Brightside paint job; and looking for help

Jun 5, 2010
1,107
Hunter 25 Burlington NJ
STILL trying to get this boat painted! For those who have noticed, this project has taken about an eon too long, and there are many reasons for that; but the main reason for the last three years' delay has been the paint job. Please keep in mind that this entire project has been done by me alone about 99% of the time.

Fact: applying Brightside IS A TWO-PERSON JOB. The first time (Nov 2014), we had one bad run (have to do over whole side for that = two people needed) and then the shrink-wrap job melted other side (have to do over whole other side for that = two people needed). This past June I had a once-in-a-lifetime (Fathers' Day) opportunity when my daughter and her fiance, both professional theater painters, came by and whipped out a really good job. Cracks came through on the transom (have to do over the whole transom for that = two people needed) and two places where I repaired cracks eariler (since the 2014 paint) needed more (have to do over the whole side for that = two people needed).

I got it pretty good and wet-sanded it to 320, and some paint got thin. So I did it myself, like a week ago. BIG MISTAKE (but then, there was no one to help). On (good) advice I added that Pettit Performance Enhancer to the Brightside, but apparently everywhere I stopped with the roller to tip it, I got a rash of roller/brush markers. The paint simply sets up too quickly (about 20 seconds) for one person to do both jobs. It may be a feature of the Performance Enhancer; but I'm kind of committed to that now. I just need a roller person (and maybe a mixing person) for like 11 till 1.30 in one day and it's over.

Short version: if anyone is available in the Delran (Burlington County) area on Wednesday, the 9th, and wants to hang out, comiserate about the elections, and spend less than 2-1/2 hours rolling for me to tip it, I'll make it worth your while ($$ but also pizza steak from Delran's best Italian sub shop; they deliver to the yard. Landsharks too; or let me know your preference). I'm serious. I'll be happy to connect with any fellow Hunter owner(s) and I'll give you one of my decals for free.

Get in touch via e-mail (should be in my profile). Wednesday will be sunny and 60+ and probably the last chance to do it before it has to be shrink-wrapped. I gotta get this done; so all offers are appreciated. Thanks.
 
Jan 5, 2017
2,263
Beneteau First 38 Lyall Harbour Saturna Island
Ruckus.jpg Done with a short-nap roller before I knew what "tipping"was. Turned out pretty good.
 
Jun 5, 2010
1,107
Hunter 25 Burlington NJ
Thanks for that Michael; but Brightside very much does show up the roller marks. I've been using 4" foam cigar rollers and 2" cheapo foam brushes from Lowe's. That's fine. The problem is a second set of hands.
 

Joe

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Jun 1, 2004
7,999
Catalina 27 Mission Bay, San Diego
........ The paint simply sets up too quickly (about 20 seconds) for one person to do both jobs.
Even with two people, a 20 second window is way, way too fast. It means you're not following the instructions carefully. Be aware of your temperature and humidity. Thin the paint to slow down the set up and allow the paint to flow out. Use only the recommended Interlux products for slowing down or speeding up the dry time.... Specifically, you'll need the brushing liquid 333 for easing the application, (i.e. slowing down)and special thinner 216 for cleaning the surface between coats.

Work in small sections, say 3x3 feet. Roll vertically, then tip horizontally. If you can't roll out the roller marks, start tipping from the previous section and stroke forward to remove them... then tip backward to blend in the new section with the previous. Thin coats are better, keep the foam tipping brush clean, change it out if it starts getting stiff or cruddy. Of course, it's important to keep a wet edge... that's why you must slow the paint down.... and not pour out too much into the tray from the can.

I can't emphasize how important it is to slow down the drying time to make your application easier.... when you get that figured out... the rest is easy. Good luck.
 

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Jun 8, 2004
997
C&C Frigate 36 St. Margarets Bay, Nova Scotia
John, I wish I was in your area to be that second pair of hands - actually you're probably not more than sixty miles from where my daughter lives (Jersey City) but I won't be visiting her before the new year and by then it would be too cold. Maybe its too cold now? As Joe said, temperature, humidity, and the right thinning products are the key. That said, I have had pretty good luck with Brightsides on my spars, using the roll & tip method and working by myself. If I was doing my hull, I would be tempted to hire someone who sprays for a local auto body shop and go with 2-part polyurethane. Keep at it! You're not the only one who has been waiting for the rebirth of that boat. (Looking forward to a photo spread in the future!)
 

TomY

Alden Forum Moderator
Jun 22, 2004
2,758
Alden 38' Challenger yawl Rockport Harbor
I've rolled and tipped a 38' boat 4 or so times over 20 years, with one part enamel. For me - working outside, the most important component is the weather conditions when you're laying down a smooth topsides. Thinning the paint, slightly, is nearly always necessary. But you can only thin paint to overcome poor painting conditions, up to a point.

The easy mistake to make is painting in: too much sun - too warm - too windy. I time the tracking of the sun and either move before it hits the hull area I'm painting, or follow in the shade as it moves. Direct sun is death to a smooth paint finish.

If you find you can't roll a section topsides, say 3', and have time to tip the paint without the brush grabbing, you have made one of the mistakes above. Bail out! Wait for better conditions. You'll be glad you did.

Trouble is working outside, it's very hard to get conditions that allow the coating to be worked easily, rolling and tipping. You should be able to tip back into your work for a few feet without your brush sticking.

The timing is easy if the weather conditions are right(a windless overcast day can be ideal). If they are wrong you can thin, more(and more), but it's tough to stay ahead of poor conditions.

I watch the pro's work often. They never try to paint in less than near perfect conditions(indoors or out). It too often means re-sanding a topsides (not an easy thing to charge time for).

It is easier with two but you'll have to control the speed of the person in front of you (rolling). It takes a little experience to roll and even coat of paint.
 
Mar 26, 2011
3,402
Corsair F-24 MK I Deale, MD
Thanks for that Michael; but Brightside very much does show up the roller marks. I've been using 4" foam cigar rollers and 2" cheapo foam brushes from Lowe's. That's fine. The problem is a second set of hands.
If you've been using cigar rollers you don't know. Have you tried a full size mohair roller? The cigar rollers are useless for this, IMO. Actually, I won't use them for anything.

Also, as Joe pointed out, thinning and drying time are critical. I've done boats with roll-and-tip and roller-only. I see very little difference done right. There will always be some tipping in tight areas, not difficult with one person if thinned properly and organized.

Pretty shiny, no runners, no tipping. I've done this several times. Just a few long days, prep and all.


Your going to bump a piling someday anyway. It's Brightsides, not Awlgrip, so it's not going to last forever anyway. Just go sailing.
 
Jun 5, 2010
1,107
Hunter 25 Burlington NJ
I curious, are you tipping vertically or horizontally?
Good question, Ted. My not-inconsiderable experience has shown me that Brightside is very susceptible to stops and starts - once you start you should not stop. Every time I have stopped it's been a problem - every time I haven't and gone straight through it's been near-perfect. Therefore, the best tactic is to roll vertically-- from tape to tape with no stops. Basically, every time you set the roller down you leave a mark that you cannot get rid of. This is what I saw (though suspected prior) when I attempted it myself: every time I stopped rolling to tip, it left marks.

I already knew this but attempted doing the mast by myself anyway. Now how do you roll a mast -- lying down - vertically? -with 4" strokes? Well; no. So you attempt to do it horizontally; but then you'd have to be able to roll without stopping to reload for 30 ft. Not happening! So it was a mess. I finally sanded it all, broke out the PreVal spray kit, and did a just about perfect job spraying it. Plenty of primer coats (every time I'd rolled it I had to sand again) and two coats sprayed over that and it's really nice. I nicked it a few times reinstalling hardware. I'm spraying it tomorrow morning - Performance Enhancer added, which works really well when spraying - and it'll be done. I'm using the mast as the ridgepole for the shrink wrap - one of my 'secrets' which motorboaters (who are typical customers for shrinkwrapping) have never heard of.
 
Jun 5, 2010
1,107
Hunter 25 Burlington NJ
I use the cheap cigar rollers for everything and recommend that way to customers regularly. Every one of them has reported excellent results. I don't claim to be the world's greatest painter (or varnisher) and don't particularly need to be. Also I don't have the weather window to apply much in the way of thinner to slow drying times - really about 2 hrs for application and 3-4 hours before it dips below 55 again. I'm only trying to replicate the job my friend and I did in November 2014 with the same kind of conditions. As I said, the problem is the second set of hands - that solved, this project is done. Period.

I agree mostly with Thinwater's final statement: 'Just go sailing.' About what I advise everyone but myself!
 
Jun 5, 2010
1,107
Hunter 25 Burlington NJ
Update: boat did not get painted. Weather demands that shrinkwrap goes on within a week (we had snow the 16th). Boat will NOT be ready for water before mid-May at earliest. Here I go again.
 

FredV

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Oct 16, 2011
148
Hunter 37-cutter Philadelphia, PA
I live aboard my Cherubini 37-C at Penn's Landing in Philly. If you still need help, let me know!