How to paint a boat

[JohnZ]

well i didnt do the paint job myself. The boat is a revolt 30 and thats the factory paint job. Now i have the issue of trying to match the factory paint and figuring out the best way to go about applying it. The only thing ive ever painted are RC car lexan bodies. Nothing like fibergalss.

Matching the factory paint is not going to be easy unless you can contact the company behind the boat and find out what they used for paint and what color. There are so many paint companies out there and so many different formulas I wouldn't even hazard a guess what they used. My advice, if you can contact that company and find out what they used it would be to your advantage. Then knowing what type of paint they used, you might be able to find the matching color or at least get a recommendation from them as to repainting the hull. Generally a scuff of the original painted surface is enough to get the paint to stick. However if the paint formulas are radically different there may be a problem. IF you are unable to contact the company, then I might take it to a good auto paint shop and ask them if they might be able to identify the paint.
Other than that a complete removal of the original paint , reprime and repaint with matching formulas ie; automotive type paints such as Dupont, Dupli-color or Plasti-Cote. There are some epoxy based paints available such as Klass Kote which should work fine as well.
I would start over. I know it sounds like a lot of work but sometimes that's what needs to be done. I've had to do it myself a few times and it's no fun, but no big deal either.

[BLboat]

Matching the factory paint is not going to be easy unless you can contact the company behind the boat and find out what they used for paint and what color. There are so many paint companies out there and so many different formulas I wouldn't even hazard a guess what they used. My advice, if you can contact that company and find out what they used it would be to your advantage. Then knowing what type of paint they used, you might be able to find the matching color or at least get a recommendation from them as to repainting the hull. Generally a scuff of the original painted surface is enough to get the paint to stick. However if the paint formulas are radically different there may be a problem. IF you are unable to contact the company, then I might take it to a good auto paint shop and ask them if they might be able to identify the paint.
Other than that a complete removal of the original paint , reprime and repaint with matching formulas ie; automotive type paints such as Dupont, Dupli-color or Plasti-Cote. There are some epoxy based paints available such as Klass Kote which should work fine as well.
I would start over. I know it sounds like a lot of work but sometimes that's what needs to be done. I've had to do it myself a few times and it's no fun, but no big deal either.

Yeah i called Aquacraft and they were no help saying that they didnt know what paint there own factory uses. I then called sherwin williams marine department and they said that i had to have a fishing license in order to buy from them for whatever reason. So back to the drawing board. I dont have it in me to repaint my boat i like the paintjob too much and id be afraid to mess it up. I think im gonna go to my LHS and test a few paint colors on the inside of the hatch cover where it is unpainted fiberglass. Then once i have found a good match ill try and apply it and if that doesnt work out i guess i will have to try and repaint the entire hull whether i like it or not. Either way thanks for your help!

[Alfa Spirit]

Hello guys

I didn' t sand the gelcoat before placing the stickers but now I want to protect the boat and stickers. I thought to clean and degrease the hull with just SOAP and water to not destroy the stickers. With a clean surface and defalled is clear coat has a chance to hang? The varnish is the U - POL clear coat,

Thanks

[siberianhusky]

If you go to an auto paint supply place like NAPA etc, they have a scanner thing they run over the paint then a computer tells them the mix for as close a match as possible. They can even put it in a spray can for you. You'd have to find out what kinds they use and do a compatability test.
Got some blue touch up paint done for an '86 Ninja, the colour match was darn close.

[JohnZ]

Aquacraft, yeah well that explains it. The boat hull, is probably made in China and who knows what kind of paint they used??!! You may want to use a respirator if any further sanding is done. just in case
I would give the auto store a try.
Good luck.

[BLboat]

Thanks im gonna take it to the suggested paint shop and if that doesnt work i guess ill be doing some color matching myself

[Alfa Spirit]

Hello guys

I didn' t sand the gelcoat before placing the stickers but now I want to protect the boat and stickers. I thought to clean and degrease the hull with just SOAP and water to not destroy the stickers. With a clean surface and defalled is clear coat has a chance to hang? The varnish is the U - POL clear coat,

Thanks

There are two U-Pol clear primer products

http://www.u-pol.com/product-cat/120/grip%234%E2%84%A2-universal-adhesion-promoter.htm

http://www.u-pol.com/product-cat/127/s2003-plastic-primer-adhesion-promoter.htm

What do you think?

[dana]

There are two U-Pol clear primer products

http://www.u-pol.com/product-cat/120/grip%234%E2%84%A2-universal-adhesion-promoter.htm

http://www.u-pol.com/product-cat/127/s2003-plastic-primer-adhesion-promoter.htm

What do you think?

Nobody cares. That's why nobody repsonds. Take a dump on it

[catmangrrrrr]

I would forget the Krylon or any other rattle can.Talk to a local body shop and usually they have all kinds of pints or half pints left over from previous jobs. I started doing that when I found out they were throwing most of it away.You can get a small sprayer for next to nothing that almost any compressor will operate. Also by doing that the mixture codes are usually on the can so you can always match later if needed. May talk to them also about clear coats..many have told me to catch them when they are shooting clear and they would do it for lil of nothing,if anything, since clear was already mixed and being used. Plus those small amounts go a long way with an airbrush.

[JohnZ]

That's a good way to do it if you have a body shop nearby and know the people. Chances are they might have a color you like even if it isn't what you were considering.
Keep in mind you still have to go through the process of leveling the paint before clear coating. After all, it's process involved when they repaint your car after you've had a chance meeting with a 150 pound furry animal with antlers.
As I stated before I had very good luck with the Krylon Fusion on an ABS hull. It turned out better than expected and while it isn't a pro shop paint job, I'm happy with the results. Would I do it again...probably as I like to do the work myself.
Good luck .
Cheers.

[dana]

That's a good way to do it if you have a body shop nearby and know the people. Chances are they might have a color you like even if it isn't what you were considering.
Keep in mind you still have to go through the process of leveling the paint before clear coating. After all, it's process involved when they repaint your car after you've had a chance meeting with a 150 pound furry animal with antlers.
As I stated before I had very good luck with the Krylon Fusion on an ABS hull. It turned out better than expected and while it isn't a pro shop paint job, I'm happy with the results. Would I do it again...probably as I like to do the work myself.
Good luck .
Cheers.

Actually, collision shops do not level paint before clearcoat. The worst thing to do is to sand color coats, especially if it's metallic. When painting a car you get it level and clean first. Once you start painting it's best to avoid touching any of the coats. Usually first it's sealer, then color coats, then clear. Sealer is not always nessecary. The final leveling comes in the sanding of the clear, but usually it's a bad idea to do that because from the factory cars have orange peel, so sanding the final clear will make it too flat. Now if it's a show car or such, and the customer wants it flat like glass it's another story. But regardless sanding color is a no no

[catmangrrrrr]

That's a good way to do it if you have a body shop nearby and know the people. Chances are they might have a color you like even if it isn't what you were considering.
Keep in mind you still have to go through the process of leveling the paint before clear coating. After all, it's process involved when they repaint your car after you've had a chance meeting with a 150 pound furry animal with antlers.
As I stated before I had very good luck with the Krylon Fusion on an ABS hull. It turned out better than expected and while it isn't a pro shop paint job, I'm happy with the results. Would I do it again...probably as I like to do the work myself.
Good luck .
Cheers.

All I'm saying is if you get the opportunity to check..it never hurts. I found that they toss out thousands of dollars worth of paint every year because most of the colors were a one time thing and they pile up faster than you think. It's just a good opportunity to get good quality paint and with myself wanting to learn airbrushing it gives me lots of practice paint saving me a lot of money. Also makes me a few bucks if someone want a car shell or boat shot with just a solid color. I've done Krylon before and had good results too.....but don't want to settle for just good. Good luck and have a blast boating!!

Here's a few pics of couple quick ones I did tryn to figure out an airbrush that you can't do with a rattle can(at least not very easily)..I am no artist by any means and will always look like a grade schooler's art class wishing I had the god given talent that Pro Painter has.

IMG_0596.jpgIMG_0522.jpgIMG_0520.jpgIMG_0521.jpg

[JohnZ]

Actually, collision shops do not level paint before clearcoat. The worst thing to do is to sand color coats, especially if it's metallic. When painting a car you get it level and clean first. Once you start painting it's best to avoid touching any of the coats. Usually first it's sealer, then color coats, then clear. Sealer is not always nessecary. The final leveling comes in the sanding of the clear, but usually it's a bad idea to do that because from the factory cars have orange peel, so sanding the final clear will make it too flat. Now if it's a show car or such, and the customer wants it flat like glass it's another story. But regardless sanding color is a no no

I stand corrected. I have seen this done in the past but it maybe such the older paints needed it done. Obviously the new paint formulations produce a surface that needs no sanding.
Using the Krylon Fusion was easy but I felt leveling the paint would produce a finer finish. I also leveled the clear coat and finished up with clear coat polish
and buffing.
Hmmmm, next time I may check out the local body shops and see what I can find. There may be a few guys who wouldn't mind shooting a boat.
BTW I have tried rattle can auto paints such as Duplicolor with less than satisfactory results.
I have a JAE 21 in the box yet waiting its turn on the building board. When the time comes I'm going to consider going that route.
cheers.

[CodeRed225]

With krylon fusion how long should wait to wet sand?

[JohnZ]

Code, I waited a week before wet sanding. That way the paint had enough time to cure enough for sanding. Paints like these cure very quickly but I wanted to make sure as the humidity was typical Michigan summer variety. It worked out very well. The Fusion covered quite well but there was the usual "orange peel" finish which required wet sanding. Others may get different results. I also waited a week before wet sanding and polishing the clear coat. The results came out more than I hoped for.
cheers