Can You Paint a Blue Hull White ?

[pwilliams]

Hi:

I'm considering the purchase of a blue hulled boat. It's not my first choice, as we're heading south toward warmer weather. The boat will need bottom paint upon purchase.

How hard is it to paint a blue hull white on a 44 foot sailboat?

Thanks.

[newlazydays]

Not sure about blue....but a friend had a dark green 53 footer that he painted light cream with rolled on Awlgrip. Took about five coats but Awlgrip goes a very long way.

[chadlaroche]

Its harder then you might think..... but not really. Im just about finished painting my 1973 35' CC . It was a dark blue hull . Its not the hull or painting thats the hard part its the deck and above the rub rail ! The hull itself sanded easily and painted easily . Pick a good 2 part epoxy. The single stage 1 part epoxy is like water and will give you decent coverage but not solid ,no worries if you rub against the dock coverage. Figure 400$ on just the hull( 2 gallons per side) if you want it strong and thick. I had lots of chips scrapes etc and the thicker epoxies will fill them in .Dont be cheap on the rollers or brushes! Foam only, nothing with nap as it will pull out and you will be starting over . I made that mistake and had to sand the hull back down to get all the hairs out. Not a happy guy at all
If your hull is in good shape the easypoxy will do it in about 3 gallons ,rolls on like a polyurethane. Everything above the rub rail quadruple what you think its going to take timewise . Figure prep and paint 20-26 fresh , not hungover ,full belly back from lunch hours
have fun

[skipmac]

I had a boat that the PO painted black Awlgrip with gold trim. Really pretty but hot, hot, hot in the tropics. Was almost happy when some yahoo at a marina in the Bahamas tied his dinghy too close and gouged the paint. Painted it white, no problem. Was 28 years ago so don't remember the specifics but called one of the big marine paint guys, tech support line. Gave the the type primer to use on awlgrip, 2 coats. then one coat of finish. Black all gone.

[cfarrar]

Those who painted over blue or black, any issue with scratches revealing the darker color beneath?

[chadlaroche]

Originally Posted by cfarrar

Those who painted over blue or black, any issue with scratches revealing the darker color beneath?

I had white showing through in the scratches from the original color , so whatever is underneath will eventually show up

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by cfarrar

Those who painted over blue or black, any issue with scratches revealing the darker color beneath?

Well sure but I never scratched a boat in my life.

[chadlaroche]

Originally Posted by skipmac

Well sure but I never scratched a boat in my life.

lol

[brankin]

As a paint professional, I have done this many times. The first step is to seal the blue with a white epoxy sanding primer. put on three coats and on the last coat, you should see no color change in the white primer. This means the old blue will not affect the true color of the top coat. Sand the primer and paint with the color you want and enjoy your new hull. I normally put on three coats of the base color paint and one coat of clear on the final coat. The clear helps when you do scratch the paint and have to do a touch up.

[David M]

I would repaint it the same color unless you absolutely hate the color. Not to be a pessimist, but eventually it will get scratched.

[brankin]

Some people seem to think that the scratch will end at the blue. Depending on the scratch, it could stop in the new paint layer, the epoxy layer (white), the old blue or all the way to the gelcoat (white). The way I see it, you have a 25% of seeing blue. Don't worry about a scratch...pick out the color you want and carry a touch up kit.

[pwilliams]

Thanks for the great replies.

Pat

[Joli]

Navy to matterhorn white. Never looked back, if we scratch it we'll touch it up. It is MUCH cooler.

[Charlie]

My boat was originally chartruse (sp?) Lime green. Before I bought it it was painted midnight blue which pretty much looks black. It is really a PITA to keep clean. I would like it to be white. When I first bought the boat I hit reverse instead of forward while docking and gouged a hole in the transom. I could see different colors in that deep gouge blue black and green. That is the only deep gouge that I have. On the light scratches The green doesn't come thru.