Linex spray for boats? Yay or nay

[dohcdelsol93]

So I have a 76 san juan 26 and a 78 carver santa Cruz 26


Both need topside paint.

We have a 9 yr old who is always all over the boat (grew up on them so no fear of water) and 3 dogs, smallest being 65 lbs


I have a ford excursion for my tow rig and the lower half is all linexed. Even after jack knifing a short trailer the qtr panel dented but the linex did not flake or scrape off. Same goes for bending it back out. I know is not pretty compared to nice sprayed, wet sanded, waxed and buffed new paint job but it's low maintenance, easy to keep clean, very durable and most importantly had great grip for animals and people that dont need to go over board.

People in this area or spraying entire trucks. New trucks at that.

Is there any reason i could not do a boat? Carver will be a trailer queen with occasional salt water use. San juan stays moored half a year then spends winters on her trailer in the drive way. She is always fresh water.

[leboyd]

Very interesting idea and one that I like for “working” boats like yours. I would think you can do this with no problems. Since you already have it on your truck, you know the possibly worst part is that it’s *too* rough. I had a friend who had the franchise here a few years ago. I don’t recall for sure, but they might be able to spray it with a different texture, where it’s still “grippy” but not so “pointy”. I’ve seen so many things LineX-ed including fiberglass trailers, I don’t know why it wouldn’t work. The owner of the shop would probably be able to tell you if he thought there might be a problem. I’m sure they wouldn’t want any problems and would give an honest opinion about it.

You could even get a color that you like and paint it when it fades in a few year.

[a64pilot]

Many work boats like shrimp boats have done it for a long time.
Usually Rhino Liner though, Rhino isn’t shiny, but it’s real soft rubbery, not such hard plastic feel. But I think like the original Ford it comes in any color as long as it’s black. Probably be intolerably hot in Summer?
Just stay away from the DIY stuff, it does not compare

[Cheechako]

When I worked for a power boat builder we had customers ask for LineX on two boats. It is thick and heavy for sure. It looked good when complete and it was not cheap as it required taping off and etc. One boat however developed some "blisters" in a couple areas shortly after launch.

[dohcdelsol93]

What im looking at is the urethane based spray on type. Not roll on rhino. This stuff does stay soft where rhino will harden and peel. You can lay a cooler in your trunk and this will keep it from sliding.

Im sure it will eat some skin if you do fall.

Id be interested to find out about the blistering. Dark colors in warm sunny climate? Lack of proper prep work or some contamination?

Ill be spraying mine myself. I want to do the upper half of my excursion as well as both boats. There is an eBay distributor of the stuff right up the highway from me.

[Cheechako]

Line X is pretty good non skid, not sharp but very pebbly. I would think a plastic cooler would slide right across it readily.
The boats we had done were brand new bare aluminum, here in the PNW. I doubt it was heat related, but I did wonder about it , and if it might be an issue in the summer sun. But, truck liners do not seem to do it, so I would think it would be fine. The blisters were very minimal and in one area only, probably 4-6 of them. My guess is some kind of contamination, although Line X does liners on used truck so... not sure.
I dont remember the actual cost but it was not cheap, probably a significant part of the price of either of your boats value! Have you asked a price?

[dohcdelsol93]

Being that i spray it myself im guessing about 200 each for the spray. Im hoping to buy bulk and get it for less. I will have an off white tent and im undecided what color i want to do the upper half of my excursion. Im tired of scratching paint every time i load a kayak on the roof rack.

Im not doing inside the cock pit of the carver as it still looks good, same for floor of fly bridge. Ill be doing from rub rails up and front deck. The po half way did a roll on paint job worth lots of runs on half the boat.

For the San juan ill only be doing the topside. I want to do from the water line to the rub rail but ill settle for a standard topside paint there. I hope I'm never in a position where I can walk on the sides of the hull. If i am good grip is the least of my worries.

I still have to buy acetone for cleaning after the wet sanding and ill have to see about a primer if needed. Ive heard varying opinions if primer is needed or not.

[dohcdelsol93]

The brand Im spraying it with is not line x but is another brand of same urethane based spray liner

[Wayfarer1008]

Both Rhino X liner if people did not now were developed for the mining industry to line the beds of dump trucks. To say its tough an durable there is no question but in a marine application other than a commercial applications where wear is an issue I think its flat out overkill.

[Mithril Bham]

Did a 34ft powercat with Vortex a few years ago. Was very impressed by the toughness of the stuff. Sprayed Granitex over resin base which filters UV and smooths out surface. Has a bad rep in the marine industry up here since it has been misused. Time & temp are critical as is superior prep. If water gets in it's a bitch to remove. In fact I still have a portable Vortex machine in my garage if anyone is interested.

[a64pilot]

Rhino, isn’t roll on, it’s spray only and only done by a rep. You can’t buy it and do it yourself even if you had the equipment.
It’s heated to spray but I doubt it’s melted.
It does not harden, and it’s warranty is forever, however the warranty is only to the original installer, so if you move, you have to go back for Warranty work.
I had it on my truck for 15 years and then sold the truck, it did go more of a flat black color. It’s the only Liner I knew of that stuff wouldn’t slide on. You could put an engine cylinder Head in the back of the truck and slam on the brakes and it wouldn’t move, all other liners I’m familiar with were slippery, drop in bed liners being the worst.

I tried having it applied to the tail wheel spring of an agricultural aircraft for fertilizer application, seemed to be a good idea, but didn’t last a week before the fertilizer ate it off, so it’s tough, but not impervious.

[dohcdelsol93]

If any of you have a finish masters (indusrial paint supplier) hit them up about the urethane spray options.

Rhino is not the brand im considering but i have heard good things.

[thruska]

In Alabama we had a spray foam installer suggest sevearal products for both inside and outside of the west system trimaran . I wish i would have listened and used it on exterior below waterline.
I cant remember his name or brand but i will check with wife on that contact.
He had some samples on plywood and said i should try to destroy it . I could not . Was thoroughly impressed but thought price was over the top. Well what was over the top was having boatyard people do it while their laid off . And wife wanted pretty instead of the tough functionsl route. So be it haha.
I used a sears product on a redo of my kodiak truck box. 40$ a gal. Did the whole box and some rough spots twice. And some left on my 5th wheel boat trailer. The box finish was rough and nonskid. The trailer steel looked like a satin undercoat nice and smooth for a brushed on job.
A bottom job is need on the Columbia and its not going to get traditional paint from boatyard people, that much i know. Im looking for longevity and function . Shiny and fast is not needed.
Dohc , you be fine as you dont need to worry about pricey haulouts. Labor is the big item and you already got that covered. I concur with your plan.

[sailpower]

Line-X is forever.

You might want to consider that if you don't plan to keep your boats forever.

[h2ojunke]

We just finished a Tuff Coat application on our Beneteau (for the second time). We loved the product, but I didn’t use primer (as recommended by them and the wife), just an aggressive prep. It wore through in a couple of high traffic spots and once through it had extreme separation (peeled up in sheets). On a positive note, I used metal primer on the rub rails and it can’t be blown off with an industrial pressure washer, so if installed properly it will last.

The first time I did it I used an automotive undercoating gun with fair results (required to much pressure and blew out some of the rubber aggregate). This last time I used a dry wall spatter gun with much better consistentcy and texture. I would have preferred a Linex/Rhino/dura liner product for durability reasons but none of our local places do remote installs.