Well, spring preparation for me has officially started for summer boating. I've been disappointed in boat paint since I first started painting with interlux paint as a boy in the 70s so I've been seeking alternatives. I'm a fairly skilled painter being trained during summers between college but boat paint for me has been an enigma. They always run and dry right behind me when I attempt to wipe the runs out with a brush. I've used brush thinner and other additives with little luck. Yesterday I decided to experiment on my transom with the reasonably priced and renown name, Rustoleum. Unfortunately the same thing happened, it dried within seconds and when I tried to wipe it out with a brush it left dry streaks so I took a rag and cleaned it all off. Frustrated, I decided to try any petroleum product I had available (since I was experimenting until I paint the remainder of my boat). I have old fuel from last year that had gasoline, 2 stroke oil and a fuel saver in it. I mixed 3:1 and applied it. Fantastic results! The paint went on with very little brush strokes showing, it gave me more time to wipe the paint out, it didn't run and the shine is amazing! I realize that it's highly flammable but I'm painting outside and it dries very quickly. We'll see if it stands the test of time.
That's interesting. I'll be interested in the results and if you try this again.
The more I paint, especially outdoors, the more important weather conditions have become in what kind of finish I get.
I checked NOAA weather history for Plymouth, yesterday. It could have been ok if you caught the optimal temperature (the temps in Plymouth looked a little low, yesterday), and the day wasn't windy. On an early spring day like that, I doubt you had a very long window for a smooth coating(?)
Perfect outdoors conditions are hard to find. I've wasted too much time over the years applying a coat in marginal weather, and getting poor results(and often sanding and doing it again).
I have a secret weapon for picking the best coating weather. The boatyard near my stored boat is busy in the spring. They often have excess (no inside work bays) topside painting and brightwork projects going on, outdoors in my same conditions.
Prep work complete, taped off, vacuumed, staging ready, the boats sit. And they sit and sit... sometimes for days.
I check those projects, note the times the crews 'hit it', and when they stop. They rarely paint when they will risk a bad finish that they will have to: wait until bone dry, sand, and start again losing a whole day (but it happens, I've seen it). I rarely paint myself,...if they are not due to weather conditions.
Their favorite time is in the mornings, just after the dew dries on deck, temps in the 60's and warming throughout the day. Their work stops before the sun hits the decks, or on topsides, they have already moved onto the shaded side. I rarely see any coatings applied beyond mid morning unless it's a particularly windless, overcast - but no chance of showers - day.
These pro's are as good as it gets with thinners so I'm convinced, thinners can help in marginal conditions, but there is no silver bullet in a can for the wrong weather conditions.
I almost never apply 'boat paint - varnish' on a windy day, never in the sun (shade is available various times of the day where I store) and only in moderate temperatures which are usually time dependent during the day.
