After applying Alumetron, how long do I have to wait before launching my boat?

Skipper July 27, 2017 Ask The Skipper

Ron McCracken asked:

What is the difference between the 48 hr full cure time and the 96 hr immersion cure time? After 48 hrs, is it okay to put my boat in the water? I live in Tucson, Arizona where it is very dry. I park my boat in my garage after each use and do not leave it docked in the water. I’m assuming the 48 hr cure time is sufficient prior to putting my boat in the water. Please advise if not.

Answer:

Assuming that you applied Alumetron correctly and are in 70 deg. F temperature and 50% humidity, it takes 48 hours for the water to evaporate from the Alumetron coating. If it is warmer and dryer this could be a few hours less and if you are in colder and wetter conditions it could take longer. It takes a further 48 hours for complete polymerization to take place so that the coating is impervious to water immersion. If you launch your boat prematurely, you run the risk of water migrating through the coating and delaminating it from the substrate. After full cure, this will not happen.

I strongly recommend that you wait a minimum of 96 hours before launching your boat. Doing so before will void the warranty.

Alumetron comes with a 3 year warranty. If you apply VS721 over it, it will extend the warranty to 5 years. VS721 provides an additional layer of protection to the surface, above and below the waterline, in addition to fouling release and performance enhancement properties. Unfortunately there is an additional waiting period for this but most boat owners agree that it’s worth it to get a minimum of 5 years protection for their pontoons.

Thank you for your question,

Captain Aurora
Richard Kittar