Painting the boat.... a few questions...

[markmdz]

Hi all, it's been a while since I've posted. Well, yet another season is coming to an end, and there, on the trailer sits my boat. And still having not seen water. This is now the 3rd season the boat has missed.

Anyway, the interior is almost all done now. So now it's time to start thinking about bringing back the finish. The dark blue gel-coat has yellowed and faded over the past 16 yrs, so now I'm stuck.

I've heard many people say not to use paint on a boat, and many say that it's fine. I have an uncle that is a teacher at a local Vo-Tech school where they have repainted his two waverunners to match his '87 25' Cruisers Weekender. Now it looks great, and he assured me that paint will not harm the boat in any way and will last a while as long as none of the paint is below the water line.

All I want to do is paint over the top portion, above the stainless trim. Just paint over the original pattern with close-to original colors.

Any opinions on this? Pro's, con's of doing such a thing?

19'7" '87 Checkmate Ambassador - Blue on White.

[markmdz]

Hi all, it's been a while since I've posted. Well, yet another season is coming to an end, and there, on the trailer sits my boat. And still having not seen water. This is now the 3rd season the boat has missed.

Anyway, the interior is almost all done now. So now it's time to start thinking about bringing back the finish. The dark blue gel-coat has yellowed and faded over the past 16 yrs, so now I'm stuck.

I've heard many people say not to use paint on a boat, and many say that it's fine. I have an uncle that is a teacher at a local Vo-Tech school where they have repainted his two waverunners to match his '87 25' Cruisers Weekender. Now it looks great, and he assured me that paint will not harm the boat in any way and will last a while as long as none of the paint is below the water line.

All I want to do is paint over the top portion, above the stainless trim. Just paint over the original pattern with close-to original colors.

Any opinions on this? Pro's, con's of doing such a thing?

19'7" '87 Checkmate Ambassador - Blue on White.

[senator-holland]

i have the same problem this winter...

all colour is turning in to white by the sun..

helmich
info@oost-west.nl
http://www3.sympatico.ca/kellard/Helmich.JPG

[Chris]

I'm going to move this over to the tech forum. Since it's tech related and stuff.... http://www.checkmate-boats.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Webmaster
Checkmate-Boats.com-The Fanatics Home!

[Eriktheviking]

As long as you use a high quality paint you'll be fine.You might get lucky and just be able to clear coat over your existing finish.Remove the faded surface by wet sanding it.Then clear over that.Sometimes it can bring the color right back. http://www.checkmate-boats.com/6/ws/,s,8626072361/Graemlins/thumb.gif

[175checkmate]

My tri-mate was painted by the prior owner. Both above and below the water line. Running darn close to 70 mph and the paint is still holding. I will be repainting this winter, going to be changing color. From what I have heard as long as you use high quality paint it will last. Surface prep is everything.

http://www.checkmate-boats.com/6/ws/,s,8626072361/avatars/rooster_3.jpg


1975 Checkmate Tri-mate 2, 2.4 200+ / Sky jacker 6" plate / 25p Laser 2 prop

[Bill]

You hit the nail on the head Gus, PREP is everything and quality primer. Quality paint gives a better finish but has nothing to do with adhersion. I personally do not recommend painting unless like Gus and have to do major work and do not have the ability or go through the expense of re-spraying gel coat. Paint is not as hard, thus as durable as gel. Clearing is not the best answer unlless you have clear already and it is pealing or cracking. Many people will use automotive clear insted of resin and one again, there is no durability. Any gel can be sanded and polish out provided it has not been done a couple of times before. Oh... the only way your Mate will have clear on it from the factory is if it has metal flake in it, otherwise, it is pigmented resin.

2003 ZT 240 6.2litre/Bravo 320 H.P. 24p Bravo 1

[F150GT]

I cleared A checkmate a couple of years ago, It was a metalflake blue that was totaly burnt out from the sun, it was flat and had no shine left at all. I sanded down thru the chalk untill we got some tru color again and sprayed it with the best grade DUPONT clear. I could not beleive how the shine and twinkle of the metalflake came back. I agree, It's not as tuff as gel, but it's held up good so far.

F150Gt

[play2win]

I have an 82' Enchanter that needs a repaint. It is black/silver metalflake. The sides are still nice, but top deck is shot (almost gray color). Can this be sanded and clear coated, or must it be repainted. I have no desire to venture into metal flaking a paint job.

[supergenius74]

I had my mx-15 repainted last spring. I replaced the transom and floor because of rot and was going to have someone just paint the transom black and give it a new clear-coat but when I sanded the old clear coat off (metal flake) the old paint was prett bad too and so I decided to just sand it all and have someone paint it. It came out great, The guy used emron (spelling?) chrystler plum crazy purple and then clear coated it and so far its held up. It only chipped of on a spot that I put silicone on and the peeled the silicone off. I have since touched that up. It's durrable and looks great. I recomend it because I think its more economical for older hulls that aren't worth a new gel-coat job.

1973 MX-15 RE-PAINTED IN '03
'75 JOHNSON 135 V4 REBUILT '02
50 MPH ON GPS AT STOCK SETTINGS

[play2win]

I tried some different things just recently, I wet sanded (400, 600, 1000), used 3M SuperDuty Rubbing Compound, 3M finesse-ie, and then a liquid wax. With 3 applications, it looked ok (2 hours to do a 3x3 portion. But it doesn't have that shine and luster. When boat is wet, still loooks new. Does that mean that a clear-coat still has the ability to bring back shine? All I do is wet-sand, clean it, and apply clear? Am I missing any vital steps?

[F150GT]

Your boat sounds to be in the same condition as my buddies blue Enchanter, I recleared it and it turned out great, The Metal Flake looks like new, better than when the boat was wet before.
When you go to clear it you need to sand off the old clear and the dead finish. Be carefull not to go too deep or the metal flake will start to look thin and wavey in spots. Then clean clean clean.(You should wash and dewax several times before you start sanding)
My Dupont rep did not recamend any sealers, He said it would draw away from the best shine of the metel flake. It has held up good so far.
The Dupont rep was not in the marine buisness so he might be a little off, but they do reclear tractor trailer trucks with fiberglass hoods and they hold up. (you cant get any more extreme conditions than that, lots of road debris and extreme heat)
Good luck with your rebuild, send more pics.
F150GT

[play2win]

What exactly does de-waxing mean? How much do you sand down to? How will I know that old clear is removed? What grit did you use to remove old clear? After sanding, what do you use to clean boat? How many coats? There is a produc called clear metalflake gel-coat, anyone ever hear of it, is it necessary? Thanks

[F150GT]

Play2win
Glad to offer information, Im no expert but have bean doing body work in my shop since I was a teenager and these practices have worked for me.
De-wax: In an attempt to keep your boat looking good you have probably waxed it alot. First wash it several times with hot soapy water(dish soap) Then wipe down the boat with enamel paint solvent. Do it several times while changing rags regularly. If you sand the wax into the finish, It will chase you till the end.
How much to sand: This is tuff to explain in writing, you need to sand off the dead finish. If you get a spot wet you can see tiny pin holes or porousness in the finish, this is what you are trying to sand out. Also the exposed metal flake has probably discolored and tarnished a bit, this needs to be sanded and actualy shined up.
I would wet sand by hand, this means using "wet & dry" sand paper and a sanding block on the flat surfaces, use a folded piece of paper on the curves. use a water hose or a bucket of water and keep wetting the paper and surface as you go, the water will keep the paper clean and help it cut better. If the finish is real flat (no shine) looking when its dry, I would start with 320 grit then work my way up to 400 and finish with 600 grit. If its not real porous start with 400 grit. your better off to sand to little than too much, you dont want to sand thru the metal flake.
Clean the finish: When your finished sanding rinse the boat as you go, when the sanding is all done and the surface has dried wipe it down again with enamel pain thinner or prep sol(a fast drying thinner)once again use plenty of clean lint free rags.
How many coats: I use Dupont high grade automotive clear(they offer different grades and quality clear) I tend to put on heavy coats so I call them double coats(it doesnt tend to shrink down as much and need as much rubbing when cured) First coat is thin, just covering. then two more heavy coats with tack up time in between 15 to 20 minutes. Clear is a real bitch to spray because it is hard to tell where youve been and how heavy you put it on. The good thing is that runs are easily sanded out and polished up.
Clear metal flake gel: I havent heard of it, but you can add pearl additive to the clear, I dont know how it would look, could be too much.
This is a big project for your first try, if you plan to take on such a project I would practice on an old car or something to get the feel of the whole system. It can also be an expensive adventure, a gallon of clear with activator and thinner will run you a couple hundred bucks plus spray equipment.
A good option is if you can find a body shop that will work with you. If you de-rig the boat and do all the sanding they may spray it for pretty economically. Ive done this for friends on occasion.

Glad to assist in any way I can.
F150GT

[Stretch]

Imron works great, just make sure to use a well sealed respirator that stuff is nasty. We painted a black gw invader and 7 years of not being covered still looks like a new paint job. We Imroned red decks of my G-3 10 yrs ago, never waxed it and still shines.
Excellent single stage, holds up on bottoms too.

[cooperider]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Bill:
You hit the nail on the head Gus, PREP is everything and quality primer. Quality paint gives a better finish but has nothing to do with adhersion. I personally do not recommend painting unless like Gus and have to do major work and do not have the ability or go through the expense of re-spraying gel coat. Paint is not as hard, thus as durable as gel. Clearing is not the best answer unlless you have clear already and it is pealing or cracking. Many people will use automotive clear insted of resin and one again, there is no durability. Any gel can be sanded and polish out provided it has not been done a couple of times before. Oh... the only way your Mate will have clear on it from the factory is if it has metal flake in it, otherwise, it is pigmented resin.

2003 ZT 240 6.2litre/Bravo 320 H.P. 24p Bravo 1 <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>Wrong they did use clear for many of the solid colors.