Re: Re-paint or re- gelcoat?
project hunter:<br />Lets talk paint, I started spraying in 1973 and have been doing it off and on since then, over the years the product has changed and changed.<br />Where it is no longer chalk with a vehicle [thinner]but a high tech. plastic coating. From the frozen north to sand and dust storms out your way, it holds up. Three hundred and 65 days per year exposed to all types of weather it takes a beating. Yet with twice a year waxing , after 10 years of abuse it can still look good.<br />GM was the first Co. to use robot painters, the amount of paint is computer controlled and it is thin, yet the paint holds up. Also the Hatteras Yacht known the world over, is painted.<br /><br />Gelcoat has been applied to the molds since the first FRP boat was made in the 60's. Why... its cheaper to do that way on production boats. Suppose Hunter Boat works made the boat in the mold, took it out sanded it down, cleaned it took it to the paint booth painted it, waited 3 days for it to get dry before they could start putting it together.<br />Lancer Boat works, waxed the mold, sprayed gelcoat, and before the day was over, finished laying the glass and plastic, next morning popped it out of the mold and started putting it together which company is going to have the finished product out the door quickest?<br /><br />I have read all the B/S about not painting a boat because someone done a half/a$$ job, and blamed the paint, and it fell off, and it didn't dry right, and all of the other excuses for poor prep. and workmanship. In my opinion the new coating systems[paint]will hold up better than gelcoat, and a heck of a lot cheaper to repair.
