Anyone heard on painting a sail with outdoor paint?

[downwinder]

Originally Posted by sailorchic34

Cough,

Having been a budget cruiser for way too long, I painted my Jib, 6 years ago, where sacrificial clothe would go. I used a latex exterior paint which provides UV protection.

It has to be touched up (one new coat every two to three years) for light flaking. A quart can was enough for my #4 working jib and costs about $14. A small 6" roller and tray, does it proud.

Added bonus is custom colors that match the other Pinks. Very important!.

Which tape you use to mark the line? Thanks for the info. Cheers

[ahun]

I am going try this painting thing, and will report back (in five-six years).

[SimonP]

Not sure about sails, but I painted my canvas trailer-sailer tarp with blue acrylic ("latex" in the US, but it's not latex) and it's lasted way longer than its expected life, with NO deterioration.

[Snowpetrel]

I have a painted orange storm jib from a PO. Its started flaking paint badly, a bit of a nuisance, but it looks like some sort of oil based paint. Love SailerChic's paintjob. The boat looks great!

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by sailorchic34

Cough,

Having been a budget cruiser for way too long, I painted my Jib, 6 years ago, where sacrificial clothe would go. I used a latex exterior paint which provides UV protection.

It has to be touched up (one new coat every two to three years) for light flaking. A quart can was enough for my #4 working jib and costs about $14. A small 6" roller and tray, does it proud.

Added bonus is custom colors that match the other Pinks. Very important!.

I don't really love pink, at least not for me, but it works on this boat! It's fun.

[sailorchic34]

As to tape, i masted off with standard blue tape.

Most of the exterior wood was painted, over varnish as I got tired of sanding. The three main hatches, I still varnish. Paint of course requires nearly no sanding and is less labor intensive by far.

[Capt Gill]

Hey, pink isn't exclusive to Gals, Guys too like the colour; at least those who are secure in their sexual ID.

[Scotty Kiwi]

Originally Posted by sailorchic34

Cough,

Having been a budget cruiser for way too long, I painted my Jib, 6 years ago, where sacrificial clothe would go. I used a latex exterior paint which provides UV protection.

It has to be touched up (one new coat every two to three years) for light flaking. A quart can was enough for my #4 working jib and costs about $14. A small 6" roller and tray, does it proud.

Added bonus is custom colors that match the other Pinks. Very important!.

Thanks for the picture. Love it. Great.

[james247]

Originally Posted by Calif.Ted

I'd find another sailmaker.

Me too

[thinwater]

My reading is beginning to suggest paint protects the cloth just fine but leave the stitching, which is higher, vulnerable. I've seen this on whippings and seizing that were painted.



Experiences?

[Rotten Ricky]

Originally Posted by thinwater

My reading is beginning to suggest paint protects the cloth just fine but leave the stitching, which is higher, vulnerable. I've seen this on whippings and seizing that were painted.
Experiences?

Probably a function of the type of cloth or thread used and the chemicals used. Some probably have a UV resistant coating that rejects paint but that wears off with time. I suspect that a somewhat aged cloth/thread will take paint a lot better than new cloth/thread that still has it's glossy factory surface coating on it. Same for painting anything, I think.

Perhaps others could indicate whether their success or failure in painting sails and covers was on new or old material.

RR.

[jtsailjt]

I’d never heard of this and at first was inclined to think the sailmaker was jesting, but after reading through this thread and hearing from those with first hand experience, I think it’s a very interesting idea. Sunbrella is bulky/heavy and comes unstitched and can affect how the wind flows over the sails, doesn’t last forever, and is pretty expensive to remove/replace. So it seems to me that, as long as the paint adheres well and blocks UV from causing damage, this could be a great idea for older sails, but why not for new sails as well? If you can get 2 years between recoating and it does the job, why not try it?

[T-Birder]

I'd use BenjaminMoore the "Royale "series

[thinwater]

It seems the fabric covered aircraft spec for one manufacturer is 8 sprayed coats. The aluminum mid-coats are the workhorse UV blockers. The 3 primer/sealer coats may be overkill for a sail, because they are intended to seal non-resinated polyester, which is porous. One should be plenty. These are thin coats with a LOT of reducer. However, this schedule does add about the same weight as a Sunbrella cover. Heck, it probably also does a much better job. There may not be a lot of sharp flexing, but I'm quite sure the fabric drums in the prop wash.

They also discuss how automotive paints are brittle and are not permitted under the flight rules, even for top coats or artwork. This implies the cloth aircraft coatings are more flexible.

"The idea is to put on just enough to get the job done and no more. Three Poly-Brush (elastic primer and sealer), three Poly-Spray (aluminum paint to block UV), two of either Poly-Tone or Aero-Thane paint (top coat)."

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by thinwater

It seems the fabric covered aircraft spec for one manufacturer is 8 sprayed coats. The aluminum mid-coats are the workhorse UV blockers. The 3 primer/sealer coats may be overkill for a sail, because they are intended to seal non-resinated polyester, which is porous. One should be plenty. These are thin coats with a LOT of reducer. However, this schedule does add about the same weight as a Sunbrella cover. Heck, it probably also does a much better job. There may not be a lot of sharp flexing, but I'm quite sure the fabric drums in the prop wash.

They also discuss how automotive paints are brittle and are not permitted under the flight rules, even for top coats or artwork. This implies the cloth aircraft coatings are more flexible.

"The idea is to put on just enough to get the job done and no more. Three Poly-Brush (elastic primer and sealer), three Poly-Spray (aluminum paint to block UV), two of either Poly-Tone or Aero-Thane paint (top coat)."

And yet, one of the few remaining fabric aircraft manufacturers, has been using automotive paint for I’d guess more than 30 years, and of course it’s FAA approved. They use the flex additive that is put in automotive paint to paint flexible bumper covers.
However aircraft coverings are so thick that they completely hide the fabric threads etc, edges of taping can be seen, but it’s not a thin layer of paint.
Weight is as if not more important to aircraft than on sails, and if any less paint could be applied and achieve UV protection, it would be.

Aircraft have to be recovered when the UV deteriorates the strength of the fabric, modern fabrics can last a long time if kept from UV exposure, there is no age or time requirement to replace fabrics, it’s condition only, therefore UV protection is important.

I am nearly certain that aircraft coating on a sail would bust off very, very quickly when it was furled, be full of cracks on first furling.
I have seen cracks in the paint from people pushing on fabric, the fabric flexes and stretches, the paint doesn’t.