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RonaldJ · 06-07-2012, 18:43

Greetings All
I just returned from an information gathering session at my local paint store. One with a primarilly automotive/industrial focus.

I told them I want to paint the deck of my fiberglass sailboat.
After considerable deliberation on their part -which I do appreciate - here is what they come up with based on what they have access to.
Dupont - Imron 3.5 HG Custom Colour, Imron 3.5 activator, Imron 3.5 Accelerator, and a Rolling Additive.
Is there anyone out there with a knowledge of this product who can say if it will meet the needs of a marine invironment?
I'm also wondering if the accelerator is necessary. I want to have all the time i can get to lay this stuff down. this is not a production shop type of atmosphere.
Thank you in advance for any feedback

**minaret** · 08-07-2012, 21:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by RonaldJ

Greetings All
I just returned from an information gathering session at my local paint store. One with a primarilly automotive/industrial focus.

I told them I want to paint the deck of my fiberglass sailboat.
After considerable deliberation on their part -which I do appreciate - here is what they come up with based on what they have access to.
Dupont - Imron 3.5 HG Custom Colour, Imron 3.5 activator, Imron 3.5 Accelerator, and a Rolling Additive.
Is there anyone out there with a knowledge of this product who can say if it will meet the needs of a marine invironment?
I'm also wondering if the accelerator is necessary. I want to have all the time i can get to lay this stuff down. this is not a production shop type of atmosphere.
Thank you in advance for any feedback

Sure, I've shot lots of Imron. It's no Awlgrip but it's just fine for most people's needs. Holds up well. It has a long history of use for the marine environment. If you are going to roll and tip don't accelerate and find something (a dinghy?) to practice on. Imron prefers to be sprayed. I like Sterling for roll and tip. Lots of people use Perfection these days.

**Blue Stocking** · 09-07-2012, 05:01

Recently rolled and tipped Bluestocking's topsides with 2 coats, in a non-tinted gloss white Imron M5600, can is labelled Marine Finish TopCoat, Brush and Roll Mixed Color.
Dupont 18101S Brush and Roll Activator
Dupont 18711S Brush and Roll Reducer

Wipe down with Dupont 18258S High Temp Solvent borne Cleaner.

This was over high build Epoxy primer from same source on a mixed surface of good Interlux Interthane and some hurricane damage chafe areas.

Vertical surfaces finish better, I have found, if rolled horizontally in a 2 ft square pattern, and tipped vertically with good quality 4" foam brushes, 180'd every 2 strokes, and replaced every 20 sq ft.
Imron, I have found, repairs and blends better than Awlgrip.

Thats what works in my part of the world.

RonaldJ · 09-07-2012, 19:47

Thanks very much for the feed back. I do have a dingy and while it wasn't a high priority, I think it's a good idea if it becomes my first "victim". I appreciate knowing my "advisors" at the paint store are not completely out in Left field also.
Finally the advice on HOW to apply is pretty important to me also and no doubt should have been part of my original question. If there are any other tid bits along this line..I'm all ears!!

**bstreep** · 09-07-2012, 19:54

Just my opinion: Use a product made for boats. We've had great luck with Interlux Perfection (2 part), and the tech support is just beyond expectations.

Here are some photos we took last night.

**Bash** · 09-07-2012, 20:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by RonaldJ

Finally the advice on HOW to apply is pretty important to me also and no doubt should have been part of my original question. If there are any other tid bits along this line..I'm all ears!!

Imron? Spray it!

RonaldJ · 09-07-2012, 20:08

To BStreep
I'm more than a little envious!!! First of all, that's a gorgeous boat! Secondly the work is professional, I dare to dream of such results. Finally if only I was at the point where i could be looking at mine as we are yours, not because I'm afraid of the work, but afraid of the final results.

I hate to leapfrog over my local paint store and buy several hundreds of dollars from somewhere else, because i know I'll have to go to him for lots of the small penny ante stuff. Maybe I will but I hate to

RonaldJ · 09-07-2012, 20:18

Bash
If you only knew!!
I think Spray painting is an art form that developed long after my ancestors cralwed out of the swamp. I have the equipment, but I always end up buying a whole lot of 400 grit wet/dry

**bstreep** · 09-07-2012, 20:30

I need to put the process into a blog. This has been a 2 year project: First year was grinding, filling and sanding all of the gelcoat cracks. 2nd year was painting. Really, we only paint when the weather is right, and Corpus Christi is the windiest city in the US. And no painting in the summer or winter. So, we've probably spent 10-12 weekends in painting. The white is 2 coats of Primekote (sanding in between), 2 coats of Interlux Perfection. Non-skid is Perfection: 1st coat has Intergrip, second coat has no Intergrip and 50-50 with Perfection Flattener. All rolled and tipped (actually, for the finish coat, we found just rolling with a good foam roller gave us a good finish - slight orange peel - with no tipping).

I just wish that 3M had come out with their new 2093 tape when we started. This product is well worth the cost: 15 days in the sun, and a GREAT edge - better than the automotive green tapes!

A few more pics:

RonaldJ · 09-07-2012, 20:54

B Streep
Your Non-skid looks to still have a good deep profile.
A previous owner looks to have been pretty generous with the paint on my non-skid and the pattern profile is not very agressive. Did you (have) use anything to remove old paint in this area?

**bstreep** · 09-07-2012, 20:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by RonaldJ

B Streep
Your Non-skid looks to still have a good deep profile.
A previous owner looks to have been pretty generous with the paint on my non-skid and the pattern profile is not very agressive. Did you (have) use anything to remove old paint in this area?

No, just maroon scotchbrite. The old coating didn't have any grit in it, so we added some to this paint job. It's not completely slip-free, but better than the previous.

**Blue Stocking** · 10-07-2012, 13:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bash

Imron? Spray it!

--that is --if you don't know how to roll and tip.
Professional bBoatbuilder did an article a few years back showing how FeadShip roll and tip megayachts.
Less paint wasted in the atmosphere, less time (labor) taping, re-taping, re-re-taping, etc, and more even coverage.
I worked on my boat with a professional painter who will argue that Imron is the best all round paint for boats.

thinwater · 10-07-2012, 13:37

Imron was factory stock on Stiletto catamarans in the 70s/80s. About 10 years before the UV gets to it. My boat was in the water with Imron (1 repaint) for 20 years.

No expereince with Alwgrip.

brankin · 10-07-2012, 13:55

As a professional sprayer, Imron is a great paint...sprayed. I have coated hundreds of airplanes with that product. My advice is to stick with awlgrip if you are going to roll and tip because an acrylic urethane like Imron just drys to fast to lay down and flow out like Awlgrip. I have seen "roll and tip" Awlgrip jobs that were equal to a wet sand and buff finish.

**minaret** · 10-07-2012, 15:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by brankin

As a professional sprayer, Imron is a great paint...sprayed. I have coated hundreds of airplanes with that product. My advice is to stick with awlgrip if you are going to roll and tip because an acrylic urethane like Imron just drys to fast to lay down and flow out like Awlgrip. I have seen "roll and tip" Awlgrip jobs that were equal to a wet sand and buff finish.

+1. Note the pro's share the same opinion.