Low tech topside paint

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by rslifkin

Being that these are repairs, I'd be inclined to use a good 2 part paint like Alexseal, Awlgrip, something automotive, etc. Choose based on what can be mixed to match your existing color and will be easy to apply (either with the Preval sprayers or a roller).

There are plenty of lower tech paints that would work well if you were painting the whole boat, but being that it's a repair, I think they'd become very obvious in a couple of years (as a single part paint is going to age differently than the existing paint on the boat).

Ok. I definitely agree with that. But also you can’t see the areas I need to fix and the old paint at the same time. Not possible. I’m painting the outboard topsides where you can imagine a boat gets damaged from crashing into things. So it’s not possible to compare old and new paint. You can’t see old and new at the same time.

If I DID use the 2 part linear polyurethane, I’d just use Nason, which is the paint on the boat already.

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by Chotu

Ok. I definitely agree with that. But also you can’t see the areas I need to fix and the old paint at the same time. Not possible. I’m painting the outboard topsodes where you can imagine a boat gets damaged from crashing into things. So it’s not possible to compare old and new paint.

Ah, I didn't expect you were painting such a large area. I figured you were just repairing the individual damaged spots. In that situation, it won't matter as much. Paint selection is just a question of balancing cost, effort, ease of future touch ups, and how long the paint job will look good before needing attention.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by rslifkin

Ah, I didn't expect you were painting such a large area. I figured you were just repairing the individual damaged spots. In that situation, it won't matter as much. Paint selection is just a question of balancing cost, effort, ease of future touch ups, and how long the paint job will look good before needing attention.

Which is extremely difficult fo figure out! Ha ha ha.

[Seacod]

Originally Posted by Chotu

Ok. I definitely agree with that. But also you can’t see the areas I need to fix and the old paint at the same time. Not possible. I’m painting the outboard topsides where you can imagine a boat gets damaged from crashing into things. So it’s not possible to compare old and new paint. You can’t see old and new at the same time.

If I DID use the 2 part linear polyurethane, I’d just use Nason, which is the paint on the boat already.

Wasn't sure if anyone else had mentioned this but Petit EasyPoxy polyurethane topside paint has an performance additive which when added per their directions gives a one part a harder and more durable finish which in my experience has proven a great compromise between a standard one part and the other catalysed finishes out there.
First of all it is easy to blend and fair in should there be damage. The additive does in fact act as a catalyst, ensuring a quick curing time and non of those drying problems often associated with poly one parts and humidity.
It gets real hard. Properly thinned (to suit conditions) it flows beautifully and comes very close to a sprayed surface. Id say it passes the 5' test very nicely. If further perfection necessary, a very fine wet sand followed by a polish will render it really fine. I've been playing with it for 7 years now and find it a good solution.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by Seacod

Wasn't sure if anyone else had mentioned this but Petit EasyPoxy polyurethane topside paint has an performance additive which when added per their directions gives a one part a harder and more durable finish which in my experience has proven a great compromise between a standard one part and the other catalysed finishes out there.
First of all it is easy to blend and fair in should there be damage. The additive does in fact act as a catalyst, ensuring a quick curing time and non of those drying problems often associated with poly one parts and humidity.
It gets real hard. Properly thinned (to suit conditions) it flows beautifully and comes very close to a sprayed surface. Id say it passes the 5' test very nicely. If further perfection necessary, a very fine wet sand followed by a polish will render it really fine. I've been playing with it for 7 years now and find it a good solution.

And it costs $70 per quart so you save $10 compared to Awlgrip.

I see zero advantage in using something else. Prep is the same, application is the same, price is a little higher but resulting finish will last multiple times longer.

But Chotu mentions Rustoleum, which costs $18 for a quart so I’m thinking it is about the cost more than the work. There’s plenty of YouTube videos showing cars painted with Rustoleum, just check that out and if you’re okay with that finish then go for it.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

And it costs $70 per quart so you save $10 compared to Awlgrip.

I see zero advantage in using something else. Prep is the same, application is the same, price is a little higher but resulting finish will last multiple times longer.

But Chotu mentions Rustoleum, which costs $18 for a quart so I’m thinking it is about the cost more than the work. There’s plenty of YouTube videos showing cars painted with Rustoleum, just check that out and if you’re okay with that finish then go for it.

I don’t think rust oleum can color match though. So I can’t use it anyway.

[Bill O]

The good car paint jobs w/Rustoleum are typically wet sanded and waxed to get a shiny finish. Also you need to do several coats (1/day) to achieve a proper paint thickness.
At the end of the job, you will intimately know every inch of your hull.

[Chotu]

I don’t know enough about the half a billion types of paint available to know for sure, but it seems like people are missing the point here.

The point is I’m looking for a paint that I can roll on to get away from spraying.

I’m also looking for a paint that is industrial rather than marine and widely available all over the place in every city.

That’s it. Nice to have would be low toxicity.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by Chotu

I don’t know enough about the half a billion types of paint available to know for sure, but it seems like people are missing the point here.

The point is I’m looking for a paint that I can roll on to get away from spraying.

I’m also looking for a paint that is industrial rather than marine and widely available all over the place in every city.

That’s it. Nice to have would be low toxicity.

That is Awlgrip. Industrial, professional use, Dutch paint. Rolling formulation and available world wide.

[Franziska]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

That is Awlgrip. Industrial, professional use, Dutch paint. Rolling formulation and available world wide.

Nope. I disagree.

Highly toxic, fickle regarding the environmental conditions in which its applied. Super expensive. Prefers to be sprayed.
Awlgrip is the opposite of what Chotu is looking for.

If I would be Chotu, I'd put the focus on protecting the base material rather than a super high end finish.

The super high finish is lasting well on a weekend dock queen.
It's unlikely to last very well on a long term lifeboard vessel in constant use (unless you prefer a life polishing, touching up and so on all the time).

I prefer a good workboat finish over a high end yacht finish out of practically reasons.




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[aquavitae]

Down here on St Thomas, I use Mothane HD, an industrial 2 part polyurethane paint, sold at Ace Hardware. It’s a bit pricey at $152 for the gallon of paint and quart of hardener, but a fraction of the cost of Awlgrip. Believe it is manufactured in Alabama.
It’s easily mixed at 4:1 with plastic pails and rolled on the deck of my Searunner trimaran. It looks glossy at first but mellows into a workboat finish in a few months. I roll down one coat on a 1/4 of the deck and sprinkle construction sand ( like for mixing concrete) as I roll from a sifter. Wait a day and roll the second coat. Takes about 4-5 days to do the entire deck.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by Franziska

Prefers to be sprayed.
Awlgrip is the opposite of what Chotu is looking for.

That is pertinently wrong info. The big difference between car paints and the paints like Awlgrip, Epifanes polyurethane, Alexseal Interlux Perfection etc. is that car paints are spray only and Awlgrip was designed to be rolled, with a so-called brushing converter and brushing thinner. For a boat hull, many professionals have switched to rolling and the results are indistinguishable from spraying. Super easy application, no tipping required for light colors. Alexseal even has an additive that allows dark colors to be rolled on without tipping.

Also, almost every boat that is painted uses these products, they are mainstream, industry standard and for a hull good for 15 years maintenance free.

For a lower quality, less durable product you use a paint like Interlux Brightside, Pettit Easypoxy, Totalboat WetEdge, Epifanes Monourethane etc. and it can look just as good as the 2-part paints but that won’t last long and within 1 year you will see the difference. It may still be acceptable but you see the difference.

The problem is that those paints are also $55 to $70 for a quart which is very close to the $80 of a quart of Awlgrip. So Awlgrip isn’t outrageously expensive when you compare it to the 1-part urethanes.

A paint like Rustoleum is just an old fashioned oil based paint and can last for decades for interior applications, but I painted a front door 6 months ago in Florida and can already see degradation.

[rslifkin]

I think Jedi hit on an important point. As much as there are plenty of non-marine paints that would work well on a boat, automotive applications and others that use the more durable paints are typically sprayed on. So wanting a more durable paint that can just be rolled on may push things back in the marine direction. At that point, assuming you're only going to look at products you can roll on, price of paint almost becomes a question of how shiny you want it to be and how long you want the look to hold up before needing another round of work.

[Simi 60]

Have used a lot of Ameron and Jotun products over the years
Paints made for things that get used and abused, not pampered and polished.

Currently using Jotun Pilot II enamel
Holds up well and the price is right.

But, if I had a composite build that had a good fairing job done I'd still look at a better paint system.
But not US Paints/Awlgrip price and not a poly urethane.

Unless something has changed, poly urethane were a biatch to repair and blend whereas industrial urethanes are easy

[Bowdrie]

PPG makes a large range of both one- and two-part paints/primers that are quite suitable for a "20 foot" paint job.
Typically sold as "Amercoat".
This is a sheet for the 229 one-part topcoat.
https://cgedwards.com/ameron/amercoat229.html