Boat painter - Caribbean

[SailingMum]

I'm en route to Caribbean and am considering having the hull and decks repainted. Boat is 60' and approx 24 tonnes. aluminium construction.

I'd be interested in any feedback/recommendations on yards and painters. I'm wanting a quality job that doesn't drag on forever, of course at a sensible price. I may need to leave the boat during the work, so competence does matter. May replace rigging at the same time if it works out. Coming up from the south atlantic so will hit the islands in the south east first.

Any ideas? Trinidad? st maarten?

thanks

[neilpride]

Trinidad , but if is me i run away from Trini in a paint job Project , main reason is the weather , almost 99 to 100 % moisture every day, rain and hot like hell make paint Jobs a real nightmare unless the boat rest in a covered shed, Awlgrip is a excellent stuff for aluminium , you have anyway cheaper options V Awlgrip.

St Marteen is the other option , cheaper like Trini , to lift a 60 ft i recommend the yards in the ducht side, Bobys its a option or St Marteen shipyard , is drier with a better weather all around , Materials are cheaper to compared with other Islands...

Cheers..

[SailingMum]

Thanks for that - helpful. Are you commenting only on trinidad and st maarten because I mefioned those two places or because they are the two best spots?

Anybody know of good trinidad painting operators who can climate control?

Cheers

[neilpride]

I think Peake have a covered shed for painting, but you may ask in advance, yes they are the 2 best spots for boat projects, i dont have any idea if Trini keep the same prices as years before , Grenada is expensive and i think the ony covered shed is in grenada marine in the south side of the island, SVG dont have any place to haul your boat, only maybe in Ottley hall boatyard, i dont recommend it....

St Lucia is another option , more expensive than Trini or St Marteen.

Martinique is really expensive , boatyards in Le Marin and in Fort de France.

Dominica . Nothing.

Guadaloupe, really expensive.
Antigua , nice boatyards and full of people with experience. Expensive.

St marteen, duty free and full of boatyards and services.

BVI . Expensive,

So far Puerto Rico no idea..
Cheers...

[northwestsailor]

If you have an aluminum hull my suggestion is to have all the paint taken off and leave it that way. It will get a nice patina shortly.

Aluminum and teak are similar in that they don't like anything put on them. Why fight it? Make your life simpler.

If you don't like the look or raw aluminum then you have to live with paint and paint problems. Personally I have enough maintenance issues without dealing with paint. I like the simpler life. Maybe you do too?

[Cheechako]

I had friends with a 48 ft aluminum boat built by Paul Luke. They had it painted in the US (Florida) then a couple/3 years later in Trini, then a couple/3 years later in Columbia I think. That boat just wouldn't hold paint very well. The super expensive job by a big yard in FL didn't last any longer than the Trini job.
Bare would be nice, but unless yours is a hard chine boat.. it's likely got fairing compound on it.

[dohenyboy]

Aluminum does not like paint.


Sent from an undisclosed location on the high seas or from the lounge chair by the pool, you decide.

[SailingMum]

Thanks all. Yes, the boat has fairing (well done, holding very well). I understand the issues around alloy and paint, and am not really looking to explore them here - just wanting feedback on good operators in the region (thanks Neilpride for your input).

Regards

[Sand crab]

There was a thread here about an unfortunate guy who was having some work done on his steel yacht in Trini. It was supposed to be minor but the yard just about gutted the boat and then lots of expensive parts went missing. You might want to avoid that place. Any members remember this one? I can't find it.

[neilpride]

Haaa the Trini drama!!! no i dont remember the boat or the topic, sure you need to take precautions in Trini , maybe the actual situagion is worse no idea, by the way, i have a customer with a JPB 40 made in strongall at META , we painted the deck and top structure 5 years agoo, today is still holding really well, like everything a good paint job last for years even with alu, we remove every single piece of deck gear , even the mast, Awlgrip have a excellent etch primer called Max Cor Cf , its a really expensive stuff but if you spray this stuff to really clean aluminium the paint job last for years , just be sure to isolate disimilar metals, cleats , winches , etc..plastic washers under ss washers , screws ... some boats cant be bare alu due weldings lines or imperfections covered with fillers, Ovnis and Garcias are made it with smooth topsides at the Factory , lot of sanding and they look really well without paint, others need a paint job to look nice...

[SailingMum]

Are you in the trade, Neil? Based where, out of interest?