Fiberglass repair

[MountainManMyke]

Hello, I just finished repairing some weathered areas of my '76 15ft fiberglass princecraft trihull's hull. This is a low budget project and I need to paint it. I was going with a Mossy Oak Camo theme and was going to paint the whole boat flat green and put camp decals in some spots. Just wondering if normal automotive paint will be sufficient and will hold up okay. I'm not looking for a gelcoat finish and for it to be extremely durable. I just dont want my paint job to go to waste after one summer. Let me know if its worth painting it before I spend my money. Thanks

 

[drewpster]

Re: Fiberglass repair

When it comes down to it, you can paint it with whatever you want. There is no real mystery to it. Fiberglass has a reputation for being difficult. But I assure you its not. The trick is to properly prep it. Boats are built in a mold. To get the fiberglass out of the mold they use release agent made from wax. Even after years of cleaning there can be traces of the wax left on the surface. In order to get the best bond you need to take steps to make sure there is no wax left on the surface. Before doing any sanding wipe down the surface with a good solvent. Then sand everything with 220 grit before applying the paint. It will work fine and last longer than you think. The durability will depend on the quality of the paint you use. But I bet even rattle can paint will be fine.

 

[NSBCraig]

Re: Fiberglass repair

It will last just fine- go with it.

 

[MountainManMyke]

Re: Fiberglass repair

Thanks guys, I'll let you know how it turns out. The season is coming to an end here in Northern Canada so I gotta get a move on things here.