# bottom protection



## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

I've been running epoxy/graphite on my skiff for 5 years, and it only needed a minor touch up because I beach on islands often. I'll use it on my next boat too.


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## CodyW (Jan 26, 2016)

firecat1981 said:


> I've been running epoxy/graphite on my skiff for 5 years, and it only needed a minor touch up because I beach on islands often. I'll use it on my next boat too.


What mix ratio are you using?


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

I think I used around 25% by volume for the first coat, and up to 40% for the final coat, but make sure you sift it to get the clumps out before mixing. Check with Bateau.com, there are several topics on it.


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## yobata (Jul 14, 2015)

CodyW said:


> What mix ratio are you using?


Jacques at Bateu told me that he mixes in the graphite to the already mixed epoxy until the stir stick is opaque and you cannot see the stir stick. This translated for me to around 3 teaspoons of graphite per 9oz epoxy batch...


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## WhiteDog70810 (May 6, 2008)

Another vote for graphite-epoxy here. I am impressed with how it has held up. If you drag it across rocks, you will scratch it, but sand and oyster grit don't rub it off the wear points nearly as badly as paint. My mix ratio was probably about 1:2-1:3 graphite to epoxy. I kinda did want Yobata mentioned; I just kept adding graphite until it looked dark enough and then added a bit more.

Nate


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

Graphite with epoxy is a good coating. However, the main purpose of the graphite is to produce a slick surface. Adding aluminum powder to the epoxy is far superior for abrasion.


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## CodyW (Jan 26, 2016)

DuckNut said:


> Graphite with epoxy is a good coating. However, the main purpose of the graphite is to produce a slick surface. Adding aluminum powder to the epoxy is far superior for abrasion.


I did not know this. Thanks for the info.


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

I know we have discussed the aluminium in the past but I've never seen anyone use it before. 
The graphite works great so I'm keeping with it, my skiff slides over oysters now with notuch issue.


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## CodyW (Jan 26, 2016)

firecat1981 said:


> I know we have discussed the aluminium in the past but I've never seen anyone use it before.
> The graphite works great so I'm keeping with it, my skiff slides over oysters now with notuch issue.[/QUOi did some research and according to West systems aluminum is at the top of the list as far as hardness. Aluminum epoxy is really hard to work with and to sand. I think I will get both powders and try them on some test panels


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

Right it makes it hard and durable, but I think the idea behind the graphite is it makes the bottom slick, so instead of rocks and oysters digging in the tend to glide off. I know the graphite is used a lot, and for airboat hulls mixes too, but I'd be curious to hear from someone who actually used aluminum powder on a hull. 

On a side note the graphite is dark gray almost black, so if you store your boat upside down, like my next project will, then the sun heat might be an issue. They have white graphite but it's like 5 times the cost.


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## CurtisWright (May 9, 2012)

How beat up is it? Post Pics. You can likely just fill and fair the scratches you have with matching gel coat.


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## CodyW (Jan 26, 2016)

CurtisWright said:


> How beat up is it? Post Pics. You can likely just fill and fair the scratches you have with matching gel coat.


It's not beat up. I just wanted to add some durability to it just in case.


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## CurtisWright (May 9, 2012)

CodyW said:


> It's not beat up. I just wanted to add some durability to it just in case.


Oh, well then in that case don't do anything to it. There aren't any coating products that are harder and more reliant than old fashioned polyester gelcoat. 

Give it hell and then come back here in a few years and ill tell you how to repair it. Its actually pretty easy.


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

FC- I have offered for you to come check out my boat in the past.

It has been beat to snot duck hunting and fishing for 15 years now.


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

DN is it still on the original coating? What color is it, can you post a pic?


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

firecat1981 said:


> DN is it still on the original coating? What color is it, can you post a pic?


Original coat, not a single touch up. Still in great shape except for a 10" where the hull met concrete. It is a dark grey.

Too stupid to post pics


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

Well I think I'm going to use HBN when the time comes, mostly because the white-ish color will better match the project. The guys at bateau made some compelling arguments against ordering aluminum powder, I'm glad it worked out for you though.


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

HBN is good but about $65 per pound????

Teflon powder is about $13.

In 3 months your hull will be yellow as the elements attack the epoxy.

You should do a test with it now so you can make an evaluation.


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## CodyW (Jan 26, 2016)

The white would be better for me since the boat is white. What would I need to do as far as keeping the epoxy from turning yellow?


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

The white pigmented stuff I did a while back never yellowed much, I'll be adding pigment to the HBN to get the color I want so it should be fairly resistant. Even the unpigmented resin I had on my kayak didn't change much with sun exposure, just got a little darker on the exposed side. 
I know nothing about Teflon powder, but where did you find it for $13/lbs? Every search I do turns up about $17 for 2oz. The HBN is about $50 per 1/4 lbs from what I've seen.


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## CodyW (Jan 26, 2016)

What exactly is HBN? Is it better than the graphite?


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

hexagonal boron nitride. It's not any better then graphite from what I've seen, very similar material, but it's white instead of black. When applied it's a bit translucent so you need to pigment the resin if you want solid color.


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## Robby Stubley (Jun 1, 2016)

I'll piggy-back on the bottom protection question...I use my Gheenoe Classic as a duck boat, and have run gator glide on the bottom for the last several seasons. The stuff has been pretty durable, and is slicker than owl [email protected] over vegetation with ease, and I have to be careful when launching, as the boat will slide right off the trailer at the slightest angle. However...oysters, occasional stumps, and rocks at the boat ramp will bite straight through it. Would there be any added benefits to using epoxy/graphite instead, or as a base layer with the gator glide applied over it?


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

I would say no, I'd stick to the gator glide and apply it as a sacrificial coating when it gets worn down.


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