Painting a center console

I am refinishing a 1973 Dusky Center Console. The gelcoat is a little beat up and theres a horrible paint job on it that I am going to sand off and start new. I know all the prep work and stuff but I was just thinking that the paint is mighty expensive. I was lookin into awlgrip to do the topdeck and to cover 200 square feet its going to run me over a 100 dollars. Then other people talked about just using dupont imron. I have a good amount of painting cars and jet skis so spraying is not a problem. People have talked about using exterior house latex but what paint is really the best bang for your buck that will last. The boat isn't worth enough to spend 1000 dollars on awlgrip to finish a 20 foot dusky. I want a nice shine that looks good. Any advice would be greatly appreciated and that 30 dollar a gallon latex exterior paint does sound really inviting to try out.

 

You will find a lot on this topic here, try the search menu on top.
I have seen boats sprayed with car paint and they looked good, but it's probably not as hard as Awlgrip and other two parts polyurethanes.

 

I used Interlux's cheapest marine enamel six years ago on Sunset Chaser and her finish still looks brand new. Maybe $250 in paint, cleaners and brushes for a 5-metre runabout, inside and out. Use the appropriate primer and do a good job of the prep work. I wouldn't use car or house paint, neither likes fibreglass that much.

 

Why don't you try talking to some Sherwim Williams dealers, they have a Polyurethane paint, in the Industrial and Marine Coatings section, called:
RECOATABLE EPOXY PRIMER and
HI SOLID POLYURETHANE
They are used to paint marine plattforms and a lot of stuff, and is less expensive than other brands, many colors available.. They told me that it can be used in almost any surface (Might try it). Maybe someone on this site has tried this paint.