Boat refinishing.

[skknight]

I am restoring my 1978 Terry Bass Boat. I have removed the top to have the floor and stringers replaced. I am working on the top. I have removed all the clear coat. now I have the metal flake exposed. I would like to remove the flakes. I am not sure what is the best way to accomplish this or do I even need to remove the flakes. I am going back with a solid color. I plan to use a interlux paint. Does any one have any advice?

[alan white]

I don't know why you'd remove the flakes, but maybe there's some great reason to. I'd think even the clear coat would have added enough to the paint base to have been of value. Most likely it was a nice hard two-part finish, perfect for painting over.
I might be out of my league though, so maybe a real painter could comment.

Alan

[skknight]

Thanks Alan. I would not have thought of that. Do you know if I should use a type of primer before or after the clear coat.

[the1much]

i HATE flakes,,hehe,,they belong on a girls pink boat,,
i never messed with them till i got down here to "the land of non-skid" and i think their 1 of the worst ideas in the world.and ya know the minute ya run ya hand across 1 of "those" after its a little old.now someone that knows more then me might think different,,but i gots me a theory,,,AIR POCKETS around EACH flake.which in turn makes ya paint weaker and thinner in every 1 of those spots.
if it was me,,,and i didnt want to paint it again too soon,, i'd sand all those damned things off,,then get interlux's primer,, prime,,then do a REAL paint job,,,hehe
and what Allan is saying is right,,,if it wasnt for those flakes,,,alot of people waste ALOT of time a money removing paint when it is usually better to keep it for the extra protection and coverage.

[alan white]

Now that 1Much has thoroughly frightened you, I recommend you do what helps you to sleep at night.
As far as primer goes, primer inexpensively fills micro crevices and provides a non-porous surface to paint. If, for example, a surface is both smooth and non-porous, I don't prime. But then, others may disagree.

Alan