Bilge Paint?

[shanan]

Hello!

I have a 28 ft Plywood Yacht, sheathed in fibreglass.

Have ripped out the floor and have rubbed/sanded back a badly neglected bilge underneath.

I will be applying some coats of penetrating epoxy to ensure a good protective water barrier and wanted to know what paint to use afterwards?

People in the USA talk about red lead paint, but we don't see it here.

So what paint to use? Just a basic oil based house paint?

I was also told that painting epoxy before it completely dries will enhance the chemical bond between both. Is this true?

Is penetrating epoxy, followed by paint the best way to go about ensuring I don't have touch this bilge again for a long time?

Advice appreciated!

[shanan]

I thought I should also add a picture. This is the section I wish to seal and paint.

[scottyk]

In the area of bildge you hae put in the picture, I would just dry it out really well, (which means it shouldnt be in the water) and then coat it with up to five coats of Everdure wet on wet as the label directs.
As for painting the bildge out, I would just leave the five coats of everdure and not bother with paint, the reasons for this;
1 It wont get any light at all so the epoxy in Everdure won't decay from UV etc.
2 Paint will only hide any moisture getting in to the timber and subsequent rot, with a clear finish it will be easier to pick up early.
3 Everdure is a bloddy good product and it enough of a barrier itself.

I hope that helps
scotty

[Boatmik]

I made quite an extensive reply to a similar question a little while ago.

http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/showthread.php?p=245059#post245059

It contrasts the use of Everdure to using high solids epoxy (ie a good quality epoxy system - Bote Cote, WEST, System 3 and some others).

As far as painting goes if it is epoxied there is perhaps little need to paint and may be some advantages to that approach as scottyk suggests.

One advantage of painting is that it does make it easier to see if there is moisture attracting gunge sitting in the bilge and does make it easy to find things that may have been dropped or stored.

Best Regards
Michael Storer