What to paint?!?!?!

[Oreopenguin536]

I couldn't find any threads in the search bar about painting and colors so I thought I'd ask, sorry if it is repetitive.

I have a ranger 22 I'm restoring, currently it is the stock paint job (white with a red stripe) but the red is extremely faded and all the white is pretty chalky so I figured I'd make it a different color. The question is how bad do dark colors fade? I know red it the worst but I'm looking for a deep deep blue or even black and I was wondering how bad black or blue would fade in salt water or fresh, lake type water.

The plan is to put probably 3 coats enamel primer, then 3 coats of what color I choose then 4 or 5 coats of clear coat. I will be spraying it so while I'm at it does anyone have any thoughts about using a spray gun instead of roll and tip?

Personally I would like black because the idea I have in my head for the color scheme would really make it a unique boat to say the least

[MarkSF]

My flag blue, a dark navy blue, Awlgrip is 33 years old, and is a little faded but not bad. The only obvious sign of the fading is that there is a newer area of paint which is slightly darker. I would have thought you could expect at least a 20 year life. Trouble is, Awlgrip is not a trivial paint to deal with.

Awlgrip is one stage, no clear coat.

My understanding is that spraying Awlgrip is lethal without proper safety gear.

Anyone know how Alexseal compares?

[Steadman Uhlich]

Originally Posted by Oreopenguin536

I couldn't find any threads in the search bar about painting and colors so I thought I'd ask, sorry if it is repetitive.

I have a ranger 22 I'm restoring, currently it is the stock paint job (white with a red stripe) but the red is extremely faded and all the white is pretty chalky so I figured I'd make it a different color. The question is how bad do dark colors fade? I know red it the worst but I'm looking for a deep deep blue or even black and I was wondering how bad black or blue would fade in salt water or fresh, lake type water.

The plan is to put probably 3 coats enamel primer, then 3 coats of what color I choose then 4 or 5 coats of clear coat. I will be spraying it so while I'm at it does anyone have any thoughts about using a spray gun instead of roll and tip?

Personally I would like black because the idea I have in my head for the color scheme would really make it a unique boat to say the least

Hi.
Look at the thread titles found via this link.

https://cse.google.com/cse?cx=011403...oat&gsc.page=1
Look and read the "Black Boat" and "Hull Colors" threads. Many opinions and comments in those threads.

Hope that helps.

[Oreopenguin536]

Originally Posted by MarkSF

My flag blue, a dark navy blue, Awlgrip is 33 years old, and is a little faded but not bad. The only obvious sign of the fading is that there is a newer area of paint which is slightly darker. I would have thought you could expect at least a 20 year life. Trouble is, Awlgrip is not a trivial paint to deal with.

Awlgrip is one stage, no clear coat.

My understanding is that spraying Awlgrip is lethal without proper safety gear.

Anyone know how Alexseal compares?

aah, single stage, I'll look into it and see what I can find though for sure

[Oreopenguin536]

Originally Posted by Steady Hand

Hi.
Look at the thread titles found via this link.

https://cse.google.com/cse?cx=011403...oat&gsc.page=1
Look and read the "Black Boat" and "Hull Colors" threads. Many opinions and comments in those threads.

Hope that helps.

I'll look into it right now, thanks for the help on finding stuff guys!

[Oreopenguin536]

another thing I just thought of. Why paint the water line different than the rest of the boat? Excuse me my memory has derailed for a second but i.e. red bottom under the waterline, white sides and white decks? What is the significance of the waterline? Why not just paint the whole boat white if you wanted it white?

[HopCar]

I like dark hulls but down here at 25N they fade pretty quick.
Up in Maine they seem to last pretty well.

I don't know your skill level as a painter, but you need to be pretty good to get a nice finish with AwlGrip. AwlGrip is best sprayed by an experienced painter.

If you are a novice, I suggest you use Interlux Perfection. It is similar to Awlgrip but designed to be brushed or rolled. I've painted several small boats with it and gotten very good results just rolling it on. Notice I didn't say roll and tip. I thin it with 15% thinner and just roll it on. It flattens out beautifully. I've been doing it in temperatures in the mid seventies. High temps might make it go off faster than it can flatten out.

[Glenn.Brooks]

Interlux also makes a nice one part polyurethane topsides paint- ideal for spraying. I used Interlux Perfextion to recoat the cabin tops and sides of my Alberg 30 a few years ago. I rolled and tipped and wasn't happy with the runs and uneven surface finish. If I had to do it over, I would put the boat in a controlled environment - plastic tent of some sort, and spray it. For your Ranger 22 I would think you could use the one part Interlux poly, ( or really any similar polyurethane floor, porch and trim paint ) and come out with a very nice looking boat. The finish is all in the proper prep work and the undercoat.

In answer to your specific question, you don't have to put a boot stipe, BUT a boot stripe delineates the water line and often serves to combat water line weed growth and hide oily scum that frequently accumulates in harbors. It is sacrificial in the sense that you can scrape, sand and a braid it to get rid of gunk on the hull, without damaging the underlying hull finish. It the boot stripe gets damaged, just paint over it with touch up paint and your good to go.

Glenn

[Oreopenguin536]

A lot of useful advice!

Glen, don't you get some pretty decent brush marks with roll and tip and/or a decent stipple when you just roll without tipping?

Hopcar, I wouldn't say I'm experienced per say but I was a painter for cryogenic tanks for about a year so I get the gist of it. What we used was all enamel and oil based paints and let me tell you they that stuff is tough as nails and it looks pretty clean too!

Question for both of you, why not regular auto paint or the stuff we used at the plant? Does it have to be a special type of paint so it won't mess with the integrity of the hull?

[MarkSF]

I have heard of people using automotive paint, but if you want a quality one with good UV resistance, it will be a 2 part polyurethane anyway and you won't be saving much. Automotive enamel won't cut it vis a vis UV resistance.

Your best option for durability is to roll and tip a good marine polyurethane.

[HopCar]

Originally Posted by Oreopenguin536

A lot of useful advice!

Glen, don't you get some pretty decent brush marks with roll and tip and/or a decent stipple when you just roll without tipping?

Hopcar, I wouldn't say I'm experienced per say but I was a painter for cryogenic tanks for about a year so I get the gist of it. What we used was all enamel and oil based paints and let me tell you they that stuff is tough as nails and it looks pretty clean too!

Question for both of you, why not regular auto paint or the stuff we used at the plant? Does it have to be a special type of paint so it won't mess with the integrity of the hull?

If you know your way around a spray gun and have a place to do it, AwlGrip is about as good a paint as you can get. It is used on automobiles, aircraft and industrial applications as well as boats.

I don't know one end of a spray gun from the other so I had to figure out a way to get a good finish with a brush or roller. I tried the roll and tip method described the Interlux Perfection instructions. I had the same problem that Glenn had.

Then I read an article by a boat builder describing how he did it. He thinned it more than Interlux suggested, 15% instead of 10%. He used a short nap roller and he didn't tip with a brush.

Put it on fast and thin. Don't work it. Just get it on and leave it alone. The roller stipple will have time to flow out before it thickens up. It won't look like you are getting very good coverage so you will need three coats.

It's not perfect, but it's better than I could do with a spray gun.

Of course you know the key to a perfect topcoat is a perfect undercoat. Primer, putty and sandpaper are your friends.

[Glenn.Brooks]

What Hopcar said, above. Yes, you can minimize brush marks with roll and tip, but the are brush marks - and will still be present. My biggest disappointment with the two part perfection, is that it ran and sagged on vertical surfaces as it set up. So going over it with a brush was nearly impossible. It ran very nearly to when it started to set up. Maddening. On a horizontal surface, I suppose the results would have been much better. But, who has horizontal surfaces on a boat? Aside from decks, everything is vertical.

Now some paint suppliers are selling rollers that seem to do a better job than brushes these days. However, if you want a really fine smooth, glossy finish - use a paint gun and control your prep work and undercoat. My experience is the modern polyurethane paints outlast enamel maybe 5-1.

For yet another approach, there are some interesting threads over on the wooden boat forum about people using standard gloss house paint for wood boat refinishing. Surprising how well the stuff lasts. As a cravat, most of these boats are in northern waters, where UV degradation isn't as severe as the tropics.

As a practical matter, You could buy a quart and experiment with a small 2x2' patch on your hull. See what you think. If you don't like it, sand it off and go with the next paint on your list.

Glenn

[HopCar]

I found the boat builder I learned how to apply Perfection from. It is Port Townsend Watercraft. If you decide not to spray, buy his book. The technique really works.

Before I tried this I had all of the problems Glenn describes.
Instruction on rolling paint without tipping for spray like results...

[Oreopenguin536]

I dont know much about poly, ill have to research up on that, I was almost certain enamel would outlast anything else. Eitherway nothing can be done that isn't fixable


Last question is about matte..what do you guys think of a very low sheen paint? I know true matte paint in cars will turn gloss if a bird poops on it and you wipe it off...anyone ever hear of any boats with a matte finish?

[HopCar]

The two part polyurethanes like AwlGrip and Perfection are far more UV resistant than any single part enamel. Also they are very hard and scratch resistant.

Don't confuse them with two part epoxy paints which have very poor UV resistance. Epoxy is very hard and chemical resistant making them good in engine rooms, but not for exterior use.

A matte finish is less UV resistant than high gloss. That's why you rarely see matte finish boats. A matte finish also holds dirt better than gloss.

A matte finish does hide some imperfections in the painted surface and some wooden boats are painted matte for that reason.