Painting Fibreglass Boat
BANDILITO
Naturally, after 25 years of use it has developed a few dock bites, some of
which a previous owner patched with a different color gel coat.
I have used paint on wooden boats before and was pleased with the results.
However, painting fibreglass is new to me.
Any product info or tecniques would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance
Knot A Chance
problem is that it results in a soft finish which chips and scratches
easily.
Another product is Awlgrip.
BANDILITO wrote in message <19990322081214...@ng-fv1.aol.com>...
JetSkeeGuy
Probably the hardest finish paint available.
RG
C. Marin Faure
band...@aol.com (BANDILITO) wrote:
> I have a '75 Formula that I would like to have look as good as it runs.
> Naturally, after 25 years of use it has developed a few dock bites, some of
> which a previous owner patched with a different color gel coat.
> I have used paint on wooden boats before and was pleased with the results.
> However, painting fibreglass is new to me.
> Any product info or tecniques would be greatly appreciated.
A common practice (for those who can afford it) for people who have older
fiberglass boats that suffer from worn out, cracked, etc. gelcoat is to
have the surface prepared properly and then the whole boat sprayed with a
high-quality polyurethane paint. I have been told that some of the
manufacturers of large yachts have even dispensed with gelcoat altogether
and prepare and paint their new fiberglass boats as though they were wood
boats, but using polyurethane paint (which is also used on commerical
aircraft, by the way). The advantage is that when the surface gets
damaged by docks, anchors, other boats, etc., restoring the finish is
simply a matter of repainting the damaged area, as opposed to the more
critical process of repairing gelcoat.
I have been told by several experienced people that the end result of
properly painting a fiberglass boat looks as good, if not better, than a
brand new boat with gelcoat. However, having the job done right is very,
very expensive. For example, the cost of completely repainting a 36-foot
diesel trawler can be in the neighborhood of $15,000-$20,000.
C. Marin Faure
author, Flying A Floatplane
hkrause
You were correctly informed.
--
Harry Krause
- - - - - - - - - - - -
I drive much too fast to worry about food killing me!
Boatbasin
>> very expensive. For example, the cost of completely repainting a 36-foot
>> die
>
>You were correctly informed.
>--
>
>Harry Krause
Are you saying that restoring a boat in Imrom or awlgrip is more expensive than
respraying with gelcoat?
Boatbasin
www.boatbasin.com
hkrause
Not me. I am saying that it is correct that lots of top of the line
larger boats are finished off in paint, rather than gel coat, for the
reasons stated in the post.
I've never encountered anyone who had the exteriors of a large boat
resprayed with gelcoat. The prep work before, during and after must add
up to a truly horrendous amount of $$$. Imron and AWLgrip are also
expensive, but not that expensive.
--
Harry Krause
- - - - - - - - - - - -
If it's tourist season, why can't we shoot 'em?
Boatbasin
>Not me. I am saying that it is correct that lots of top of the line
>larger boats are finished off in paint, rather than gel coat, for the
>reasons stated in the post.
>
>I've never encountered anyone who had the exteriors of a large boat
>resprayed with gelcoat. The prep work before, during and after must add
>up to a truly horrendous amount of $$$. Imron and AWLgrip are also
>expensive, but not that expensive.
OK Harry, I was just worried you were having a brain lapse or something. We do
alot of large boats with Gel and paints, the gel is always more expensive. The
gel coat holds up in traffic areas much better than the paints though,
especially if you use duratech.
Boatbasin
www.boatbasin.com