topside, gelcoat

[guglielmo6160]

looks like a couple of spots on my topside is wearing through, you can see the black under it,,
any suggestions? or just live with it

[gjrylands]

The way I see it, you have 3 choices. The cheapest & easiest is to do nothing and live with it. The next 2 require a lot of work and bucks. You can re-gel coat or paint. The problem with paint is, "Where to stop?" Emron or Algrip look great if there done right. Prep work is everything. Paint only makes the surface shinny. It doesn't hide or cover up anything. Gel coat on the other hand can be spotted in. Color match is all important and not easy. For the most part you’re going to need a good glass man or body man/painter to make those spots go away.

[LandVF36]

I've painted a few. It takes time and patience. Its a lot of work. But paints are much less expensive the gelcoat and it doesn't take to long to learn.

Check out this link:
http://www.yachtpaint.com/Images/15_20468.pdf

I've found the Interlux Brightside the very easy to work with.

The majic is in the prep work. Use the cleaners as recommended. Use 2-3 coats of primer min. Sand it smooth and 2-3 coats of topside paint.

Expirement on a sheet of masonite or something before painting your boat. Lay down 2-3 coats of primer, sanding between layers, then 2-3 coats of brightside, sanding between layers. Experiment a little with the thinner on the paint layers. To little and you'll get dimples. Too much and it takes more coats. Laying it down with a roller and "tipping" with a horse hair brush, you really can get it to lay out just like a sprayed-in-mold gel coat with a little practice.

You have to be careful with a newly painted surface for 2-3 months, but then it will be rock hard. You can generally walk on deck surfaces after 2-3 days. Once it sets up, it is actually harder than gelcoat.

[Peter]

do you think you could get a reasonably good match color-wise if just the topsides done by a pro?

[LandVF36]

As Gerry noted, the problem is where to stop. You pretty much need to paint up to an edge somewhere. You can match the color pretty good in one area, but most of the time, the color is not the same in 10 different areas. It the boat was tied up at the same slip for years, you'll find that side facing the sun is not exactly like the side away from the sun. Therefore, you need to cover a larger area.

Its pretty tough to "feather" the edges too. The broken down gel coat is like painting a sponge so around the edges if you are not painting up to and edge will not flow out nice. When you try to sand it out, the new paint will be hard and the old gelcoat will break down pretty fast and you'll just exponse more areas that need to be painted.

Don't wait too long. When the gelcoat gets so thin that you begin to see the black/green/yellow glass and resin below the surface, it no longer offers much protection. Water will ceap in and your decks will be mushy soon.

[JuiceClark]

If you only paint the bow deck to the toe-rails and back along the gunwhale it's a very easy job. I painted mine in 2.5 hours a couple weeks ago.
I'm going to do above the windows (fly bridge) sometime this winter. You really have to remove the grab rails and wind shield for that...take a few hours. I suggest:

-- go to FinishMasters and buy some Imron that matches your boat pretty closely. be sure to get the right thinner and the activator for rolling. ($100)
-- tape off the windows, hatches, toe rail, fill caps, etc.
-- wipe the area to be painted with mineral spirits to remove all wax, dirt, etc.
-- mix some imron. 2 parts paint to 1 part activator to 1/3rd thinner. add some non-skid in there for the decks. It mixes very thin but covers very well.
-- roll the paint on and, as you go, very lightly brush in one direction with a fine brush. These will prevent any lines from overlapping.

The thing will look like new and, most importantly, the core will be sealed and protected. That gelcoat is pourous and it's just a matter of time until the core absorbs water and things get miserable quickly.

Tony

[ready123]

Not wanting to get into too much of an argument of which is best....
I am a firm believer in staying the gelcoat course. It is much harder wearing than paint, will last much longer and if gel is what is there already why not do more of the same.
As has been said before preparation is the key to a great looking finished product, doesn't that go for everything? A Great meal always adds to the night's ending activity.

Someone asked about colour matching... I have found that close becomes the same after a Summer's sunshine exposure. I think that the layperson tends to be intimidated by gel as it seems more foreign to them than paint.... most of us have painted a wall but who has gelled a wall.

Look around this site to give you the confidence to try:
http://www.boatrepairvideos.com/

[jimbo36]

Ready123, Also, not wanting to get into the debate however, I must say I do not agree that gelcoat is better wearing than paint. Of course, it must be the proper coating like Awlgrip (used by Hatteras in place of gelcoat for several years), Emron, Interlux Perfection or other 2 part epoxy finishes. In fact, I have used Interlux Brightside, a 1 part polyurethane with Teflon, to great success. It is rock hard once cured, very high gloss and resists abrasions well. I use the roll and tip method to apply it. Comes in 24 colors which I have mixed together to close match repair areas. Be sure to use the proper solvents for the product you are using during the prep.

[TADTOOMUCH]

I agree with Jimbo above. Mine was painted top to bottom with Awlgrip and Imron in Hatteras White color and the boat looks brand new and this paint is tough and does not scratch easily. However, I think that gelcoat can be done with success with the proper preparations and application procedures.

[willietrojan]

This is what I painted my decks with and it looks great.
http://www.nonslipcoating.com/

[ready123]

Ready123, Also, not wanting to get into the debate however, I must say I do not agree that gelcoat is better wearing than paint.

We can agree to differ... my buddy's F32 has been painted and it does look good but to my eye it is still a painted boat and I just prefer my new gelcoat finishes look. My 30 year old hull gel finish still looks like new after a buff & wax.
My suggestion to Bill is to look at a painted boat first before taking the plunge. If he likes the look then go for it... in the grand scheme of things there is not a lot to choose from between the two finishes.

[willietrojan]

If I’m correct I think guglielmo6160 talking about his non-skid not the hull, to duplicate the gel-coat on the deck would be a pretty hard task. I used this
Dura-Bak non-skid paint after I had to fix some core issues and I painted the whole deck not just the repaired area so the whole boat looks the same.

[guglielmo6160]

Well I suppose in the spring I would problably opt to paint the deck, definatly not the hull, as it is in great shape, actually the whole deck, topside looks fine with the exception of a couple of spots where the weather wore through, to the black underneath, Ill take some pictures and post them tommorrow night, as I am going to the marina either today or tommorrow,
I know you have to paint the whole thing as I have done it before, so Im not in any great rush to do that as the boat looks fine, Im just concerned about moisture etc,
the last time I painted I used Interlux,
what do you guys think of it, or what should I use,
I remember the last time I had alot of trouble with bubbles in the paint, using a roller, how can I avoid that ,I used a foam roller and that didnt help much,
maybe I needed to thin it out more?

[ready123]

If I’m correct I think guglielmo6160 talking about his non-skid not the hull, to duplicate the gel-coat on the deck would be a pretty hard task.

But what about just adding two new coats? When mine was done we did not try to duplicate the old we just covered it all with a new finish... used a roller like the one would use for stucco ceilings. Kind of like the irregular effect and it certainly makes for great non skid when wet.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/32233258@N02/3016813150/
is what the non skid looks like.

[gjrylands]

I remember the last time I had alot of trouble with bubbles in the paint, using a roller, how can I avoid that ,I used a foam roller and that didnt help much,
maybe I needed to thin it out more?

I always thin the paint. Apply a thin layer of paint with the roller. (Two thin coats are better then one thick one.) Use a good quality bristle brush and very lightly brush the area you rolled. Brush in only one direction. The paint will flow and fill any minor bristle marks, and the finish will look like it was sprayed when it dries. This is called tipping the paint. You aren't trying to add more paint; you are only flattening the paint. Do this immediately after rolling, before the paint starts to tack. Work small areas at a time. Roll an area and tip it. Roll the next area, overlapping the first, and tip it. Wipe any excess paint off your brush so you are using a dry brush.

the last time I painted I used Interlux,
what do you guys think of it, or what should I use

I wouldn’t use Interlux paint on the deck. It’s not hard enough and won’t hold up the ware and tear of scrubbing. A better choice would be to use Awlgrip. With the proper thinner, it can be rolled or brushed. It does go on thin and will require 2 or more coats, but will last for years. Any stress cracks in the gelcoat should be repaired. The paint won’t fix them. It may cover them, but they will come right back. I've been told that gelcoat must be primed with an epoxy primer so the Awlgrip will stick. Maybe some of the other members can comment on this.