p><p>Do I have to use an "ablative" paint? The idea of poisoning the water with dissolving paint just to keep my boat looking pretty is ridiculous to me. What other options do I have?</p><p>How long does marine paint take to dry? This is a particular concern to me since the boat has to be outside. Will covering the drying hull with a tarp or keeping it in the unheated barn be sufficient?</p>
Mike Boone (BooneDocks-at-kagi.com)