General Specifications - Appendix 6

INSTRUCTIONS FOR PAINTING 
AND CEMENTING VESSELS 
OF THE UNITED STATES NAVY

Edition of June 1943

 

Chapter 3. - Steel Construction - 
Underwater Body

 

SECTION 3-A.

HULL.

The underwater body of steel vessels shall be coated in accordance with procedures indicated in table I.

It is undesirable to apply cold plastic paint over hot plastic as the solvent in the cold plastic may dissolve the paraffin and soften the resin in the hot plastic with unsatisfactory results.  It is important for satisfactory  performance of the plastic painting systems to afford adequate time for thorough drying of the primer and anticorrosive paint.  In average fair weather conditions, practically all of the volatiles have been released by the end of four hours.  Anticorrosive paint, formula 14D, may be produced by adding one pound of lampblack to 10 gallons of paint, formula 14.

Boot-topping painting. - The boot-topping area on oilers, cargo vessels, and similar craft with a wide variation in service drafts shall extend from a light-load waterline to 6 inches above the full load waterline.

The lower edge of the boot-topping area on other surface vessels shall be the designer's waterline and the upper edge shall be 6 inches above the full-load waterline.

On submarines, the boot-topping shall extend for the waterline at maximum beam to the intersection of the superstructure and the outer hull.

SECTION 3-B.

PROPELLERS.

Composition propellers shall not be painted, but shall be cleaned, polished bright, and coated with rust-preventive compound, Grade I, Navy Department Specification 52C18.

Pits and rough portions of cast iron propellers should be thoroughly cleaned and filled with iron cement before being painted.  The same kinds of paint and number of coats shall be applied as are used on the hull bottom.

Table I. - Painting of Ships' Bottoms
[Steel Construction]

 

New Construction First Painting

Touch-up Painting

 Complete Repainting
Line  

Surface Vessels

 Submarines

Surface Vessels

 Submarines

Surface Vessels

 Submarines
Column 1 Column 2 Column 3 Column 4 Column 5 Column 6 Column 7 Column 8 Column 9
A Surface Preparation Fleet District Craft   Fleet District Craft   Fleet District Craft  

Phosphate treatment in accordance application 6 for galvanized surfaces.
When corrosion is quite prevalent or the paint film is in poor condition, wet sandblast, or scale to intact prime coat in way of the affected areas. If corrosion is slight and the paint film is fair to excellent, clean the areas of all attached fouling growth and wire brush corroded areas. Wet sandblast if possible, if not scale and wirebrush entire underwater area.
Pickle black steel in accordance application C-7, General Specifications or flame descale.
B After Pickling Coat 84 84 84            
C Priming Coat 84 84 84D
(Note 1)		 84 touch-up 84 touch-up 84D touch-up 84 84 84D
(Note 1)
D Anticorrosive Coat 14 14 14D
(Note 1)		 Touch-up 14 Touch-up 14 Touch-up 14D 14 14 14D
(Note 1)
E Antifouling Coat Hot Plastic 15(HP). If possible; otherwise use Mare Island cold plastic 143E or Norfolk 65-5F Mare Island cold plastic 143E or Norfolk 65-5F cold plastic Mare Island 145A
(Note 2)		 Hot Plastic 15(HP). If possible; otherwise use Mare Island cold plastic 143E or Norfolk 65-5F over any exposed A.C. Mare Island cold plastic 143E or Norfolk 65-5F cold plastic over any exposed A.C. Mare Island 145A over any exposed A.C.
(Note 2)		 Hot Plastic 15(HP). If possible; otherwise use Mare Island cold plastic 143E or Norfolk 65-5F Mare Island cold plastic 143E or Norfolk 65-5F cold plastic Mare Island 145A
(Note 2)
F Boot Topping Mare Island 145A. Mare Island 145A. Mare Island 146. Touch-up Mare Island 145A. Touch-up Mare Island 145A. Touch-up Mare Island 146. Mare Island 145A. Mare Island 145A. Mare Island 146.
G Notes Anticorrosive and antifouling coats may be omitted at launching if vessel is to be berthed in fresh water; or water borne in salt water not over 30 days during fouling season, or 100 days when fouling is not attaching, provided the vessel is to be docked during the outfitting period or before joining the Fleet. As soon as dock is unwatered, an experienced officer shall examine the exposed underbody to decide whether or not a complete repainting is to be undertaken, having in mind the existing condition of the bottom, the time, equipment and personnel available and the probable duration of the ensuing water-borne period.
  Only to be done if adequate time in dock is available for proper surface preparation.

Note 1: From keel to the intersection of the superstructure and the outer hull

Note 2: From the keel to the waterline at maximum beam.

SECTION 3-C.

SHAFTING.

Outboard protection. - To avoid shaft fracture due to corrosion fatigue, it is necessary that pitting be prevented.  In order to insure this, all outboard shafting shall be carefully sand- or grit-blasted prior to painting.

Immediately after blasting, one coat of zinc-chromate primer, formula 84 or formula 84D, shall be applied whether the shaft is blasted after installation or in the shop.

Prior to launching or undocking, apply an additional coat of zinc-chromate primer.  Allow eight hours to dry and apply one coat of anti-corrosive paint, formula 14 or formula 14D.  Allow four hours to dry, then apply one coat of hot or cold plastic anti-fouling paint.

All parts of shafting which are inaccessible for painting and not protected by bearing sleeves of metallic casings shall be covered by rubber or by other specially approved materials.

The Bureau may specify special coatings for the accessible portions of steel shafts of wooden craft to minimize corrosion.

Inboard Protection. - Inboard sections of propulsion shafting shall receive two coats of zinc-chromate primer, formula 84, and one coat of light gray machinery enamel, formula 30-L.

SECTION 3-D.

MISCELLANEOUS APPENDAGES AND SPECIAL FITTINGS.

Keels. - Bilge and docking keels shall have the interiors coated with a mixture of equal parts of pitch and pine tar, or rust-preventive compound, Grade I, Navy Department Specification 52C18.

Rudders shall be coated internally with rust-preventive compound, Grade I, Navy Department Specification 52C18.

Protectors shall be imbedded in zinc oxide paste, all edges caulked, and all except zincs painted.

Underwater sound devices. - After the final setting up on plugs and bolts of all underwater sound equipment all recesses shall be filled with potting compound.

The corrosion resisting surfaces (outside and inside) of sound transparent windows of all types of echo-ranging projectors (except those housed in water-tight domes filled with rust-inhibitive fluids such as sodium chromate solution), the corrosion-resisting hemispherical covers of spherical-type projectors, and the bearing surfaces of traveling bearings, shafts, slides, and guide rods, shall be coated with a thin film of suitable water-resisting grade of rust-preventive compound, Grade I, Navy Department Specification 52C18.

Rubber Hemispherical sections and rubber-covered flat diaphragms of projectors shall be coated with a solution of chlorinated rubber in xylol, plasticized with castor oil, formula 94.

All remaining areas should be coated in the same manner as the ship's bottom.

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