what kind of paint do I use??

[thehermit]

OK project boat is almost ready for paint.<br /><br /> http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/thehermitoncc/detail?.dir=3fd4&.dnm=98ef.jpg <br /><br />I like what I read about the interlux barrier coat epoxy primer and maybe a poly topside but the combination of both will cost me a fortune (big boat). Can anyone recomend a primer for plywood covered in epoxy and a poly exterior (shell)??? Oil paint? Enamel Paint? do I dare say latex??<br /><br />e-pinions needed! linx?<br />hermit

 

[DJ]

Re: what kind of paint do I use??

thehermit,<br /><br />Go here:<br /><br />www.westmarine.com<br /><br />They have a very informative section, on their site, regarding paints and painting tips.<br /><br />I like Interlux, but also like Pettit. Both are great products and I just prefer what is on sale.<br /><br />I am partial to the one part epoxies offered by both.

 

[ThomWV]

Re: what kind of paint do I use??

You could put 4 coats on that boat with a quart of Awl Grip. If you got the prep perfect the boat would look better than a brand new glass boat with a well polished gel coat. Its expensive as can be but a quart of it (plus hardner and reducer) shouldn't kill you. You'd want to use their primer too.<br /><br />Thom

 

[thehermit]

Re: what kind of paint do I use??

4 coats with one quart? Is that correct? I was leaning twards the one part pre-kote and maybe brightsides on top of that. This boat will never be perfect but it has been coated a couple of more times with resin (faired) than the pik shows. Thom I saw you painting post looks better than new! You prefer Awl grip over interlux products?

 

[Rudderman]

Re: what kind of paint do I use??

Originally posted by thehermit:<br /> You prefer Awl grip over interlux products?

You never mentionned International Toplac, its similar to Brightsides but a bit more expensive. Its designed for brush application. I used it over Prekote and it turned out almost as good as a sprayed finish.

 

[G DANE]

Re: what kind of paint do I use??

You did a great job an that boat, I really like the design of it.

 

[thehermit]

Re: what kind of paint do I use??

G Dane...thanks so much for your comment. Its been 8 months in the working and I finally have the pilot house on it and all the glass in. Just trying to do all the little stuff and before paint (endless).<br />hey rudderman...Is Toplac a better product? I can go that way. Remember...project boat...so paint is going over poly from 1974 and epoxy from 2004 and all repairs that were made inbetween <br />hermit

 

[18rabbit]

Re: what kind of paint do I use??

Hermit - Two-part polyurethane paints are the best but require a little more work to mix. No big deal. Awlgrip and Poly-Urethane are such finish costs. Evaluation after 2-years in a test boat yields a rating for U.S. Paint’s product, Awlgrip, as “good” for gloss retention, “good” for coverage, and “good” for overall performance. In the same testing, Epifanes’ product, Poly-Urethane, rated an “excellent” for gloss retention, “excellent” for coverage, and an “excellent” for overall performance. Awlgrip is priced at $75/qt, but Poly-Urethane at $54.30/750ml is a better product that is significantly less expensive.<br /><br />All of the one-part polyurethane finish coats rated only a “fair” after two-years, except for Epifanes’ product, Mono-Urethane, (color: blue) which rated “good” for gloss retention, “excellent” for coverage, and “excellent” overall performance after two-years. Mono-Urethane is priced at $35.35/750ml.<br /><br />I suggest before you make your final decision you visit the websites for the products you are considering and get yourself a thorough understanding of the priming, application, and drying times for each. That may have an influence on your decision as well. Right now I am prepping for an application of Epifanes’ Poly-Urethane…if I can keep the ShopVac and sander out of the bay. <br /><br />EDIT: Different color finish coats have different performances. Interlux’s product, Interthane Plus (a 2-part polyurethane) had an overall rating (after 2-years) of “excellent” for red and for white, but “good” for blue. All three colors were rated “good” for gloss retention.<br /><br />Fwiw, if you plan to paint your boat white with 1-part polyurethane finish coat, you can save a ton of money by using white Rust-Oleum at $9/qt, available at any hardware store. Has the same performance after 2-years.<br /><br />EDIT EDIT: almost forgot, testing was done using a single coat of paint. This is also the way manufactures do their testing. Multiple coats may yield more durability but not any improvement to gloss retention.

 

[Ralph 123]

Re: what kind of paint do I use??

Rabbit - I'd love to read that study. Got a link?

 

[18rabbit]

Re: what kind of paint do I use??

It’s from Powerboat Reports http://www.powerboat-reports.com/pub/17_1/features/5406-1.html The info is from the 2-conclusion in the January 2004 issue. They also reported when the paint was applied and again at 1-year. They have been evaluating bottom coats for 15-years but only started doing finish coats. You need to pay $10 to read each of the reports, but their conclusion ("best of") is usually right up front and viewable for free.

 

[Ralph 123]

Re: what kind of paint do I use??

Dang... Did they rate Pettit? I know they did well on the on bottom paint but was curious how the easypoxy did... And did they actually say Rustoleum white did as well as the 1-part polys?

 

[18rabbit]

Re: what kind of paint do I use??

After two-years on their test boat, Rust-Oleum (white) rated “fair” for gloss retention, “fair” for coverage, and “fair” overall (8 points). Pettit Easypoxy (white) rated “fair” for gloss retention, “fair” for coverage, and “fair” overall (8 points also). However, Easypoxy excelled in the initial application. (see the EDIT EDIT I added to my post above regarding single coat application).<br /><br />They point out that since the paints were compared to each other, some paints that held their own may have look “fair” when applied but “good” as time went on. Awlgrip is one that looked better over time. Not that Awlgrip got any better but most of the other paints didn’t hold up as well.<br /><br />Fwiw, we had targeted Pettit Easypoxy as the finish coat we were going to apply but after doing all the prep work we figure we’ll just bump it up to a two-part urethane. PBR recommends different paints depending on the color you are using.<br /><br />EDIT: Current bottom coat evaluations were published in the March 2004 issue. Pettit’s Trinidad SR (slime resistant) rated “excellent”, one of only 4 bottoms coats to be evaluated as such. 54 bottom coats were tested. (The other two “excellent” bottom coats are E-Paint’s EP-ZO and E-Paint’s EP-2000) If I remember correctly, the actual top pick went to Interlux’s Micron 66. PBR returned to these two (Pettit and Interlux) top-pick bottom coats for a more detailed comparison in the August 2004 issue. The current month (Sept 2004) and the last month’s issues are free to read if you sign up for a free 14-day trial at their website.

 

[Ralph 123]

Re: what kind of paint do I use??

Thanks for the great info Rabbit! The Easypoxy does look great right after application I guess I'll have to see how it holds up. I did my floor, deck and gunwales in off-white this season. I used the Trinidad bottom paint 3 seasons ago and it looked like topside paint - nice and shinny. I just painted over it with the Interlux (I got it really cheap off eBay) which is not as shinny but still looks really good.<br /><br />It kills me that in two years I may be no better off than if I had used Rustoleum! That's a real kick in the teeth! <br /><br />Just out of curiosity did the also test Sears Weatherbeater ultra? which is a 1-part poly house paint with like a 20 year guarantee. I was thinking that stuff is probably chemically similar to marine paints.

 

[18rabbit]

Re: what kind of paint do I use??

No. Sears paint was not tested. As I mentioned above, the evaluation was for a single coat of paint and they terminated the testing at two years. There is mention that finish coat is expected to last that long. I think with 3 or 4 coats you should get many more years out of your paint job...I hope!<br /><br />I recently talked to the folks at Interlux regarding Interthane Plus, the highest rated finish coat for the color white. The Interthane product line has been discontinued and replaced by something else that is supposed to be easier to mix and apply. The new product is not part of PBR’s testing.

 

[thehermit]

Re: what kind of paint do I use??

Hey rabbit...awesome...so are you saying if you use a one part primer like an interluc "pre-kote" the rust-oleum will hold up on top of it for 2 years same as any marine grade paint???? Last time I painted a boat I used Ben Mooore "Impervo" (dark green) over old paint...4 years it still look "good" gloss and color have long faded but for that boat it was OK. My main concerns are the intitial adhesion with the glass work so I am feeling like money on primer is money well spent?!?! <br />I just got to the epiphane web site and am going to check out their product line.<br />hermit

 

[18rabbit]

Re: what kind of paint do I use??

Hermit - the stuff I wrote above is taken from an evaluation of finish coats done by PowerBoat Reports. PBR is like Consumer Reports, but for the boating community.<br /><br />I don’t think there is any comparison between urethane based paint and household paints. If you have an appropriate primer, it shouldn’t matter what finish coat you use. As far as matching primer to finish coat, I plead maximum ignorance… I would follow the finish coat manufacture’s instructions and recommendation. Nothing looks as good (and shiny!) as two-part urethane paint. It is also the most durable. Urethane paint serves 3 functions; barrier against water, shiny appearance, and durable finish. Household paint will be a barrier against water but for how long? Appearance is aesthetics; you need to decide if it meets your needs. As far as durability … ? <br /><br />About the Rust-Oleum holding up for two years, the evaluation was with a single coat of paint and PBR indicated a boat painted with a single coat would have to be repainted in two years so they ended their evaluation at that point. They said more than one coat of any of the paints would last longer but wouldn’t look any better. Also, fwiw, the single coat of yellow Rust-Oleum was still going strong at the end of the two years.<br /><br />Maybe someone else here knows more about this and can help you.