The Steamboating Forum

New to boating,
I'm currently renovating a clinker built 14ft boat, I've noticed under the floorboards it's all painted red, is this some sort of lead based paint like red oxide? Is it common to use such paint, if not what would you recommend?
Regards Colin

I wouldn't worry if it had lead in it. The danger is if you eat it or breath it.

Unlikely that you will eat it (I hope!) and the only way you might breath it would be during sanding. A respirator and a wash down after sanding will deal with any exposure.

I suspect that it is ordinary oil based stuff.

When I was a kid we used to use "red lead primer" (probably explains a few things) quite a bit working on old boats. We used it under bottom paint mostly, or "bottom copper". That is probably what the bilges are painted with. Yeah I'd wear a respirator, if you're sanding it. Should wear a respirator doing ANY sanding.

-Ron