Catalina 350 International Association

Hello forum,

I have hauled out Escape (2003) for bottom painting and a few machanical items. I am also having the sheer stripe replaced and some other cosmetics. The bottom paint is actually done and looks great.

The boot stripe has some spots that seem to have rubbed white - maybe from a fender buoy at dock of previous owner. I asked for a quote to repaint the boot stripe and was floored - $3,700!

Prep for primer, spray primer, prep for paint, spray paint,
wet sand and buff out bootstripe TIME $85 per hour (approx. 32 hours)
AND MATERIALS (approx. $600)

32 85.00 2,720.00T
Job Materials 1 600.00 600.00T Plus charges and taxes.

Does this square with others experiences with costs for hiring someone to redo the boot stripe?

The marina I am working with seems reasonable for the other work (by South Florida Standards), but the boot stripe estimate floored me. If this is in line with others (i.e., is reasonable (South Florida standards), I will swallow hard, take out a second mortgage and may do it.

Anyone have some comparables for boot stripe repaint costs? Need to make a decision this weekend.

NormSail#350
Hull 41

That sure sounds pricey to me. Did they try some rubbing compound and attempt to buff it out? That's what I do to mine when the bottom gets painted and it looks great after.

I repainted my boot stripe in 2018. Just looked at the invoice from the yard and it was $1250 including parts (paint and assorted items).

I'm not sure, but I believe the boot stripe is gelcoat not paint. Maybe that is what is driving cost. You may want to be sure what you are getting.

Along with Gary, I believe (been awhile since I checked boot stripe carefully) that it came from the factory with gel coat boot stripe.

But, if not just repairing a small area which could be done with gel coat, it would be common to sand, tape off and paint with a high end marine paint.

I just had mine (new to me) 2003 done at Safe Cove Marina in Port Charlotte. I had the complete bottom re-done (not the boot stripe). They sanded it all the way down to the gelcoat, put a new barrier coat on and several coats of new bottom paint. Total cost for all of this was $4,100. They did a great job, highly recommend them.

Mike
Lazy Dog

Outrageous. Paint it yourself with a good two Two part paint It’s simple. Tape off lightly sand and roll and tip it. Cost is $90 including beers.

Triumph

Norm(sail)

We have painted both our C320 and C350 boot stripes ourselves. Used Interlux Brightside Polyurethane paint. About $60 for a quart. Light sanding, wipe clean with the appropriate thinner, then mask and paint with a high quality brush. Any brush marks will disappear as the paint dries. We light sanded after the first coat, cleaned with thinner and applied the second coat. The first coat was slightly thinned, the second coat not thinned.

The Interlux comes in a blue that is very close to the original color and looks great. Takes about 3 hours not including drying time, but this paint does dry quickly. Total cost under $100.
It greatly improves the look, many people have asked me if our boat is new, its a 2001. We also pay the yard to polish the the topsides every 2 years, to keep it all looking fresh. It takes the yard about 8 hours to polish and cost about $900.00 but saves my back and shoulders for easier work.

Hi Norm,
Just to clarify; are you referring to the strip down at the waterline or the strip up by the rub rail.
If the former [at the waterline] I had a bottom job in Jan 2017 and had the strip removed.
The bottom job was $1225 [35h @ $35/h]
Sanding the bootstrip off $260 [4h @ $65/h]
I am in Pensacola, Fl

Mike

Yes, boot stripe is at waterline.

Sheer stripe is just below the hull/deck joint and IS tape.

Thanks for everyone’sresponses and input.

I am talking about the boot stripe - just above the waterline.

Seems like the estimate I received for painting the boot stripe is way out of wack. Will talk with the marina tomorrow to figure out where the disconnect is, or pass on this service.

I am getting the bottom painted, prop speed sheer stripe, boat name and port name replaced, minor gel coat work and hull wax for about 4700 in Fort Lauderdale, FL. I thought that was reasonable. Hence, the boot stripe estimate seems out of line.

The boot stripe has worn down from blue to white gel coat in an area but minimal and certainly is not urgent.

Also doing bunch of mechanical stuff- Replacing gear shift cable, all hoses, exhaust riser, pss bellows, seals and set screws, cutlass bearing, adjusting motor mounts, cleaning heat exchanger, new backing plates on raw water intake for both engine and genset. So, hopefully will look like new and pretty much run like new and give me peace of mind when done ( in the next three days - hopefully!)

NormSail350
Escape hull #41
Palmetto Bay FL

Hi Norm,

Did you have to drop the rudder when replacing the cutlass bearing?

Thanks,

Dan

Dan,
The grub screws are removed and the old cutlass bearing is slowly twisted and pulled out of the housing. I used a channel lock pliers. No need to remove the rudder. If you are replacing the prop shaft, remove the cutlass bearing and the internal shaft flange allowing the shaft to move rearward just passing the rudder ( tight squeeze). That is how I did mine.
Have fun.

Leigh

There's one gotcha to be aware of though. If your cutlass bearing is the non-metallic type like they put on our boat, the outer case is a plastic material and not brass. The one on our boat crumbled when I tried to twist it, so no hope removing it with the shaft in place. Unfortunately, to get the shaft past the rudder, the cutlass bearing has to be removed first. In my case, it was just easier to cut the shaft and remove it in pieces, at that point. It just wasn't worth all the effort to either drop the rudder or raise the engine for me. Ours is an earlier boat than either of yours, so they may have switched to the brass bearings at some point.

Thanks very much Scott and Leigh -- hoping it is brass.