Spray vs Roll-and-Tip - Need Hull Paint Job Help!

[bstreep]

Reviving an old thread...

If you are going to go thru the whole headache of prepping your boat, use a decent paint - one for boats. In the grand scheme of things, the cost difference is nothing.

[minaret]

Originally Posted by pete c

I am getting ready to roll and tip on some rustoleum marine primer and topcoat for fiberglass on my Toyota Sunrader which is basically a fiberglass boat on wheels. I was pondering whether or not I should break down and buy a sprayer, but, this thread has me convinced that I should stick with roll and tip.

I do have one question. Everything I have read so far says use a throw away foam brush. Here I read that a high quality brush llike Purdy is the way to go. So which is it? I have a good quality 2 inch brush. Will that work? Should I maybe buy a wider one?

Foam brushes are for amateurs or very small touch-ups. Use a real China boar bristle brush. There are many available, from Corona on the low end to Epiphanes ovals on the high end. Remember to tip vertically.

[offline]

We did a tip-and-roll on the topsides of our Columbia. It came out great and the price was bearable.

We had it done in Palm Beach. Let me know if you need a referral.

[cburger]

Roll with no tipping.

I painted my hull a couple of years back with perfection as I couldn't afford to have a so called professional do the job. The hull is white and the sheer stripe is green. The learning curve is steep and there are numerous criteria that can all effect the final quality. I had numerous attempts to get the job done right. The secret is to thin the paint well, I went to the full 10%. You really have to move as once you kick the paint off the flow out is continuely changing. The roller is also critical as is the technique. I ended up using the little 3" hotdog rollers that don't leave any edge marks and did not tip the paint, this allowed the paint to flow out and self level with no brush marks, giving a job that was as good as most professional spray work, all of this done outside in July.

The gren sheer stripe was a completely different story as the charecteristics of the pigmented paint was different than the white and try as I may could not get a decent finish with the roller, after six attempts I finally shot the sheer with an HVLP spray system to get a decent result.

[Dulcesuenos]

We roll amd tipped our bombay 31:clipper . We used awlgrip in fighting lady yellow. We were painting over a blue hull. We sanded alot wiped prep degreaser and painted away. After first and second coat it was shiny but blue showed badly. We had guys at the boatyard joking about it and saying they could spray her for a fee. After 3 rd coat they all apologized and coyldnt believe how good she looked. Next day they sprayed awlgrip on a boat down from me and one side had runs everywhere they had to resand everything lol. We used 2 gall of paint gal of catalyst hardner etc. Still have a gallon left. So 2 gall of awlgrip plus the other stuff will do you easily. It takes two people. One rolling we did about 3 ft at a time and one tipping after. Side by side did entire boat in about 2 hours per coat. Spent about $450 at finishmasters. On materials. I can send pics if i find them of our process.

[pete c]

Originally Posted by bstreep

Reviving an old thread...

If you are going to go thru the whole headache of prepping your boat, use a decent paint - one for boats. In the grand scheme of things, the cost difference is nothing.

Does Rustoleum marine topcoat for fiberglass qualify as decent paint? I have read of people getting good results with it.

[bstreep]

Originally Posted by pete c

Does Rustoleum marine topcoat for fiberglass qualify as decent paint? I have read of people getting good results with it.

Like I said, if you are going to go through the prep process - which should be about 95% or more of the work - use a 2 part paint.

[virginia boy]

I was a custom residential painter for most of my adult life so I reckon I know a thing or two about paint and how to apply it. However, just as a mechanic often has the worst running engine, I was and still am reluctant to do more than just a cursory prep job on my personal projects. I painted my work van with a brush and roller (no laying off or tipping) and was just fine with the roller texture. I'm halfway through a color change from white and green to black and grey on my Westsail. It's an old boat with a lot of dings and dents and I have zero interest in obtaining a slick, shiny, perfect finish. I cleaned and scuff sanded the existing paint, (no blue tape, no fairing, nada) whipped out my trusty two and a half inch bristle brush, cut in the port side (5 minutes)and rolled it (no tipping) in 3 minutes, with a 1/2 inch lamb skin roller sleeve on a 9 inch frame and a rolling pole using sherwin Williams industrial primer and an alkyd enamel top coat in a 5 gallon bucket with a grid.


Ill be in the water next week and I will happily scuff the crap outta my boat on the dock and wear my construction boots on deck and every now and again I'll spend 10 minutes touching up the scratches and dings.

I get more peace and joy if I don't have to stress about marring my paint job. Same reason I own a Porta-Bote, I can drag it across concrete and nails and coral and not break a sweat.

I do admire a well done paint job though, and my hat is off to those people willing to work to achieve it and maintain it.

[virginia boy]

Originally Posted by pete c

Does Rustoleum marine topcoat for fiberglass qualify as decent paint? I have read of people getting good results with it.

Rustoleum paint is simply an alkyd resin paint. People have been using it for boats for a helluva long time. It's used on wooden boats because its more elastic than the harder but brittle polyurethane paints. Brightside marine paint is an alkyd paint with a little polyurethane added.

As I said in another post, if your not looking for showroom quality and are willing to put up with a workboat finish, nothing wrong with alkyd paints.

[David M]

Would you buy a car that was rolled and tipped? Why not? Because it is not a perfect mirror finish. You kinda get what you pay for.

[pete c]

Already have the materials and I am going to go ahead with it. Also, for those not aware, this is a molded fiberglass RV. Sort of a boat with wheels. And being white, I suspect it will be more forgiving to imperfections.

Worst case is it will look like **** and I will sand it off and use "good paint" next spring and I'll be out less than 100 bucks.

Thanks for all the help.

[Ex-Calif]

I have been watching this thread with great interest. I plan to roll and tip International Toplac onto Relax Lah next weekend. I am only doing above the coping this go around. Coping to waterline is next haulout...

I have used it before in the cockpit and it held up well. Spraying a two part would be ideal but it just isn't in the cards due to lack of equipment and the need to DIY ($$)

I will be spot priming with Interkote and final sanding this weekend. I am using Intergrip for the anti-skid and still haven't decided whether I am going to salt shaker/flour sifter it or mix into the top coat.

I am going to practice the anti-skip on the cockpit locker cover this weekend.

I will post results of the whole job...

[minaret]

Definitely practice, it is more than worth it. Cockpit locker lids are great for that. Sometimes I use scrap material from around the yard, but you need to find something with a painted surface for this. Get your recipe for the ambient conditions right and nail down a technique that works for you before committing to a large area. Every situation is different, practice will save you from problems...

[Ex-Calif]

Thanks Minaret - Your advice is always appreciated...

We'll be 27-30C with >80% humidity most likely. Last time I found thining the Toplac near the maximum 10% worked well.

[minaret]

Originally Posted by Ex-Calif

Thanks Minaret - Your advice is always appreciated...

We'll be 27-30C with >80% humidity most likely. Last time I found thining the Toplac near the maximum 10% worked well.

Been quite a while since I did Toplac, but it's a good product for a one part. I like it better than Brightsides. Make sure to use 333 and not 216 for reduction. I usually throw out the manufacterers specs when it comes to reduction and will reduce up to 20% even though they say 333 shouldn't be used at more than 10%. Note that 216 for spraying can be reduced at 25% with no problems, I feel it extends flow time and lets you coat thinner so you have no hangers. As long as it's not really cold out you'll have no problem with it flashing off fully. Get a 4" Corona for tipping the hull, it makes a huge difference. Speed is everything, the tipper needs to stay right behind the roller and tip the paint before it starts to flash.