Paint advice

[mattsmall1972]

I have a new-to-me boat that is structurally sound with decent but slightly oxidized gelcoat. I am planning on wet-sanding and shining the gelcoat up on the bottom half, but I want to repair some nicks/scratches then paint the upper half at a natural break in the hull. I'm looking at a one-part paint (bright side) but am not sure about if I need primer. I think I'm adventurous enough to spray rather than roll/tip. I have a small pancake compressor usually used for power tools but would need a paint gun. Got any advice? A step-by-step would be nice. I would be doing this outside, not in an airtight plastic-enclosed garage with positive ventilation. I've read a bunch but want advice geared directly at my situation.

 

[pauloman]

use a primer - somelthing like esp 155 (epoxy) or alutthane (pigmented mcu) the old gel coat needs a primer

your compressor is too small for powering a paint sprayer...

could, prime, use 1 part box store enamel, then 2 part clear LPU topcoat (roll and tip) similar to auto clear coat (acrylic poly UV plus)

 

[mattsmall1972]

OK I see now. I am not up for purchasing a new compressor, so I'll do roll and tip. What grit do you recommend sanding in preparation for primer?

Side question: what do you think about wrap? I have a 26ft Angler Panga and I would want to do the top in a solid color. Might this be easier than paint?

Thank you!

 

[jbcurt00]

For painting on a budget, many @ iboats have been successful using the info here:
http://forums.iboats.com/forum/boat...lamingo-splashed-w-pics?p=5172021#post5172021

Uses an added enamel hardener that increases gloss and scratch resistance. Both glass and tin boat owners have had great results using that 'formula'.

Adding clearcoat on a boat often makes touchups more difficult.

Lots of boats do get vinyl wraps, but I dont think I've seen one posted here, and never actually seen it being done. Final product does look nice though.

 

[zool]

Use Interlux pre-kote for one part finishes, but 1st:

Wash the hull with dawn dishsoap and warm water, then decontaminate with Solvent Wash 202, or other surface cleaner, using rag method, then sand the gel with 80-100 grit paper, wipe again with the 202 or equivalent, roll on coats of pre-kote primer, sanding with 120g between coats. Use their brushing thinner 333 for final wipes and to thin the topcoat but sand one more time with 220grit. before the Brightside....

Watch a few roll and tip videos before and you can get a spray like finish.

follow the tech sheet for final finish coats

http://www.yachtpaint.com/LiteratureCentre/brightside-polyurethane-info-usa-eng.pdf

 

[mattsmall1972]

Zool - thank you. That's perfect. The roll and tip stuff I get. The prep is what I am trying to understand.
Would a 2-part paint (Perfection) require a primer as well?

 

[zool]

Zool - thank you. That's perfect. The roll and tip stuff I get. The prep is what I am trying to understand.
Would a 2-part paint (Perfection) require a primer as well?

While theres no question that 2 part paints hold up better then single part, the prep is essentially the same.

You seem to have a hesitation to priming, or would rather skip that step. The fact is, you can. Since your hull is poly based, and LPU's are poly based, properly cleaned and sanded gel is an adequate substrate...just not the best.

Since the hull is cured, poly based paint , like the lpu's you're considering, will only achieve a mechanical bond, but with an epoxy based primer, you get the adhesion properties of the epoxy primer, and a proprietary chemical bond of the topcoat.

As for Perfection, hands down its better than Brightside, but in the realm of LPU's I would go with as follows.

1-Alexseal

2-Awlgrip

3-Sterling

4-Perfection

 

[mattsmall1972]

It's not that I have an aversion to priming, but if there's a step that I don't have to follow, then I don't want to. That said, I'd rather prime and have a nice result rather than not prime.

Thanks for the information.