Wooden Boat Paint

[Restless.Jim]

I'm getting ready to pull my Dickerson 35 out of the water to do the bottom job and paint the hull. I posted another thread a couple months ago and got a lot of good general advice. I have two specific questions regarding the job I'm getting ready to start.

1) Type of paint and primer for hull. I am very experienced in automotive painting, as well as fiberglass boats. I have never taken on a wood boat project and I keep hitting walls when I ask paint shops and suppliers about it. It seems everyone knows fiberglass, and they're guessing when it comes to wood. I'm looking for specific types, brands would be better, of paint that you have used on a wood hull and application tips would be appreciated. Currently the hull has a pretty smooth paint job, but it is pretty old and has some chips, cracks and repairs. Should I smooth the repairs and scuff the paint or remove all the old paint down to bare wood?

2) Bottom paint. The boat will be staying on a mooring so obviosly I need a good antifouling paint. Reviews on specific brands of bottom paint that you have used on your wood boat would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks so much for any advice. I'll be sure to post pics in a couple weeks once I get started on the project.

[CharlieCobra]

Here's where ya need to ask that: The WoodenBoat Forum

[Trisailing]

May I suggest George Kirby Jr. Paint Co. Paint for wood hulls needs to be flexible. A good oil paint is suggested. Do not use a 2 part polyurethane paint, such as you would use on a glass or metal boat. If you could find some, put 2 layers or more of creosote on the bare wood first. The best protection against worms. The Pardys use this method I believe. Also suggested by other wooden boat owners. George Beuhler also has some ideas about this in his book on Backyard Boatbuilding. Trisailing

[Trisailing]

Antifouling is hard to give advice on. Checkout what locals are using and see what works best for your area. What works in one area does not always work in another. Trisailing

[cburger]

Interlux Primcoate for primer then Interlux Brightside for finish work

[CharlieCobra]

I would use your favorite anti-foul and a topcoat like Awlcraft, ProLine 4800, something that's softer and buffable. You would be surprise just how flexible a two part LPU is. A lot of the old school guys prefer an enamel, similar to what was used on the boats in the past.

[zeehag]

friend of mine with a 43 kettenburg uses 1 part interlux on above water line work and petit trinidad sr for the underwater hull paint.....has had gooodluck with both , when he uses them......

[CharlieCobra]

Okay. I had a long talk with the SW Marine rep today. His thoughts were to use an alkyld or acrylic enamel and an older oil based (long oil) primer for the flexibility and bonding. He thought the LPU's to be too brittle. He agreed with the old school wooden boat guys.

[Pelagic]

Bump for updates on products

[Lepke]

I live on an 83' wood boat. I've been painting wood boats for a long time. I had a marine business. Almost any primer ok for wood will work fine. I like a thick primer because it covers many imperfections and I can prep with 80 grit sanding disks. I sand the primer with 120-150 grit. Once the primer is down any good surface paint will do. If white, generally the more expensive, the whiter the white.
I use Pettit Ezprime because it sticks well to wood and also can be used to paint over old finish coats that are cracked and rough. It sands well,and drys quickly.
On my boat I use Interlux Yacht Enamel. It's not as bright white as Perfection or Brightside, but flexes better. Especially over planks and seam sealer. Places I want really hard paint because of wear, I add 1 quart of traditional varnish to each gallon of finish.
I do like the more expensive epoxy primers and finish coats but rarely need exactly a quart or gallon. Odd volumes can be hard to mix right and seal the remainder. My hull will outlive me anyway.
MY hull is copper plated. 100% copper alone doesn't stop marine growth. If you want a clean bottom, go somewhere that has no EPA like the ships do.