Looking Good

1/27/2008
11:03AM


Well we have only 5 more weeks of winter here in Florida (March 1st is my chosen date) and we'll be back to real boating weather. It was cold and rainy here all weekend, at least the sun is out today.

When buying a boat, its easy to be turned off by the cosmetics of the boat. Of course, I'm not suggesting that it be ignored. I tell buyers to gage how well the boats been maintained by how she presents herself. If the the gel coats all scratched up and the teak is in bad shape, I usually find everything else in the engine room the same way. It's an indicator.

But a dull exterior isn't a bad thing either. The gel coat on a boat is there for one purpose, to make her look good. It has no other purpose. The gel coats worst enemy is the UV rays of the sun. After 5-10 years in the Florida sun, most gel coats begin to dull and chalk up. Not even intense polishing will bring the gel coat back to the luster when it was new. So when you find a boat that has a lack luster exterior but everything else is up to par, there is a way to bring her back to her factory-fresh appearance with a little work. How? By painting her.

There are just a few factory boats that are painted, Hatteras and Huchins are two that come to mind.

When we bought the Patrica Ann, she was in very good condition, but her gel coat was dulled and there were a few cosmetic fiberglass dings here and there. Professional painting of a boat is no inexpensive task. I've been told its about $1000 a foot to have it done so that was out of the question.

I set out to explore the process and read as much as I could about what paint would be best and how to do it. At the Ft. Lauderdale Boat Show, I spoke with representatives from Interlux. Interlux is owned by the same company that makes Awlgrip and Cetol. The rep explained to me that both the Interlux brand of topside paints and the Awlgrip brand are very similar in formulation and application. Interlux, however, is formulated for the do-it-yourselfer. So my choice was made, Interlux Perfection was the paint to use.

Without going into detail about what the directions state, let me just say that although working with two-part paints seems intimidating, its really very easy to do. Just follow the instructions supplied with each container and you'll get the hang of it right away.

I chose the roll and tip method of application as spraying in a marina is out of the question. Its simple to do once you get the hang of it. Instructions are supplied by Interlux.

Here are a few tips.

1. Begin your project by dividing the boat into manageable sections; that way the task will not overwhelm you. I chose the starboard cap rail on the Patricia Ann to begin my project.
2. Preparation of the painting surface consumes about 3/4 of the time you will spend on your project. A bad surface will produce a bad paint job. Begin by wiping the gel coat down with thinner. This will rid the surface of any waxes that may have been applied that will cause your paint to lift after its been applied.
3. Next, take a small ball pen hammer and go over the entire surface to be painted, taping to find any pockets in the gel coat. When you find them and you will, grind them out with a Dremel tool. You don't want to spend the money and time to do a nice paint job and have voids crack later on.
4. I used the West System epoxy with the Fairing Filler to fill the ground out places. Sand them flush after they have cured. Wash the dust off with water.
5. Ready to give up yet? Next, tape your area to be painted and remove any hardware to make it go easier. I used the 14 day painter's tape available at Lowe's.
6. OK, its time to paint. I used a 4 inch foam roller and the best 2-1/2 inch natural paint brush I could find, also available from Lowe's. Mix up only enough paint that you can apply in 2 hours, for me its 1/2 quart. The paint is expensive, about $85.00 a quart and you don't need to be throwing any away.
7. Only apply paint when the relative humidity outside is 75% or less. Be sure there is no chance of rain.
8. The paint takes about 5 hours to cure. Be sure to complete your paint application no later that noon to allow complete drying. If dew settles on your paint, the moisture will turn the gloss to a flat finish.

All said and done, it took over 600 hours to paint the Patrica Ann including prep work. We used about 3 quarts of West System resin and 12 quarts of Interlux Perfection to paint two coats on her.

Was it worth it? Absolutely! She looks great!

If you have been contemplating the painting of your boat and would like to ask me some specific questions, feel free to ask.

Mike