Car Paints?

[allanbranch]

First, thanks for your advice/feedback.

I've rolled a tipped several small boats (hobie cats, bucs, flying scotts) but this is my first haul out (1970 Morgan 30-1). I even spent two summers in high school sanding and taping cars.

I have a friends here locally who paint cars still today who've volunteered their help on my boat. They asked me "why not use car paint?" and I didn't have an answer for them because it being maybe slippery on the topside.

Obviously the bottom would have anti-fouling paint.

Why not use car paint? I did read one thread on this, one person said "car paint isn't meant to be walked on" but besides answers like that, has anyone used car paint before? How did it hold up? Is car paint cheaper?

[Cheechako]

The car paint when I had my 65 mustang painted was $400 a quart. That was probably 8 years ago too. It was not that exotic a paint either. Not sure how that compares though.

[2hullvenus]

Car paint works just fine. Make sure you get the absolute best car paint money can buy.

aliphatic 2 part linear polyurethane

[model 10]

Originally Posted by 2hullvenus

Car paint works just fine. Make sure you get the absolute best car paint money can buy.

aliphatic 2 part linear polyurethane

Which is no different than any other LPU, boat, airplane etc. The only difference in LPU's is the amount of solids. The more you pay the more you get. Another point, get a paint that ues as little activator as possible, 3:1 is better than 2:1. The activator is not what you want, you want the solids which believe it or not float to the surface.
Problem with car paints is they don't always sell retarders that are slow enough. They are only interested in spray painting and it's get tacky way to fast. As LPU is pretty much LPU, you can use retarders from Awlgrip which are really slow and make rolling possible with car paint.

[fstbttms]

Reinventing the wheel usually ends up biting you in the ass.


Just sayin'.

[model 10]

Originally Posted by fstbttms

Reinventing the wheel usually ends up biting you in the ass.


Just sayin'.

You could easily save $500.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by Guy

You could easily save $500.

If painting your topsides with automotive paint is a great idea and a big money saver, why doesn't everybody (including the yards) do it?

[jamhass]

In the 80s (maybe earlier?) many boat manufacturers used Imron paint. Imron was sold as automotive and aircraft paint.

I know last automotive 2-parts I sprayed set way to fast to roll and tip, and were not particularly less expensive than marine paints, but that's been a few years now.

[model 10]

Originally Posted by fstbttms

If painting your topsides with automotive paint is a great idea and a big money saver, why doesn't everybody (including the yards) do it?

Pretty sure Awlgrip is marketing. They rarely use LPU on cars anyway. It is often sold in some auto paint stores though. Cars almost always use Acrylic Urethane. Sterling for example makes good LPU. There is no mention on the can if it's for a boat car or an airplane. Awlgrip has a different name when sold to aviation, Alumigrip or something. There is a whole bunch of LPU out there that you have never heard of and it's just as good or better than Awlgrip.

[2hullvenus]

Originally Posted by Guy

Which is no different than any other LPU, boat, airplane etc. The only difference in LPU's is the amount of solids. The more you pay the more you get. Another point, get a paint that ues as little activator as possible, 3:1 is better than 2:1. The activator is not what you want, you want the solids which believe it or not float to the surface.
Problem with car paints is they don't always sell retarders that are slow enough. They are only interested in spray painting and it's get tacky way to fast. As LPU is pretty much LPU, you can use retarders from Awlgrip which are really slow and make rolling possible with car paint.

Precisely.

I'll also add for any nay sayers: Cars spend just as much time outside as boats and look great many years later.

I sprayed my whole boat with proper lpu "car paint." Looks downright perfect. I got many, many thumbs ups and pictures taken as I have been making my way south.

[MarkSF]

Originally Posted by Guy

Pretty sure Awlgrip is marketing. They rarely use LPU on cars anyway. It is often sold in some auto paint stores though. Cars almost always use Acrylic Urethane. Sterling for example makes good LPU. There is no mention on the can if it's for a boat car or an airplane. Awlgrip has a different name when sold to aviation, Alumigrip or something. There is a whole bunch of LPU out there that you have never heard of and it's just as good or better than Awlgrip.

The dark blue Awlgrip on my boat is 32 years old, and is original apart from the stern. It has spent all those years in the California sun. It is still shiny, and has only faded slightly. At the thwarts, the hull regularly gets rubbed against the dock. I just remove the white PVC marks with acetone.

If you can recommend an automotive paint that can match this level of durability, I'd love to hear about it.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by MarkSF

The dark blue Awlgrip on my boat is 32 years old, and is original apart from the stern. It has spent all those years in the California sun. It is still shiny, and has only faded slightly. At the thwarts, the hull regularly gets rubbed against the dock. I just remove the white PVC marks with acetone.

If you can recommend an automotive paint that can match this level of durability, I'd love to hear about it.

My last boat (Kevlar prepreg) was Imron from the factory. OK, but Awlgrip is probably a better choice, in my opinion. Not bad though, lasted 15 years easily.

[2hullvenus]

Originally Posted by MarkSF

The dark blue Awlgrip on my boat is 32 years old, and is original apart from the stern. It has spent all those years in the California sun. It is still shiny, and has only faded slightly. At the thwarts, the hull regularly gets rubbed against the dock. I just remove the white PVC marks with acetone.

If you can recommend an automotive paint that can match this level of durability, I'd love to hear about it.

DuPont Imron

[model 10]

Originally Posted by MarkSF

If you can recommend an automotive paint that can match this level of durability, I'd love to hear about it.

Again, what do you call "car paint" Very few cars are painted with something as good as Awlgrip, but you can buy paint that good or better at some car paint stores. It just does not say Awlgrip on the can.
Car paint stores are not your regular retail operation. They pretty much deal with body shops and pro painters. They usually have the goods at a fair price.

[Pelagic]

First you have to clarify if you are spraying or rolling?

Secondly, whether you will accept a more high maintenance finish that requires additional buffing and polish to maintain the depth of gloss that a cross thatched polyurethane marine paint can give you

Highend Marine Paints like Awlgrip and Alexseal, ...... which are really aircraft coatings....... have special brushing thinners and activators that ionize the solids away from the clear during tack off period to provide a higher depth of gloss and prevent orange peel if brushing.

Most car paints don't brush well and then you are stuck polishing the hull twice a year in tropics to keep it looking glossy.

Repainted my boat this year after 7 years without any wax on brightwork.

Still looked good, but I was refinishing decks and teak cap rails so tried AlexSeal and it was great to work with.

First shot is 7 year old paint , without any polish.

Sand, prime, sand, 1st topcoat, sand, final topcoat.

I think continued labor cost is more of a cost factor than the paint, ....so seems to me a false economy to use paint that needs polish to protect it.

EDIT
Sorry, last shot copied twice 2nd is 7 year old paint