Anyone heard on painting a sail with outdoor paint?

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by Calif.Ted

I'd find another sailmaker.

THIS

[captmikem]

My plane is covered in Dacron, it is then coated with a polyvinyl to seal it then 4 coats of aluminized paint (silver) for uv protection, then 3 to 4 coats of color.
I had heard about using latex uv paint so I tried it on my rudder. So far the only problem is that with six coats when the sun hits it you can still see thru it enough to see the roller and brush marks. I would put more on but I do not want more weight.

That said,
Stitching sunbrella to the leech is not expensive, just make sure you use UV thread. I h;ave re-stitched mine a couple of times. Helps to have a beefy sewing machine but you can find one at goodwill for 20 or 30 bucks that will do the job.

M

[HopCar]

Originally Posted by sailorchic34

Cough,

Having been a budget cruiser for way too long, I painted my Jib, 6 years ago, where sacrificial clothe would go. I used a latex exterior paint which provides UV protection.

It has to be touched up (one new coat every two to three years) for light flaking. A quart can was enough for my #4 working jib and costs about $14. A small 6" roller and tray, does it protud.

Added bonus is custom colors that match the other Pinks. Very important!.

Pink! Sailorchick you’re such a girly girl. I like it.

[Rotten Ricky]

Originally Posted by lars

also your sail will have a better furled shape because there is less bulk. Here in florida you will pay $15 per foot to have the sunbrella replaced. whereas a gallon of high end paint is about 30 bucks ..use a small foam roller and blue tape..you will not regret it

I find this very interesting. I am looking at having the protective green acrylic cloth (Sunbrella?) on my furling jib replaced with blue cloth, but I am wondering now if I can just paint or stain the cover instead. The rest of the dacron sail/s are in good shape. And I would have thought an acrylic paint would be best. Maybe I can get some aircraft paint for acrylic cloth as suggested. What brand and type? Also, two-part polyurethane paint is tenacious and UV resistant - maybe a better idea. Maybe I will experiment a bit.

Another admission of unorthodox maintenance - a few years ago I took some of my running rigging - virtually all white by then - and gave them a very light even spray painting with common enamel paint. It worked like a damn, tinting the white fibres and it left the other marking colours showed though well. Only now some 5 or so years later is it fading and might require a repeat. No damage seems to have occurred, especially as it is the core fibres that provide the strength. And at least I can now direct the lubbers to haul on the blue or red or - yikes! even PINK! - line!

Hey! - like every husband, the more money I can save, the more I can spend on my wife!

Cheers, RR.

[Rotten Ricky]

Originally Posted by captmikem

Stitching sunbrella to the leech is not expensive, just make sure you use UV thread. I h;ave re-stitched mine a couple of times. Helps to have a beefy sewing machine but you can find one at goodwill for 20 or 30 bucks that will do the job. M

Be aware that often even an old, heavy-duty, sewing machine will not exert enough tension on the lower bobbin to make the stitches tension correctly - that is, halfway through the cloth. This is a problem I have had even after having the machine serviced by a pro and apparently set up for heavy stitching through multiple layers. RR.

[model 10]

Why would a sail loft turn down work? Probably because the sail ain't worth it. I wouldn't go to the trouble of sewing on a new cover for someone if the sail is worn out and could fall apart again in 2 years. So yeah, go somewhere else.
Or like he said, paint it. I'm rebuilding an old fabric airplane right now. It was painted with house paint back in 1980 maybe. It was in terrible shape though. The modern aircraft fabric finish would hold up to going around a furler for a while before cracking. On an airplane inside a hangar it could last a 100 years.

[a64pilot]

My Maule’s fabric was actually painted with automotive paint, with a flex additive, apparently automotive paint can be made pretty flexible to paint the rubber bumpers etc.
However It was never furled either.
I have seen house paint on sails once, I guess it may have looked better if he had taken more care to do it.

[oceane]

try Beer elastomeric paint....
unaffected by UV, 300% elasticity,adhere/penetrate very well, waterproof & breathable and easily retouchable/recoatable...it does work and last!!!
did all my sunbrella cover on sailcover. bimini etc...in Tahiti, i personnaly used Sikalastic color tropical formulation , since the only one available here...

[kish]

Originally Posted by downwinder

So this sailmaker told me since my sail is already 6 years old and the sunbrella part is ripping up instead of fixing all the sunbrella i should eliminate it. Then use a high quality outdoor paint like Bear to paint the area that is going to be exposed to the sun when it is rolled up. Any thoughts on this. Cheers

The Volvo Ocean Race boats, Volvo 65, all have painted sails.
The sails not in current use are rolled up and bagged on deck. Paint wear out does not seem to have been an issue after 40,000 miles over 9 months

The race has recently concluded and the sails looked presentable as seen on screen.

https://www.volvooceanrace.com/en/boat.html

[Sailorbob8599]

Originally Posted by downwinder

So this sailmaker told me since my sail is already 6 years old and the sunbrella part is ripping up instead of fixing all the sunbrella i should eliminate it. Then use a high quality outdoor paint like Bear to paint the area that is going to be exposed to the sun when it is rolled up. Any thoughts on this. Cheers

It sounds as if this fellow's other job might be as a "Late Night Show Host" mebbe ???

[model 10]

From what I understand, you need to encapsulate polyester fibers. It's hard to get anything to stick to it. You can use polyester fabric as a peel ply in epoxy lay ups. A good fabric paint is maybe 3 layers of different materials. The first layer is most like a thin glue to encapsulate the fibers. Then you apply the UV barrier and then the paint. Done to the proper thickness and rolled up, not stuffed into a sailbag, it might be pretty cool.

[downwinder]

Originally Posted by lars

Yes, your sailmaker is giving you good advice I have used this method for years. exterior paint will block UV . Use a good quality exterior paint and a dark color .. latex will cover dacron just like you were painting a wall. I would not to this on a new sail but for your purposes it is the way to go. You will need to recoat every 2 years or so also you will need to paint both sides of the sail due to print thru. The sail will furl fine and the paint does not flake off or peel. Also you need to remove the current sun cover and paint the dacron directly

One coat or two coats?

[T_Cat]

Originally Posted by sailorchic34

Cough,

Having been a budget cruiser for way too long, I painted my Jib, 6 years ago, where sacrificial clothe would go. I used a latex exterior paint which provides UV protection.

It has to be touched up (one new coat every two to three years) for light flaking. A quart can was enough for my #4 working jib and costs about $14. A small 6" roller and tray, does it proud.

Added bonus is custom colors that match the other Pinks. Very important!.

Looks like a beautiful spring day on the delta!

[Capt Gill]

"The Volvo Ocean Race boats, Volvo 65, all have painted sails.
The race has recently concluded and the sails looked presentable as seen on screen."
<https://www.volvooceanrace.com/en/boat.html>
I couldn't find anything re. painted sails on the link provided.

[sailorchic34]

Originally Posted by T_Cat

Looks like a beautiful spring day on the delta!

Other the smoke from the lake county fires (75 MILES away), it's very nice, so far. Did a full rebuild of the water pump">raw water pump at anchor today. Bearings were loose after 1900 hours, ( 720 hours since the engine rebuild).

Tomorrow is a chill day, then I head 12 miles over to bugtopia, for varnishing.

I put two coats of latex on the jib originally ( from home depot). It's been 18 months since last touch up. Quite happy with it and far cheaper the sunbrella. Plus the boat is color coordinated. So important.....