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Second Thoughts on Gelcoat for Project
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| Grady95 |
Posted on 12/30/07 - 8:08 AM
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Well, the hull of the 77 Montauk is finally at the point where it needs an application of ???. Spider cracks, stress cracks, holes , dents are all filled. Fairing is complete. It's decision time. My original intent was to have my friend spray it up with general purpose gelcoat in marine white. I have been reading too much lately I guess because now the idea of doing the job myself in the garage has crept in. It looks like there are some nice epoxy materials that can be applied by hand with a roller etc, as well as some good paints that will work. West Systems, Awlgrip, Interlux, Spectrum...the list is vast.
There is more elbow grease than money available for this project! The boat will be used for fishing, a lot of fishing, all fresh water. It will be either trailered or in a hoist, so for the most part it will not be soaking in the tub.
Some of you guys have far more experience in this. The goal is to make a well sealed, attractive, marine white or off white colored coating which will handle 4 season use with everything from bare feet to dirty boots. Low maintenance is preferred, but really the boat is pretty small. The idea of waxing it occasionally doesn't bother me. My garage can be heated, but probably not for days on end so the material would have to cure up pretty quick if I do it in there with rollers and tips. I'm in Rochester, NY. It's winter. It's cold. I know that has to bear on the discussion.
Would a few of you mind throwing out some suggestions at this point? The gelcoat option is still the primary go-to, but it's worth picking a few brains first.
Thanks guys,
Grady
Edited by Grady95 on 12/30/07 - 8:09 AM |
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| John Fyke |
Posted on 12/30/07 - 8:35 AM
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Definitely gelcoat on the inside and top-coat paint on the outside. Just my 2 cents.
John Fyke
Re-Fit or Reef It
1979 15' Sport with Super Sport conversion and 70hp mercury. |
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| DelawareDan |
Posted on 12/30/07 - 10:15 AM
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For what it's worth, here is an article Jeff recommended on another thread of this type. I found it very informative.
Re-Gelcoating Your Boat (click to go)
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| Grady95 |
Posted on 12/30/07 - 11:45 AM
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protek9543 wrote:
Definitely gelcoat on the inside and top-coat paint on the outside. Just my 2 cents.
Have you done "top-coat paint?" I have not. What product did you like and what did you apply it with?
Thanks,
Grady
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| Grady95 |
Posted on 12/30/07 - 12:04 PM
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DelawareDan wrote:
For what it's worth, here is an article Jeff recommended on another thread of this type. I found it very informative.
Re-Gelcoating Your Boat (click to go)
Yes, thanks Dan. It's funny, this is one of those articles responsible for my waffling position. Of all people to answer my request, you are probably one of the most influential as well. Thank you so much for the thead you shared on your restoration. It is one of the true highlights of this forum. In it, you wrestled with the same issues. You did an Interlux on the interior, but said if you could do it again, you'd consider gelcoat. Do you still feel that way? Fortunately, no coating has been applied here yet so we have the luxury of looking back. There is a certain esthetic satisfaction in being able to do it all myself. Satisfying this desire though means working with the ambient conditions of the garage in winter. If the Interlux stuff works under these conditions, I would consider it. The option of sending it off to be sprayed with gelcoat is still, as I said, sitting in the pole position. I guess this request for input was just an attempt to hear convincing arguments to the contrary.
How do you feel about your selected coatings on your project, now that some time has passed?
Thanks again for your great post,
Grady
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| John Fyke |
Posted on 12/30/07 - 1:10 PM
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Grady95 wrote:
protek9543 wrote:
Definitely gelcoat on the inside and top-coat paint on the outside. Just my 2 cents.
Have you done "top-coat paint?" I have not. What product did you like and what did you apply it with?
Thanks,
Grady
I have done both. I have used Awlgrip and find it to be great stuff.
John Fyke
Re-Fit or Reef It
1979 15' Sport with Super Sport conversion and 70hp mercury. |
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| DelawareDan |
Posted on 12/31/07 - 9:25 AM
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My pole position would be the gel for the interior, but the nonslip areas would need to be addressed satisfactorily. I have not heard of anyone that's doing this with some kind of factory-like non-skid imprinted in a re-gelcoat job. The outside can go either way, but the article helped convince me that gel is the way to go for me. But I like the 2-part primer with 2-part "high-end" paints for a trailered boat... it's almost too close to call. Given that you feel you could tackle it yourself and would get satisfaction out of that, I would say go for it and save the money. One concern that would have to be addressed is in regard to fumes in the enclosed garage. Read the cans and data sheets and follow them.
Whatever brand paint system you choose, I'd recommend going with their primer as well as the topcoat.
I must say I'm disappointed in the one-part paint I used on the interior of my hull. It dings too easily. Being a one-part, touch-up is easy, and it'll be fine, but I wouldn't recommend an one-part for any painting in the future.
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| CES |
Posted on 12/31/07 - 11:19 AM
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protek9543 wrote:
Grady95 wrote:
protek9543 wrote:
Definitely gelcoat on the inside and top-coat paint on the outside. Just my 2 cents.
Have you done "top-coat paint?" I have not. What product did you like and what did you apply it with?
Thanks,
Grady
I have done both. I have used Awlgrip and find it to be great stuff.
Don't listen to John, he did some crazy stuff to my Whaler and it sunk!!
Cliff
1966 13' Sport with a 1993 40hp Yamaha 2 Smoker |
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| Grady95 |
Posted on 12/31/07 - 11:35 AM
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CES wrote:
protek9543 wrote:
Grady95 wrote:
protek9543 wrote:
Definitely gelcoat on the inside and top-coat paint on the outside. Just my 2 cents.
Have you done "top-coat paint?" I have not. What product did you like and what did you apply it with?
Thanks,
Grady
I have done both. I have used Awlgrip and find it to be great stuff.
Don't listen to John, he did some crazy stuff to my Whaler and it sunk!!
That must have been one thick coat of paint.
Grady
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| John Fyke |
Posted on 12/31/07 - 3:06 PM
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Grady95 wrote:
CES wrote:
protek9543 wrote:
Grady95 wrote:
protek9543 wrote:
Definitely gelcoat on the inside and top-coat paint on the outside. Just my 2 cents.
Have you done "top-coat paint?" I have not. What product did you like and what did you apply it with?
Thanks,
Grady
I have done both. I have used Awlgrip and find it to be great stuff.
Don't listen to John, he did some crazy stuff to my Whaler and it sunk!!
That must have been one thick coat of paint.
Grady
He accused me of using a paint with too much lead in it but the lead is in his rear end.     
Edited by John Fyke on 12/31/07 - 3:07 PM
John Fyke
Re-Fit or Reef It
1979 15' Sport with Super Sport conversion and 70hp mercury. |
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| CES |
Posted on 01/01/08 - 6:33 AM
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protek9543 wrote:
Grady95 wrote:
CES wrote:
protek9543 wrote:
Grady95 wrote:
protek9543 wrote:
Definitely gelcoat on the inside and top-coat paint on the outside. Just my 2 cents.
Have you done "top-coat paint?" I have not. What product did you like and what did you apply it with?
Thanks,
Grady
I have done both. I have used Awlgrip and find it to be great stuff.
Still trying to find someone to retrieve it from the bottom of the lake. Thanks Protek, job well done!!
I am still trying to find someone to jump in the lake and retrieve my sunk Whaler. Thanks Protek, nice work!!
Don't listen to John, he did some crazy stuff to my Whaler and it sunk!!
That must have been one thick coat of paint.
Grady
He accused me of using a paint with too much lead in it but the lead is in his rear end.
Edited by CES on 01/01/08 - 6:34 AM
Cliff
1966 13' Sport with a 1993 40hp Yamaha 2 Smoker |
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