painting over gelcoat

I'm closing in on the final stages of my rolled edge bayboat restoration and I could use some input. My hull is a 87 bayhawk and the gelcoat is pretty thin but intact and few scratches. I painted cars for our Ford dealer for a number of years, years ago and know my gun well. My questions is what is the ideal perperation of the original surface? I know there is an issue with release waxes and a prepsol dewaxer is required. Any first hand tips to prevent peeling and other disasters?

Thanks

 

AWlgrip 545 is what i have had the best luck getting a good bond to polyester as well as epoxy resins. I havent had prob geting other paint brands to hold to the 545. the awlgrip surface prep dewaxer is really good. but use gloves good gloves.
Howard

 

I'll look into AWlgrip 545, Howard. I guess this is some sort of primer? I'm pretty new to the boat and glass thing and need to do my research. Any thoughts on paint type? I have read that Imron is a good choice. I would guess something that remains flexable would be the idea.

Thanks

Chris

 

Sorry yes 545 is the primer I like the awlgrip and the imron. Napa cells a generic(competitor) version of the imron urethane paint that is cheaper and has the same properties of the imron
Howard

 

Alright then, NAPA it is. Is the 545 a NAPA product too? I'm ready to get all those boat parts out of my garage and on the water!

Thanks,

Chris

 

no it is an awlgrip product

 

I've found it at West Marine and plan to own some today! Thanks for your help, Howard.

Chris

 

I just used Imron 2.8HG (333) on my boat. Some bugs and dust landed before tacky. Can I buff or glaze the paint job to uniformity? If so, what kind of rubbing compound, micofinishing glaze, etc.?

 

Yes you can. The first thing to do is use 800 wet dry sand paper on a sanding block. I like to add a dab of dishwashing liquid to a pail of clean water and carefully block down only the nibs and bugs. 800 is going to remove material slowly but if you go through the paint...it becomes a do-over or spot repair job which will surely turn out poorly. Depending on your situation dealing with the number of blimishes you need to address, you will have to decide which of the following might apply. There is crap all over the place- contunue sanding with 800. Another example would be orange peel like texture from a roller. Sand it off to the bottoms of the texture pits and no further.
You will be better off sanding the whole hull because once polished back up it will look badass where you sanded and the other spots will look just better.

Once the 800 grit sanding is done, switch to 1000 then to 1200 grits. The idea is to remove the scratches from the prior grit. I can't come up with the exact compunds I use but they are Dupont products. I think they are called Micro-somehting and Feness-it. The first compound is applied with a wool buffing wheel at slow RPM's. You can burn your paint with this process and edges and corners are usually thin on paint and can be problems if you don't watch them. You might consider doing the sanding prep and have an auto detail shop do the buffing. By the time you buy a buffer, wool and foam pads (the finessit is done with a foam pad to remove swirl marks from the wool pad) and the compounds you might be way ahead money wise and finished product wise.

Good luck, my bayboat is coming along well. I am doing the final wiring right now and hope to launch this week(end?) if all goes well.

 

awlgrip makes a top coat paint. I've herd Imorn isn't that great for water. I think you can find awlgrip under US Paints.

 

I havent had any problems with imron in salt water my dads boat got 9 years out of a imron paint job.
Howard

 

Just read,painting &varnishing,Phil h. Spectre. Imron is an acrylic-modified urethane."But in high corrosion environment and southern latitudes, Imrondoes not seem to demonsrate as much gloss and color retention as the high-quaality polyester system." sterling chem. man.,awlgrip,interthane,z-spar.

 

Oned more thought, prepsol main componet is mineral spirts. 20$ A GALLON !! I have used high quality mineral spirts for years to prep for automotive clear-color coat paints.Never had any fish eye or component reaction. 5.00$ a gallon. When you think you have it clean ,clean it once more! Jim

 

Boat Owner

I WOULD LIKE NO MORE ABOUT PAINTS FOR MY BOAT BECAUSE WOULD TO MY MAKO WHITE

 

Rft

Iwould To Paint My Boat I Like Find About Your Paint