Hull painting with Roller and Tipping

[Reefmagnet]

Originally Posted by Rustic Charm

Thanks everyone for your responses. I've been a bit slow in responding as I've been out getting her ready for the sand blasting that's going ahead in the morning. I'll start painting on Tuesday I believe.

Reefmagnet - Norglass tech people recommended use the single pack Weatherfast Premium Enamel as it's easier to repair if I ding it. Two pack's like Tera Nova suggested is harder wearing and will retain it's gloss longer, but it would be harder to fix up.

Whilst I'm not anticipating running in to anything (hoping not too ) the jetty's I mainly use at my yacht club where I'm moored is fairly hard and even the rubber edges or whatever they are leave marks. And whilst I intend to get a number of replacement funders and try to look after it, I wouldn't mind betting I'll have some sort of ding involving a jetty inside a year.

....

I think using single pack to make touching up easier is a flawed logic. Cars are two pack and can be touched up with spray can paint. I'd be more worried about fenders and lines rubbing, dinghy dings and general detritus bumping at the waterline damaging the coating. Unless it's a show boat, I'd paint two pack and touch up in single if so inclined. Even an exotic colour can be matched at your local Bunnings store.

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[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by Reefmagnet

I think using single pack to make touching up easier is a flawed logic. Cars are two pack and can be touched up with spray can paint. I'd be more worried about fenders and lines rubbing, dinghy dings and general detritus bumping at the waterline damaging the coating. Unless it's a show boat, I'd paint two pack and touch up in single if so inclined. Even an exotic colour can be matched at your local Bunnings store.

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Well, Norglass are now saying two pack, after me now buying the paint. They want me to ring them in the morning to discuss. Which I'll do.

[ausnp84]

Lessons I've learned from painting a steel boat.

1.) Personally, I far prefer 2-pack applied with a good quality short pile mohair roller (rinse it in water first to get all the excess fluff out, or be prepared to pick it out of your paint!!!). We used Jotun on Calypso for all coats (including the latest 2-pack top coat) and while it's not a glass finish (ie. you can't see yourself in the reflection), we've had plenty of compliments on the finish and colour. 2-pack is also very easy to touch up and very hard wearing.

2.) Some excellent advice on conditions to paint already mentioned - out of direct sunlight, windless day (the wind evaporates the solvent quickly and you'll lose your wet edge).

3.) Work in small areas - makes keeping your wet edge a lot easier.

4.) Work quickly - or as quick as you can. The first time I painted, I used a 4" roller and went really slowly with disastrous results. This last time I followed the advice of an interior decorator - used a 9" roller on an extension handle, painted the boat in the water in long sweeps and hey presto, had a nil-run / very smooth finish.

Good luck and post up photos of the results!

n

[HappyMdRSailor]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

Plus barge handlers if doing in water

Personally I like doing the painting in water...much less dust from traffic and you can get a flawless finish

Jayzus that's CONFIDENCE!

Originally Posted by Wotname

^^ very nice Pelagic

Ya think??? Very impressive...

[lesterbutch]

Originally Posted by Wotname

Re: single pack topsides; if you are going to roll and tip, then IME, do the following.

Presumably solvent (turps) based epoxy modified single pack like Killrust Topcoat or equivalent (although some the equivalents I've used are not so equivalent ).

It's a two person job (minimum)!
Have all stands and planks setup.
15 to 25 degrees C with 18 to 20 being perfect.
NO DIRECT SUNLIGHT - MUST be cloudy or shaded.
Don't thin paint, use direct from can.
Paint should be same temperature as surface.
One person rolls, the other tips. Work together. IME this is not a job to involve the wife but YMMV.
Ideally a third person is available to be the gofer.

IMO, if you can't ensure most of the above condition, especially the temp. and shade and two people, then just roll only or if you need a better finish, spray. A good roll job looks OK up close and just as good as anything a month later and from 10 metres.

I use and like short nap (6 or 5 mm) synthetic mohair rollers but other like foam especially if not tipping. For tipping I use a Purdy synthetic brush but I think the modern synthetic cheaper brushes are just as good. The main thing about a Purdey is that the cost of them makes you want look after them .

Wow! Talk about being a chauvinist! My wife can roll and tip most yard painters under the scaffolding! I don't think painting needs to have a specific sexual orientation!😣😣

[Snowpetrel]

Originally Posted by Rustic Charm

another good idea. I'll look at that too.

Which paint do you recommend then? The two or single pack for mine?

I'd go the two pack, but I understand some of the new single packs are getting pretty tough.

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[Pelagic]

I don't think Wotname meant it gender oriented, but more finding someone talented and steady with a roller....like your wife.

Painting is 99% prep, which we all can do, but on my paint job..... the application was done by basically one talented guy who could control how much paint was on the roller and could maintain an even pressure on both fore and back stroke.

That part is really an art, along with having the confidence to know that the 2 part paint (with brushing thinner) would go thru an electrochemical process, when tacking off so as to flow out perfectly to a high gloss finish.

Most amateurs (like me) tend to over roll too much, rather than have the feel to apply once to a steady flow.

I agree with Wotname.... Get a talented painter to do the topcoats.

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

I don't think Wotname meant it gender oriented, but more finding someone talented and steady with a roller....like your wife.

Painting is 99% prep, which we all can do, but on my paint job..... the application was done by basically one talented guy who could control how much paint was on the roller and could maintain an even pressure on both fore and back stroke.

That part is really an art, along with having the confidence to know that the 2 part paint (with brushing thinner) would go thru an electrochemical process, when tacking off so as to flow out perfectly to a high gloss finish.

Most amateurs (like me) tend to over roll too much, rather than have the feel to apply once to a steady flow.

I agree with Wotname.... Get a talented painter to do the topcoats.

I don't think Wotname was being gender specific either

I didn't read anywhere that Wotname recommended getting a talented painter to do the topcoats are you reading the same thread?

I'm not paying someone to use a roller on my boat. Thanks but no thanks.

[Pelagic]

Again Rustic, it all depends on the quality of finish you want.?

The AlexSeal paint I used costs about $450 for a 1.5 gallon pack.
It took me less than 2 packs to roll on 2 blue hull coats (with a wet sand of 800 grit in between).

To do the hull was a non stop roll process which took us about 5 hours from start to finish.

Starting at 5am...wipe down with special Awlclean degreasing solvent

Paint is mixed and allowed to rest for about 20 minutes before rolling at first light

Once you start, you cannot stop, so as to keep a wet finish from cut line to same cut line.

No runs, no orange peel, flawless finish as if sprayed.

I wish I had the talent and concentration to do that... or the physically stamina to squat for hours....but I honestly don't

For the cost of that paint, I think it is worth getting an experienced applicator, if you doubt your own skill, to get the level of finish this paint can give you.

[steamgoat]

We used the same paint as Pelagic. Never tried it before,here's my little 'tipper' at work,and the finished product.[glad I married a worker !]

[Pelagic]

Beautiful job!.... Now.....why did you marry her again?.... Remember this is an open forum..

[Terra Nova]

Good looking paint jobs.

[Snowpetrel]

Nice work steamgoat, good topic for me. Ive got to repaint my 40 footer sometime soon. And as she has a nicely faired hull, so it may be worth going for a nice gloss finish. If I can do as well as steamgoat and pelagic I'll be happy.

Unfortunately I don't think my better half will be doing much of the painting...

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[northwestsailor]

Found this on YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJ_T84GU_as

[Panope]

Originally Posted by Snowpetrel

Personally for your boat rc, I'd look at just rolling it on with a nice short nap roller. On a simple less than perfectly faired steel boat high gloss is your enemy, showing up any unfairness in the bog job like a sore thumb.

The first time I repainted SnowPetrel she was sprayed with a high gloss polyurethane. It looked terrible! I went over it with a heavily flattened coat straight from a roller. Much better, magically all the little bumps and hollows disappeared. So if it was me I wouldn't get to hung up on the high gloss part. Aim for a ten foot Finish, ie one that looks fine from ten feet away.

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+1.

Additionally, a bumpy finish will hide touch-ups much better.

To me, a metal boat with welds showing and other "industrial touches" looks just fine with "rolled only" paint.

I used two part paint everywhere and very much appreciate the durability and the lack of need for frequent re-coating.

Steve