Paint System 1 or 2 Part Epoxy

[Roy M]

Two-part epoxy primer over well-sanded gelcoat. Fill any big dings, low spots, etc. with an epoxy filler. Sand well with 120 grit, spray some water on the boat and look at the shine to see if there are any remaining larger defects, flat spots, etc. Then sand with 220 grit to make it paint ready. Use a 2-part linear polyurethane paint with the appropriate accellerator to kick off in cooler weather. Use the appropriate thinner for your paint. All of these lpu paints are sold as a system. Stick with one brand and its components. Roll and tip the lpu and check for any problems: drips, bubbles, fisheyes, captured bugs, etc. I there are no problems, you can put the next coat on the following day without sanding. I always find some problem, requiring me to lightly sand the whole painted section once more. Try to arrange the painting to do sections, rather than try to paint the entire boat in one day. Get at least two coats, preferably three, to give you a finish that will hold up to dropped winch handles, scuffing the finish with a dragging chain or dinghy, or a hard landing on the dock. Since you are using the same amount of labor that you would have expended on a single part finish, and since the lpu paint has at least a decade's longevity, you will have saved a huge amount of time that can be expended going sailing instead of painting another coat of single-part paint every three years.

LPU paints have the highest color retention, expansion/contraction coefficients, abrasion resistance, and value of any coating available to boaters. Save the single part stuff for inside the boat.

[akswimdog]

Wow- that's heady stuff Roy but I'll take it to heart... I liked the perspective about the tradeoff between the two methods, the cost and time analysis...Kinda takes me back to the risk/reward scenario...I've garnered loads of great info from everyone contributing I'm going to have to let all this sink in... Double edge swords full of compromises with no risk of reward...there's a song in there somewhere I'm sure- Thanks again I very appreciate all the detail!!! Best-

[Nicholson58]

I decided to only use 2-parts for everything. You can coat 1-part over 1 or 2 but you cannot apply 2 over 1. Once you've applied 1-part you are forever stuck with it. I like the durability of the 2-parts. I would never use anything but 2-parts below water.

In case you want to do the insides, I found a relatively cheap Sherwin-Williams 2-part, quick cure epoxy used to line water tankage. We use it to do the interior of the hull and bilge in stark white. Its nice to be able to see inside cabinets, lockers and bilge areas.

[akswimdog]

That's great information Nick- I'm grateful you shared...I've been pretty intimidated with all the choices but the ideas and clarification I've received here has helped immensely- I appreciate you taking the time to contribute- Good stuff as it will help me with my decision!! Best-

[Nicholson58]

Originally Posted by akswimdog

That's great information Nick- I'm grateful you shared...I've been pretty intimidated with all the choices but the ideas and clarification I've received here has helped immensely- I appreciate you taking the time to contribute- Good stuff as it will help me with my decision!! Best-

One other tidbit. I found the factory reps for Interlox and Pettit to be very helpful. This extends even to the point of suggesting how to share turf on your boat. I had both guys in person at a boat show explain how to use Interprotect 2000E on the new bottom with Pettit VIVID as an anti-foul. They both agreed that that would most closely address my needs and plans. They then told me to ignore parts of the instructions on the cans and what to do to get the best bond.

[psk125]

You want paint that will last. Brightsides seems to last about a week before it gets dinged or chips, or gets scraped off or scratched up by deck shoes. Interdeck - the one-part nonskid- holds up much better. Two part poly lasts the longest. I painted our deck ten years ago, with Interlux 2-part, and it now needs touching up in some spots. (Hence our more recent experience with Brightsides and Interdeck). 2-part paint is very susceptible to problems with temperature and humidity, however. After doing all the sanding and cleaning, it took me about five weeks to get the deck actually painted (primer and two topcoats of glossy or nonskid) because of the Connecticut spring weather. Unless you're inside, you may have to wait until July for the right conditions in Alaska.