Suggestions for painting a dinghy

[dmksails]

I'm just about done with building and Eastport nesting pram. She will serve as the dinghy for my Tashiba-31. I've done a fair job of building the pram - but it's not perfect - there are epoxy runs, some tool marks, etc. Personally, as long as it rows well and doesn't sink I will be happy.

The plans call for multiple coats of primer followed with multiple coats of paint. The results are beautiful - but I'm not sure I want to invest the next 2 weeks into painting something that is just going to get banged up the first time I beach her.

Any suggestions for what to use for paint?

FYI - all surfaces have been covered with 3 coats of MAS epoxy (by design)

[darylat8750]

I can't remember his name but a guy who was a chemical engineer for a paint company and also a rather prolific amateur boat builder recommended acrylic laytex house paint. Against my friends advice I decided to try it on my trawler. It didn't have the shine that my friend thought we should have so I sanded it off and used Bright Side which looks beautiful. Sanding that stuff off was a night mare! It was tough as the dickens and filled up sand paper very rapidly. For an experiment I left the house painted boot stripe on. Three years later the boot stripe still doesn't shine like a real "boat" paint but it looks about the same as it did when applied. If I were painting a work boat type dinghy I would use acrylic latex house paint. If you do I would like to hear how it works for you.

[Suijin]

Whatever brand you use, go with two-part paint. It's so much more durable than one part paint it's not even funny. Yes, it costs more, but it makes up for it in durability. Could last past 4, 5, or 6 repaintings using single part paint.

I painted a canoe with two part paint 20 years ago. It still looks good (well, OK), and it gets lots of abuse. If I'd used one part paint I'd have repainted it probably at least 5 times by now.

[appick]

Originally Posted by Suijin

Whatever brand you use, go with two-part paint. It's so much more durable than one part paint it's not even funny. Yes, it costs more, but it makes up for it in durability. Could last past 4, 5, or 6 repaintings using single part paint.

I painted a canoe with two part paint 20 years ago. It still looks good (well, OK), and it gets lots of abuse. If I'd used one part paint I'd have repainted it probably at least 5 times by now.

Agree 2 parts are the way to go whatever your painting.

[dmksails]

2 part paint?

[Suijin]

It's basically epoxy paint. Comes with two parts that you mix together before painting. Whatever you mix you have to use within a limited window because it does not dry, it cures.

[minaret]

Originally Posted by Suijin

It's basically epoxy paint. Comes with two parts that you mix together before painting. Whatever you mix you have to use within a limited window because it does not dry, it cures.

Usually linear polyurethane or acrylic, primers are generally modified epoxies, not topcoat. Just for the record. Epoxy based topcoat would suck, it has terrible UV resistance. Hence epoxy primer for the bond/stable substrate, LPU or acrylic for protecting said substrate from UV/gloss retention.

[UNCIVILIZED]

If you use a softer, or less durable paint on a dinghy, anytime it rubs against something, you're running the risk of some of it rubbing off & leaving streaks on whatever it's rubbing on (the mothership's topsides & decks). Which is a PITA to clean up. Though this does tend to occur more with the bottom paints on dink's than their topcoat paint. But if you'll be hoisting it in & out of the water a lot, especially to stow her on the foredeck, then it's worth considering. Hence the 2-part (2-pack) paint comments above.