I've commented here about my odd ideas and using new materials to lower cost and hopefully much more rapid, better and cheaper, revitalization of older fiberglass boats. I think it likely the newer Polyaspartic resins could be a huge advance. Here's a link to a guy who used these to coat the cockpit in a commercial fishing boat. Seems to have held up well.
www.slide-lok.com
These coating seem to have all the ideal properties needed for coating and are far superior, it seems, for boats. They are more waterproof than epoxy, they are more elastic and they had very, very good UV protection qualities. I guess the only deficit is they have less tensile strength but they are not weak. Right now the big use base is garage floors, auto show room floors, aircraft hangers, etc. My understanding is that large showrooms and hangers have very positive results over time. They can be food safe so might be a great alternative for water tank coatings. From an AI,
"...polyaspartic coatings are known for their superior chemical resistance, making them stable and effective in environments exposed to diesel fuel and other harsh chemicals. This stability helps prevent damage and degradation over time..."
"...
Performance Characteristics
Polyaspartic coatings outperform many traditional options, such as epoxy, in terms of chemical resistance and durability. They are specifically designed to handle the stresses and exposures typical in industrial settings, including those involving diesel fuel.
In summary, polyaspartic coatings are highly stable and effective when used in environments with diesel fuel, providing excellent protection and longevity..."
Cost. They are high but compared to gelcoat or epoxy not so much. They also can be applied in thick coats.
Here's a price I got from Kretus Polyaspartic 85 EZ Kit,(no financial interest on my part)
Kretus Polyaspartic 85 - Clear - EZ - 2 Gallon Kit - Concrete Decor Store$201.50
Compared to West epoxy and looking at the benefits it seems a bargain.
Think about all the people that tear their water and fuel tanks out because they don't look so good. What if instead you sand blasted the interiors then coated with Polyaspartic? These tanks aren't cheap and the fiberglass many are made of, maybe with a few extra wraps of new fiberglass, could be perfectly sound and sterile after coating the interior. Just a thought.
Some speculation. I have NOT used this but have seen several garage jobs and they look good. I would guess that it would be difficult to not have lines from rolling it. On garages they pour out five gallons at a time then use a squeegee to spread it over the floor. So it does spread out some. They also use these in basements for waterproofing. So maybe it could be rolled on.
More guesses/speculation, I saw on Beau and Brandy's sailing channel where they refurbed a boat they used a two roller technique to paint. They rolled the paint on with one roller then used a cleaner roller over the same spot not loaded with paint. The results were impressive.
003 Painting with Awlgrip 3 Beau and Brandy Sailing - Beau and Brandy Sailing (720p, h264)
@3:51
They have some great videos
"Maybe" this could be done with the Polyaspartic. This stuff hardens super, super fast so you can only mix small batches at a time. Possibly, I'm guessing, using the two roller technique, maybe even three rollers, you could paint it on with one brush, smooth a little with another and after a slight drying hit it with another clean roller. If not you may be consigned to slathering it on best you can then hitting it with a fine sandpaper to even things out and remove brush streaks.
This stuff also appears to have good adhesion properties. Epoxy floor coating are notorious for peeling up from hot tires. Apparently Polyaspartic does not do this. Though, a warning, some people are using epoxy to "soak" into the concrete, then coming back with a Polyaspartic coating. With fiberglass you don't need "soaking" I would presume, so no need for epoxy. I see no reason this can't be substituted for gelcoat. Mix in fine powdered titanium dioxide and paint it on.
You also have to careful who you get this stuff from. The one I quoted a price on I have no financial interest in and have not used. They did seem to come from a decent chemical company and it seemed to me decent prices and you could buy in smaller qualities to test. I have heard some people cut their resins and you don't get enough of the solids to have a good product. So buyer beware.
And BTW you can paint this stuff when it's really cold, still hardens up in minutes. A BIG advantage.
Fiberglass Boat Deck Refinishing with Polyaspartic Coating
Polyaspartic garage floor coating survives as a boat deck coating for over 7 years. Refinish your fiberglass boat deck with a protective coating system.
These coating seem to have all the ideal properties needed for coating and are far superior, it seems, for boats. They are more waterproof than epoxy, they are more elastic and they had very, very good UV protection qualities. I guess the only deficit is they have less tensile strength but they are not weak. Right now the big use base is garage floors, auto show room floors, aircraft hangers, etc. My understanding is that large showrooms and hangers have very positive results over time. They can be food safe so might be a great alternative for water tank coatings. From an AI,
"...polyaspartic coatings are known for their superior chemical resistance, making them stable and effective in environments exposed to diesel fuel and other harsh chemicals. This stability helps prevent damage and degradation over time..."
"...
Performance Characteristics
- UV Stability: Polyaspartic coatings are UV resistant, preventing discoloration and degradation when exposed to sunlight.
- Durability: These coatings exhibit high tensile strength and abrasion resistance, ensuring they maintain their integrity even in challenging conditions.
- Quick Cure Time: Polyaspartic coatings cure rapidly, often within a few hours, allowing for quick application and minimal downtime.
Polyaspartic coatings outperform many traditional options, such as epoxy, in terms of chemical resistance and durability. They are specifically designed to handle the stresses and exposures typical in industrial settings, including those involving diesel fuel.
In summary, polyaspartic coatings are highly stable and effective when used in environments with diesel fuel, providing excellent protection and longevity..."
Cost. They are high but compared to gelcoat or epoxy not so much. They also can be applied in thick coats.
Here's a price I got from Kretus Polyaspartic 85 EZ Kit,(no financial interest on my part)
Kretus Polyaspartic 85 - Clear - EZ - 2 Gallon Kit - Concrete Decor Store$201.50
Compared to West epoxy and looking at the benefits it seems a bargain.
Think about all the people that tear their water and fuel tanks out because they don't look so good. What if instead you sand blasted the interiors then coated with Polyaspartic? These tanks aren't cheap and the fiberglass many are made of, maybe with a few extra wraps of new fiberglass, could be perfectly sound and sterile after coating the interior. Just a thought.
Some speculation. I have NOT used this but have seen several garage jobs and they look good. I would guess that it would be difficult to not have lines from rolling it. On garages they pour out five gallons at a time then use a squeegee to spread it over the floor. So it does spread out some. They also use these in basements for waterproofing. So maybe it could be rolled on.
More guesses/speculation, I saw on Beau and Brandy's sailing channel where they refurbed a boat they used a two roller technique to paint. They rolled the paint on with one roller then used a cleaner roller over the same spot not loaded with paint. The results were impressive.
003 Painting with Awlgrip 3 Beau and Brandy Sailing - Beau and Brandy Sailing (720p, h264)
@3:51
They have some great videos
"Maybe" this could be done with the Polyaspartic. This stuff hardens super, super fast so you can only mix small batches at a time. Possibly, I'm guessing, using the two roller technique, maybe even three rollers, you could paint it on with one brush, smooth a little with another and after a slight drying hit it with another clean roller. If not you may be consigned to slathering it on best you can then hitting it with a fine sandpaper to even things out and remove brush streaks.
This stuff also appears to have good adhesion properties. Epoxy floor coating are notorious for peeling up from hot tires. Apparently Polyaspartic does not do this. Though, a warning, some people are using epoxy to "soak" into the concrete, then coming back with a Polyaspartic coating. With fiberglass you don't need "soaking" I would presume, so no need for epoxy. I see no reason this can't be substituted for gelcoat. Mix in fine powdered titanium dioxide and paint it on.
You also have to careful who you get this stuff from. The one I quoted a price on I have no financial interest in and have not used. They did seem to come from a decent chemical company and it seemed to me decent prices and you could buy in smaller qualities to test. I have heard some people cut their resins and you don't get enough of the solids to have a good product. So buyer beware.
And BTW you can paint this stuff when it's really cold, still hardens up in minutes. A BIG advantage.