Grinding hull for new stringers

[ImJohnnyKelley]

I was leaning poly after more reading. You guys have convinced me. The one part that I don't like is having to sand off the wax before painting the floor, but I can deal with that. Planning on 1708 for the stringers and CSM for the floor with a 6oz finish layer. Sound right to everyone?

 

[Baylinerchuck]

You don't have to get wax in the resin. You can add that as needed for the final coats if necessary, but not during layup.

 

[ImJohnnyKelley]

You don't have to get wax in the resin. You can add that as needed for the final coats if necessary, but not during layup.

Yeah, I understand that. Just don't feel like sanding off the wax before I paint. Just lazy wishes. Haha.

 

[ondarvr]

Don't use paint, gel coat will work much better.

 

[proshadetree]

I agree with ondarvr gel will last far better than paint. You can actually roll it on in the floor.

 

[ImJohnnyKelley]

Yeah I have seen the gel coat rolled on and generally haven't liked the outcome. Plus it will be tied up into the walls of the inside and I planned on redoing all of that. I can deal with a not perfect looking floor, but I think the walls and rail would be really hard to roll on and have it look good. Would have to do it so it would match the old gelcoat. Just makes me really nervous.

 

[proshadetree]

You dont want your floor perfectly flat, thats why rolling the gel is a great option. Most houseboats have rolled walking areas. Paint never seems to hold well in these areas for me, rocks in shoes, dropped items ect. Matching the gel would be difficult but you can roll gell on then sand and buff it flat.

 

[tpenfield]

Just wondering if you have any recent pictures of your demo work to post? Looking forward to seeing the rebuild.

 

[ImJohnnyKelley]

I see what you are saying, but other threads on this site have said the opposite. I am just trying to get a handle on what product to actually use. I was looking at some of the two part topside paints that can be rolled and tipped for a final coat after adding a texture coat to the actual walking surface. That way it would all match really well, and from what I have read those paints are supposed to be pretty strong. I am not against gel coating it all if that is the right move, just looks like a job that could be hard to make it look right.

 

[ImJohnnyKelley]

Just wondering if you have any recent pictures of your demo work to post? Looking forward to seeing the rebuild.

Not at the moment. Will soon. Had a fall and broke my ankle so it has kept me out of the boat the last couple weeks. Spent the time buying and planning for everything so I can move fast when I pick it back up next week.

 

[proshadetree]

I have rolled quite a few housebooat roofs and the floor of one Boston Whaler. Sprayed several bilges and a flybridge. Most people haven't messed with it. Not as big a pain as it is made out to be. Gelcoat is tougher than any paint i have used but it also cost more. The end factor is do you want to keep this boat for an extended period of time and do you really want to keep touching up a floor?

 

[Woodonglass]

I'm gunna agree with PST, Gelcoat for decks with heavy traffic will for sure, wear better than ANY paint you apply. Gelcoat can be Texturized, with molds, if you want to get fancy!!!
http://gibcoflexmold.com/

 

[ImJohnnyKelley]

I am not worried about the floor. It is the smooth sides and the gunwale that I am going to need to redo and match. Just don't know if I could get it smooth and nice looking like I could with paint.

 

[ondarvr]

Paint what you want smooth, for the non-skid use gel coat, you can get the color close, or go for a slightly contrasting color.

​Paints that cost less than gel coat don't typically hold up nearly as well, types that cost considerably more hold up OK, but not great.

With gel coat you just need to roll it on, no prep work is needed over the laminate. For paint you need to add wax, then sand 100% of the surface, clean it, then paint …and touch it up frequently.

 

[ImJohnnyKelley]

Paint what you want smooth, for the non-skid use gel coat, you can get the color close, or go for a slightly contrasting color.

​Paints that cost less than gel coat don't typically hold up nearly as well, types that cost considerably more hold up OK, but not great.

With gel coat you just need to roll it on, no prep work is needed over the laminate. For paint you need to add wax, then sand 100% of the surface, clean it, then paint …and touch it up frequently.

I like the idea of maybe a contrasting color for the floor with gel coat and use the catalyst paint for walls and gunwales. Not overly concerned if the cost is higher for better stuff (as long as it isn't a ridiculous amount). Just want it to look right. I would need to remove the wax for everything thought right? Not just the paint, but the gel coat too right?

 

[ondarvr]

There is no need for wax in the resin when using gel coat, only put it in the last layer of gel coat.

 

[ImJohnnyKelley]

There is no need for wax in the resin when using gel coat, only put it in the last layer of gel coat.

Yeah, but I am going to be painting some of it too. Would be very difficult to only wax a portion of the resin and not the other and make sure that is the exact area i gel coat as well right? The wall and floor are not a hard line break between them, more of a rounded edge up from the floor into the wall.

 

[ondarvr]

You're only glassing a few inches up the side wall. Gel coat everything you glass, then sand down the portion you want smooth, this is what you need to do anyhow. Just painting the glassed surface won't make it look good, you need to sand a great deal to make it smooth. It's easier to sand gel coat than the glass laminate.

 

[ImJohnnyKelley]

You're only glassing a few inches up the side wall. Gel coat everything you glass, then sand down the portion you want smooth, this is what you need to do anyhow. Just painting the glassed surface won't make it look good, you need to sand a great deal to make it smooth. It's easier to sand gel coat than the glass laminate.

That makes sense to me. I like it.

 

[mickyryan]

Don't use paint, gel coat will work much better.

I have kinda found out acrylic latex does stick to poly but not as well as doing gelcoat and I would assume its same with most paints .