Capt Pat.. HELP!.. Trying to decide about repainting...

[IRGuy]

Capt Pat...

A question directed at your experience with repainting...

I have an "83 33' FBC.. it is a project boat which I have been redoing all summer.. next year I want to address the cosmetics... My problem is...

The previous owner (read "doofus") had the hull below the rub rail painted professionally in 1996 when bought the boat.. that actually doesn't look too bad.. a few dings to repair, but nothing horrible.

My real problem is that about two or three years ago he painted the deck, cabin sides and the flybridge himself, with a roller. He says he bought the paint from West Marine.. he says it was a single part paint.. that had a green label.. he has no info as to what type of paint it might be. (All he can say is that someone told him it was used on submarines, for what that is worth.) The workmanship is terrible.. There are runs, sags, holidays and some embedded dirt. It is a gloss paint, very slippery when wet.. A local guy here in the marine maintenence business says a few years ago West had a single part epoxy with a green label. I have tried a couple of the normal paint removers available at the local building supply big box stores, but none really touch it.

I know it would be a real mess, but if possible I would like to remove it and then either repaint, or better yet if possible, restore the gel coat. The only other option I can come up with is to sand it as smooth as possible and repaint it. The going rate to do the job in a local boatyard is about $23,000 to repaint the whole boat, and perhaps $18,000 to do from the rub rail up. I am doing all the restoration work myself and don't want to spend that kind of money, so whatever I come up with will have to involve me and possible a professional painter (body shop guy moonlighting maybe?).

Any suggestions, comments or other input from you and the rest of the Faithful would be very much appreciated.

[CaptPatrick]

Guy,

First thought off the top of my head is where you'll get your boat painted. Jarrett Bay in Moorehead has done some real crappy paint jobs on boats other that their own new boats... Don't know about the painters at the Wilmington shop.

If no paint removers have lifted the old one part paint then it is probably an epoxy.

Forget about trying to get back to the original gelcoat & reviving it. Even re-gelcoating the topsides would involve sanding back to the fiberglass and priming with a polyester surfacing primer prior to shooting the gelcoat.

By sanding it smooth, making necessary repairs and fairing, (Awlfair and/or epoxy high build primer), you can, yourself, bring the topsides to "ready to prime & top coat" condition. That would, at least, minimize the work needed by the professional painter.

Br,

Patrick

[IRGuy]

Thank you Capt Pat..

I really wish the previous owner had left the gel coat alone.. the outside surface is the only thing about the boat that I am having a difficult time deciding how to address. I will look around here for recommendations for someone who might do a free lance paint job if I do all the surface prep. This is the last thing I plan on doing, so I have lots of time to decide. I was hopeful if I could strip the paint somehow that I might compound the daylights out of the gel coat, but with the paint so stubborn I guess that is not an option.

BTW.. I guess I should come out of the closet here.. My name is Frank Bryson.. I use "IRGuy" as a sreen name since I an a consultant in Infrared Thermography, and have had that name for at least 10 years in my business.

Thanks again for your advice!

[Sean B]

umm...Frank maybe you should stay in the closet...just messing with you :)

Don't be too bummed out. When a boat is painted right I think they can look much better than gelcoat. Especially considering that you're down here in the south here too, where the sun eats gelcoat for breakfast (and lunch). You'll also be able to fill and paint away any of those little craze cracks that always appear in gelcoat. On my (non-painted) boat I can see every spot where previous owners had tagged a piling too hard, because there is a set of craze cracks right by the rub rail, including one really ugly spot. Due to a really strong current across my slip after last summer's Huricane Ernesto rains, and my bump-pile docking skills in such situations, I even have a gelcoat crack now that I can claim as my own.

There are definite advantages to having a painted hull. You'll be happy when you get her paint right.

[IRGuy]

Sean...

I have several closets to hide in.. I am just moving from one to another! :x

The paint issue really bothers me, because I have always believed a well maintained gel coat looks better than paint, but I know mfgr's such as Hatteras painted their new boats. I just wish the doofus had left the boat alone.. IMO he reduced the value of the boat rather than increased it when he painted it. I keep reminding myself.. the price was right, so I should try to be happy with what I have.

I am sure Capt Pat is correct that the paint is an epoxy, it seems tough. I have been told to try to sand it as smooth as possible, then maybe even wet sand it, and see if it will take some sort of polish. There is white paint on the black painted window frames and the tapered stripe on the cabin sides, and on the deck and outrigger fittings.. The decks are very slippery, but I plan on doing them with a nonskip that will cover them for the most part.

There is a lot of interior cabinetry and cosmetic work to do before I tackle the exterior surfaces.. I have a busy winter planned!

[scot]

You keep talking about the smooth surface being "slippery"....are you wearing boat shoes, i.e. Topsiders or something else with a sipped sole? The paint on my old boat with a very high gloss everywhere and I found that I have a better grip on this surface than one of the newer factory checked gelcoat.

I originally added a non-skid compound to the cockpit sole but found that I couldn't keep the thing anywhere near clean...nasty. I went back with a smooth finish. Grip is great WITH boat shoes on. You WILL bust your tail in bare feet fast when it gets wet.

Always wear real boat shoes on a painted boat and you will be amazed at the traction...the wetter it gets, the better you grip. I think you could walk around on wet glass with a GOOD set of Sperrys.

[IRGuy]

Scot..

Thanks for the comments.. but I am covered there.. I always wear Sperrys.. in fact after so many miles on wet decks of sailboats I never wear anything but something (shoes or boots) without Sperry or similar soles.

I have to admit I haven't been on the deck when it was completely wet.. usually just a few patches of water after a shower or quick washdown.

IMO, the molded in checked gelcoat attempts at nonskid by boat manufacturers is useless.. easier to keep clean but only marginally better than a smooth deck.