SUPERYACHT SECRETS
A cage of scaffolding is erected
closely around the project for
easy access, and then
shrink-wrapped. The enclosure
is fed with climate-controlled
air, filtered to remove dust and
airborne pollution, and
sometimes given a positive
pressure. This is so that
painters don’t allow any
rubbish to blow in when they
open the door. Many tents even
have a double door to form a
kind of airlock as an extra
precaution. There are also
banks of filters for expelled air
as the thinners of two pack
paints use toxic isocyanates.
The floor is also usually
dampened with a regular
rinsing to trap any dust from
sanding or other preparations.
Some refit yards have
dedicated paint sheds, but
there is no way they can keep
pace with demand, so the
usual route is to ‘tent off’ each
project. Go to any superyacht
yard and you will see several
large white shrink-wrap tents,
with perhaps the superstructure
poking out of the top. Yachts
are even tented when moored
to the quayside.
When sharing a shed with other
refits, it is difficult to know when
your neighbours will be doing
jobs that may contaminate
yours. Sprayed silicon, as
found in some wax treatments,
can play havoc with new paint.
As such, sections of a shed
can usually be curtained to
isolate a project, but DIYers
who refit their boats outside will
wait for the perfect painting day
- no direct sunshine, minimal
wind, and low humidity. When
applying antifouling under the
threat of an April shower, then a
skirt can be made along the
waterline to direct drips away
from the drying paint.
However, if you do want to
isolate your project it is quite
easy to do. A simple timber or
scaffold frame can be erected
relatively cheaply, and a
shrink-wrap company can seal
it up pretty tight for you. Prices
for a 25ft boat will start at
around £300, so worth it for a
major refit project lasting
several months. This will then
allow you to influence the
temperature and humidity
inside. Tents can also be
erected over just part of the
project, such as the cockpit
or foredeck.1: Prepare the site
HOW SUPERYACHTS DO IT
THE PBO SOLUTION
Specialist scaffolders will erect
a complex framework, which
will later be shrink-wrapped
and fitted with climate control.
Note the container alongside
for storing painting materials
and gear that has been
stripped out from the boatA positive pressure tented
paint area stops dust and
other contaminants blowing in
to spoil the new paint job
Some projects are painted afloat. Note how the tent goes down to
the waterline, and how the stern has extractor fans built in to the
fabric. The anchor chain is being repainted as wellIt is quite easy to tent off
small projects as seen here
in Lauderdale Marine, a DIY
yard in Florida. The twin hulls
of a powercat (above) have
been completely enclosed,
while part of the hull of this
sportsfisher (right) has also
been tented for a specific
epoxy and paint treatmentKevi
n^Landw
er- J
ohan/Alamy