Removing tank boots?

[RayfromTX]

Painting with rustoleum may not be the best approach. Rust can occur beneath the paint if they are not properly prepared. I am not a professional painter but I am a high end builder of contemporary modern architecture. We use lots of plate steel and aluminum and I gave up on my painter being responsible for the process. I have learned that the steel must be properly prepared, primed to prevent pinpoint rusting and painted with an industrial paint. All steps must honor the requirements of the succeeding steps. All atmospheric requirements must be followed. I would still cringe to have my work physically abused and taken into salt water. One tiny flaw will allow rust to grow beneath the finish if it isn't THOROUGHLY adhered. Just a thought for your consideration.

 

[Schwob]

How and with what are steel boat hulls prepared / primed / painted?

 

[RayfromTX]

I don't have an answer for that but I am aware of an imprortant system that they use on steel ships where sacrificial anodes are used to protect the steel hulls from corrosion. @Wookie ?

 

[84CJ7]

When I worked on boats the aluminum outboards we had from Yamaha had some electro-deposited coatings with 5 different layers of stuff. They also are loaded with anodes (zinc or magnesium I think), some of which the owner will never even see though a few are outside and made to be swapped out.
I have even seen active anode systems that generate some sort of electric charge to counteract whats in the water.

I'm not quite that good about it since tank bottoms are thick and these tanks will never see salt.

If I wanted a tank perfect perfect I would ideally lightly media blast rather than lightly sand the rusted area, not enough to remove metal but to remove the rust in pores that would get skipped over by other methods, then use appropriate chemicals (auto body stuff for cars works) to remove contaminants prior to painting, then use a good primer that ideally attacks rust, and then a compatible paint on top of that.

 

[Topper133]

Here is a picture of my tank boot. I hope it shows up well. I am thinking about grinding off the tab but not sure what it is for?

That notch is there to fit a d ring, which can then be used to clip off "stuff", to add even more entanglement hazards! Cut it off or remove the boots.

 

[Topper133]

as per picture.

 

[Tom Winters]

If you’re going to do the mumbo-jumbo with removing the tank boots before, after, or during dives, then you should probably store your tanks between dives in a nitrogen-charged storage booth, or else just leave the boots on and
fuggedaboutit.