- A) The surface must be dry, clean, and free from grease or dust.
To be sure about this it is indispensable to sand and measure with an instrument, such as SKINDER or equivalent, in order to detect moisture.
- B) Prepare the epoxy resin C-systems’ 10 10 CFS and with a small brush “soak” all the biggest craters to fully impregnate the cloth. Then they are filled by adding mineral Microfibre additive to the resin. This filling will be stronger than the material taken away and will give to the hull the consistency and reliability as when new or even more so. When dry sand down to get a smooth surface again, and start the general phase.
- B) Apply the first complete coat of C-systems’ 10 10 CFS by brush or roller, up to around 6 to 8 centimetres above the water line.
- C) After 2 or 3 hours apply the second coat of C-systems’ 10 10 CFS.
- D) After several hours, when the resin is still tacky like adhesive tape, fill the “craters” with NAUTILUS Epoxy Fast FINE Filler (fast drying) or C-systems’ 10 10 CFS with mineral Microfibre or Thickener nos. 2.
- E) The day after very lightly wet sand (grade 120 to 150) the fillings to perfectly level them and pass a wet sponge type 3 M Scotch Brite over the whole hull, using the rough part (to eliminate any formations of greasiness – blushing – and to guarantee a perfect adhesion).
- F) Apply the third coat of C-systems’ 10 10 CFS.
- G) Apply the coat of NAUTILUS Epoxy LIGHT Filler with a toothed spatula to get the right thickness and make the hull uniform. When dry (between 12 and 24 hours or 1 to 2 hours for the fast types) after sanding dust off well and go over again with the smooth spatula to perfectly smooth the hull (see the more complete description under the heading filling).
- H) Very lightly sand down to eliminate the small defects and apply a coat of C-Systems’ 10 10 CFS; the following coats are applied with the additive A 20, until the resin quantity foreseen for the surface is all used up.
- I) The antifouling can be applied directly, but it is preferred to paint the hull in a white colour similar to the gelcoat. 2 or 3 coats of NAUTILUS Epoxy Primer two are sufficient. It can also be applied (one coat is enough) to metal parts such as rudder, mountings, shafts, propellers, flaps etc. The first coat of NAUTILUS antifouling will be applied after 8 hours and within 30 days. The second antifouling coat will be applied only on the points where the keel blocks were, after we remove them from the hull, so that they remain for the moment outside of the treatment.
- L) The second antifouling coat can be applied some days before launching. From the last coat of epoxy resin or NAUTILUS Epoxy Primer two at least 7 days go by before launching in order to be certain of cross-linking, in depth drying. When talking about the number of C-systems’ 10 10 CFS coats to apply attention must be given to the resin thickness required for a good protection. The total quantity applied per square metre is of the utmost importance (600/700 microns), in other words to make 10 square metres of the hull 6 to 7 kg. of C-systems’ 10 10 CFS are needed.
Applying thinner coats often means making a smoother surface, working better and obtaining a superior aesthetic result. The material described for the hull can also be applied to metal keels which, as we know, are important to be maintained free of corrosion. With the epoxy fillers, C-Epoxy LIGHT Filler and C-Epoxy FINE Filler we can bring them “to perfection”, using more material where necessary to reduce water friction. Sandblast or sand down or disc sand the keel, to remove traces of any previous filling and painting taking it back as much as possible to blank metal and proceed as follows:
2 coats of NAUTILUS Epoxy Primer two (available in white and blue when it is necessary to see the topcoat)
2 coats of C-Systems’ 10 10 CFS Filler with toothed spatula, and then the smooth spatula
2 or 3 coats of C-Systems’ 10 10 CFS with A 20
2 coats of NAUTILUS Epoxy Primer two
2 coats of NAUTILUS Antifouling and…….happy sailing