Blacking the hull

[Ann Savage]

Hi.  Just found this site!  Can anyone suggest what to use for blacking the hull of our boat?

We have had her four years now, and want to take her out to black the hull later in the year

Any tips or recommendations would be gratefully received

 

many thanks

[David Mack]

Do you know what it is blacked with at the moment? That may determine your options.

[Ann Savage]

Can't quite remember. My husband thinks it was something like - multi 40.  Does that make any sense?

[Sea Dog]

Click on the search button above and search blacking - you'll get lots of good info there. I'm just doing mine at the moment and I'm using Rylards premium and Rytex, which I think are about as good as conventional bituminous blacking products get. Four years between blackings is pushing things - conventional wisdom suggests every 2-3 years. Hope that helps get you off the mark.

[blackrose]

14 hours ago, Ann Savage said:

Can't quite remember. My husband thinks it was something like - multi 40.  Does that make any sense?

It's not really the brand that's important (although in the case of two-pack it's best to use the same brand), rather the type of blacking that was previously used - bitumen-based (most common), comastic vinyl tar or two pack epoxy. 

If you don't know what was used, take a cloth with a bit of white spirit and rub it onto a clean part of your hull. If there's paint on the cloth it's likely to be bitumen-based blacking. 

Edited August 13, 2017 by blackrose