Bottom Paint Gap

M

mcarrigan

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exMember
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Mar 20, 2007
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25569
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I had the bottom of my boat sanded and repainted with an ablative paint. I also had my drives sand blasted and repainted due to corrosion. When I went to check on the progress, I noticed the bottom paint is touching the outdrives. Should there be a 1" gap between the paint and the out drives and should I make them remove the paint? They also installed a Mercathode system. I boat in fresh water (Lake St. Clair).
 
Someone told me that today's paints don't contain the copper that old paints used to have.
The gap was needed because the copper reacted with the aluminum outdrive.
I have sold my outdrive boat, but I continued to maintain the 1 inch gap, even though I was told I did not have to.
It was not big deal to have a gap. It also helped when I paint the outdrive to keep the trilux off the boat.
Just mask it off and paint both a the same time.

My boat had a mercathode and I added a second one. What type of drive? BIII's are the biggest culprits bet when you follow the rules, they are great drives!
 
If you're using copper-based bottom paint, you need the gap.

Most bottom paints use copper; some of the latest formulas don't. For the latter, the price difference is significant. I would bet the yard isn't using the new-style paint. Check with them first, though.
 
Doesn't Volvo Penta make a composite outdrive? Perhaps you have this model?

I'm curious: if it's a Volvo sterndrive, why are you adding a Mercruiser Mercathode?
 
I had them look at the drives to see if anything could be done. They recommended repainting them and adding the mercathode. Does the mercathode only work with Mercruiser drives?
 
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