[C320-list] VC17 - how many cans?

[Kaare Wold]

Skippers, I just finished the bottom of Sheet Music.  This year we had the 
luxury of storing  indoor heated, so there is no wind or direct sun to 
evaporate the VC.  I used 2 1/2 cans with a 6" foam roller and have plenty 
to touch up the unpainted jackstand pad areas.  Here in Sturgeon Bay, north 
of Bob Sloat on Lake Michigan, we do get a slim buildup and that beautiful 
white paint stripe gradually turns yellowish.  The VC stands up well and I 
believe that a full bottom refinish is only necessary every other year with 
a touch up on leading edges in between. I agree that spending a few extra 
dollars on the masking tape is well worth it.  No bleed thru to clean up and 
a sharp professional line.  Don't buy the cheap junk.
Kaare & Mary Wold
Sheet Music, 2003 #945

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Robert Sloat" <resloat at comcast.net>
To: <C320-List at Catalina320.com>
Sent: Monday, April 07, 2014 2:43 PM
Subject: Re: [C320-list] VC17 - how many cans?


Here on southern Lake Michigan its once a year VC 17, 3-4 cans, rubbing 
alcohol for clean up, knee pads to make crawling under the boat a little 
easier, and a 6-7 inch roller.  I do each side in front of the keel, then 
the keel and bottom in the middle and the back end last.  On my hull, I mask 
with 3M Fine Line masking tape which is a little pricey but works very well. 
Buy it at an automotive paint supply store.  I think I use 3/4 “ width which 
matches the bottom stripe width on my hull.  Measure yours before getting 
the tape.  It doesn’t seem right, but these smaller foam rollers are what 
all the workers use in my boat yard for VC 17 application.  This year I am 
using a different color VC 17 to try to judge wear over the season at haul 
out in Oct.  I have not seen a new boat commissioned at the yards around 
here that use anything other than VC 17 for new boats. In my 13th season and 
the bottom is as smooth as a babies behind and no buildup of VC 17 so far.

At launch, I do the 4 places where the factory cradle pads are and the 
bottom of the keel.  Check the can for how long to dry before dropping in 
the water.  Normally, it is fairly warm when I launch so I chat with the 
crew as long as possible to let the stuff dry and then drop in.

Bob Sloat
Savannah #894 (2002)

On Mar 20, 2014, at 10:26 PM, Bill Culbertson <billculb_a2 at yahoo.com> wrote:

> Hmmm.  I'm on Lake Erie and I've put on VC17 for 13 years (6 times). I 
> always use 2.5 cans.  I use a roller from a pan and I don't dilute.  I put 
> on one coat every other year.  I "prep" the surface with a wet brush to 
> get loose stuff off and let it dry.  The key is to do it quickly.  You 
> pour a very small amount (compared to if you were house painting or 
> Alblative bottom painting) into the pan - maybe such that the liquid 
> extends about 3" from the deepest part of the pan up toward the shallow 
> end or about 1.5 to 2.0 roller widths.  I use a 7" roller (I've used the 
> recommended 4" but I get better results with 7").  Do not use a cheap 
> cover.  Get it all onto the roller quickly and evenly - 2 or 3 swipes. If 
> the roller can't hold it all, then pour less next time.  Then get that 
> load onto the boat quickly. Getting that rollerful onto the boat takes me 
> maybe 7 seconds or so. I think (from memory) that it is about 1.5 - 2.0 sq 
> ft or so.  Then
> repeat.  I stir a lot - nearly every time I pour. Don't let any of it sit 
> in the pan for any time.  What goes into the pan stays in the pan for only 
> as long as it takes to get it onto the roller.  For the whole bottom I 
> think I tend to use about 3 covers.
>
> One other trick I started doing recently as my back started complaining 
> more the last few years :).  I used to do the entire bottom front to back. 
> Seemed obvious.  But now-a-days I do the nose (which really has no flat 
> bottom surface) and then only the flat bottom surface front to back.  Like 
> painting a ceiling in a crawl space I tell my friends. I use knee pads and 
> am on my knees most of the time unless it is too high.  I have a small 
> plastic foot stool that I sit on when I can do so and still reach.  The 
> flat bottom part is the most uncomfortable for me.  After doing the entire 
> flat bottom part then I pull out the stool and do the keel which is quite 
> comfortable.  Then I do the rudder mostly standing which is moderately 
> comfortable except for the lower part which I sometimes do sitting.  Now 
> comes the easy and comfortable part.  I go back to the nose and do the 
> sides while standing.  I join the painted flat bottom part up to the boot 
> stripe
> tape.  I'm standing upright the whole time and it is quite comfortable. 
> Which is good because by that time my back is killing me from doing the 
> earlier stuff.
>
> When I used to do it all front to back, I found the area aft of the keel 
> Hell-on-wheels. First, there is a LOT of flat bottom area back there and 
> second, by then I'm pretty sore already with lots of boat left to paint. 
> I used to think I was halfway done when I'd gotten to the back of the 
> keel.  Now I don't think so given the boat shape.  The new scheme although 
> odd and non-intuitive has worked out really well for me and my back these 
> last few times.
>
>  -bill culbertson
>   Harmony #859
>   Western Lake Erie
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: "bkuether at comcast.net" <bkuether at comcast.net>
> To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
> Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2014 6:47 AM
> Subject: Re: [C320-list] VC17 - how many cans?
>
>
> Depends on the temperature and how you apply.
>
> If you are pouring the VC into a pan and rolling it on, I would say three.
>
> If you are squirting the VC onto a roller, I once did my 320 with 2 but it
> was tight!
>
> If you are using a pan and its hot out?  3.5 to 4.
>
>
> -----Original Message----- 
> From: Marek Fluder
> Sent: Wednesday, March 19, 2014 10:35 PM
> To: C320-list at catalina320.com
> Subject: [C320-list] VC17 - how many cans?
>
> Hello listers,
>
> The highly anticipated time is coming after the long winter...
> If you use VC17 on your bottom, how many cans it usually takes?
>
> Kind regards,
> Marek Fluder

Bob Sloat