Application of the "skid" paint (the white sections) made a
dramatic improvement in the appearance of the boat. The
image to the right shows the condition of the boat a
purchased. The white sections of paint were pealing badly
and, believe it or not, the boat actually looked better after I
sanded down to the gelcoat. After removing the hardware
and sanding off all of the old paint, I had a fair amount of
fairing to do (see photo below). In addition to the holes left
over from the hardware, there were a few spots where my
enthusiasm with the DA sander created some gouges.
Final sanding was done by hand and with a small finishing
sander.
dramatic improvement in the appearance of the boat. The
image to the right shows the condition of the boat a
purchased. The white sections of paint were pealing badly
and, believe it or not, the boat actually looked better after I
sanded down to the gelcoat. After removing the hardware
and sanding off all of the old paint, I had a fair amount of
fairing to do (see photo below). In addition to the holes left
over from the hardware, there were a few spots where my
enthusiasm with the DA sander created some gouges.
Final sanding was done by hand and with a small finishing
sander.
I chose Brightsides, an Interlux single part polyurethane paint. I had a long debate with myself about
whether or not to use the single part paint or Awlgrip - the gold standard of marine paint and a two-part
painting system. I decided to go with the single part for the ease of use and for the consistently good
reviews I've read of the product. I does not have the bright vibrancy that Awlgrip has, but it does look
exceptional and I am happy with the result. The true test will be how the paint holds up over time. If it is
maintained, applying a fresh coat or two should be easy, so long as it is not allowed to deteriorate to a
point where total paint removal is necessary.
The easy application was important to me for a couple of reasons. The primary reason is that the deck
was painted while the boat was in the water. It is incredible how much that complicates a project.
Secondly, it is very hot and very humid much of the year in New Orleans. I was concerned that the 2 part
paint would not maintain the proper mix ratios in this climate.
I taped off by taping along the border of the original molded nonskid. This is a critical part of the job,
though despite it's importance, I found it incredibly tedious. The best tip I can provide is DO NOT skimp
on the tape. I recommend 3M's #225. It is expensive and worth every cent. It will not leave adhesive on
the decks and, more importantly, bends easily. Take your time with this step. Every inch needs to be laid
with precision - the reward will be the smooth, straight lines that make a fine paint job.
Before laying down any paint I cleaned the entire boat. This included taking everything out of the interior
and cleaning each item before restowing it. A hot job in 100+ degree heat, but it was a nice sight to see
the interior of a sailboat emerge from the sanding dust, boat parts, and tools.
I used PreKote primer, the product recommended by Interlux. Given the heat, I used the maximum
amount of thinner that Interlux recommends, 10%. With that much thinner I was surprised by how thin the
paint went on. After the first coat of primer was laid down and sanded, it was almost translucent. It wasn't
what I expected. I ended up laying down three coats of primer before I was happy with the coverage. I
used the primer application to perfect my painting technique.
Given that I was painting the boat in the slip, there is no way I could have sprayed the paint, even if I had
the equipment to do so. Instead, I used the "roll and tip technique." This involves using a very high
quality brush and a foam roller to apply the paint. The paint is rolled on and when a small is covered, it
is "tipped" out with a dry brush. The foam roller leaves many small bubbles on the paint, the dry - drawn
horizontally across the paint - smooths out the bubbles. If the paint has been properly thinned, the brush
marks should settle out. Maintaining the proper amount of thinner is an art, particularly in high heat. It's
not enough to simply mix a batch of paint and thinner. The thinner will evaporate from the paint and
quickly gets to a point where the paint is insufficiently thinned. Keep some thinner handy to maintain a
good ratio. As a guide, if the tipping out brush starts to drag through the paint, you should add thinner.
Alternatively, if the paint runs when it is applied, the paint is over-thinned. Have a beer and let some
thinner evaporate.
The Brightsides was applied in precisely the same manner. I applied three coats of the Brightsides and
was pretty satisfied with the results. There were a couple of spots that could have been faired better and
there are a few brush strokes that I couldn't avoid. However, taken as a whole I am pleased with the
result. It looks like a new boat.
Painting a deck is a huge job, one of the biggest of any restoration. However, there is nothing you can
do to your boat that will have a more dramatic impact on the boat's appearance.
whether or not to use the single part paint or Awlgrip - the gold standard of marine paint and a two-part
painting system. I decided to go with the single part for the ease of use and for the consistently good
reviews I've read of the product. I does not have the bright vibrancy that Awlgrip has, but it does look
exceptional and I am happy with the result. The true test will be how the paint holds up over time. If it is
maintained, applying a fresh coat or two should be easy, so long as it is not allowed to deteriorate to a
point where total paint removal is necessary.
The easy application was important to me for a couple of reasons. The primary reason is that the deck
was painted while the boat was in the water. It is incredible how much that complicates a project.
Secondly, it is very hot and very humid much of the year in New Orleans. I was concerned that the 2 part
paint would not maintain the proper mix ratios in this climate.
I taped off by taping along the border of the original molded nonskid. This is a critical part of the job,
though despite it's importance, I found it incredibly tedious. The best tip I can provide is DO NOT skimp
on the tape. I recommend 3M's #225. It is expensive and worth every cent. It will not leave adhesive on
the decks and, more importantly, bends easily. Take your time with this step. Every inch needs to be laid
with precision - the reward will be the smooth, straight lines that make a fine paint job.
Before laying down any paint I cleaned the entire boat. This included taking everything out of the interior
and cleaning each item before restowing it. A hot job in 100+ degree heat, but it was a nice sight to see
the interior of a sailboat emerge from the sanding dust, boat parts, and tools.
I used PreKote primer, the product recommended by Interlux. Given the heat, I used the maximum
amount of thinner that Interlux recommends, 10%. With that much thinner I was surprised by how thin the
paint went on. After the first coat of primer was laid down and sanded, it was almost translucent. It wasn't
what I expected. I ended up laying down three coats of primer before I was happy with the coverage. I
used the primer application to perfect my painting technique.
Given that I was painting the boat in the slip, there is no way I could have sprayed the paint, even if I had
the equipment to do so. Instead, I used the "roll and tip technique." This involves using a very high
quality brush and a foam roller to apply the paint. The paint is rolled on and when a small is covered, it
is "tipped" out with a dry brush. The foam roller leaves many small bubbles on the paint, the dry - drawn
horizontally across the paint - smooths out the bubbles. If the paint has been properly thinned, the brush
marks should settle out. Maintaining the proper amount of thinner is an art, particularly in high heat. It's
not enough to simply mix a batch of paint and thinner. The thinner will evaporate from the paint and
quickly gets to a point where the paint is insufficiently thinned. Keep some thinner handy to maintain a
good ratio. As a guide, if the tipping out brush starts to drag through the paint, you should add thinner.
Alternatively, if the paint runs when it is applied, the paint is over-thinned. Have a beer and let some
thinner evaporate.
The Brightsides was applied in precisely the same manner. I applied three coats of the Brightsides and
was pretty satisfied with the results. There were a couple of spots that could have been faired better and
there are a few brush strokes that I couldn't avoid. However, taken as a whole I am pleased with the
result. It looks like a new boat.
Painting a deck is a huge job, one of the biggest of any restoration. However, there is nothing you can
do to your boat that will have a more dramatic impact on the boat's appearance.
